Samuel A. Byars1

b. 27 February 1838, d. 9 June 1921
FatherArthur Bowen Byars1 b. 8 Dec 1794, d. 12 Aug 1845
MotherSusannah B. Blessing1 b. 12 Jul 1804, d. 1875
Birth27 Feb 1838 Samuel A. Byars was born on 27 Feb 1838 in Smyth County, Virginia.2,3 
Cens-185014 Aug 1850  He was about 7 years old when his father died leaving a widow with at least 8 children still at home.4 
Cens-186028 Jul 1860  By 1860 Samuel lived with Adeline and Jacob Wolfe [Adaline "Batie" Byars married Jacob Wolfe in 1847 in Smyth County; Adaline was probably Samuel's sister]. Jacob Wolfe was a brickmason.5 
Military18 Apr 1861  Samuel enlisted in Co. B. (later Co. D) of the 4th Virginia Infantry (the "Smyth Blues") on April 18th, 1861 at Marion, Virginia. He stated he was a brickman by occupation. Samuel was taken prisoner during the first Battle of Kernstown on March 23, 1862. This was the opening battle in Stonewall Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley. However by March 1863 he was again listed on the muster rolls for Company D. On May 3rd 1863, during a charge on the breastworks at Chancellorsville, he was shot through the left ankle. Samuel was sent to the Confederate hospital at Richmond. By November he had recuperated enough to return home on furlough. Later muster rolls suggest he was not able to return to the company. The damage to the joint eventually caused it to ankylose.6,7  
Marriagecirca 1866 He married Eleanor V. Patterson, daughter of Thomas E. Patterson and Mary (?), circa 1866.8 
Cens-187028 Sep 1870  Samuel and Eleanor were recorded in the late summer of 1870 with two children: Robert (3) and John (3 months).9 
Widowed19 Apr 1874  Eleanor died of fever four years later, in April 1874. 
Marriage18 Aug 1874 He married second Almeda America Cole, daughter of Sampson Cole and Eliza Cole, on 18 Aug 1874 in Smyth County, Virginia.10 
Cens-18808 Jun 1880  In 1880 Samuel was recorded farming in the Holston District of Washington County. The members of his household were enumerated to include Samuel, his two sons from his first marriage, Almeda, and S.A. Nickles who was indicated as a servant.11 
  However 6 days later Almeda was recorded a second time; this time in her father's household in Smyth County with a 4 year old listed as Bird Byars. Bird was identified as Sampson Cole's grandson which suggests he was probably Almeda and Samuel's child. Almeda's marital status was noted as "divorced."12 
  In reality Samuel and Almeda's divorce was not finalized until January 19, 1892.13 
Marriage28 Mar 1892 He married third Sarah A. (Thomas) Nichols on 28 Mar 1892 in Washington County, Virginia.3 
  Sarah was the same person as the S.A. Nickles who was enumerated in Samuel's 1880 household.11 
Cens-190015 Jun 1900  The 1900 census provided further information about Samuel's farm. It was located in the Holston District of Washington County and was not mortgaged. Samual and Sarah's household included 7 year old "Livie" Stoval, who was identified as Samuel's granddaughter.14 
  "Livie", whose name was Libbie, was actually Sarah's granddaughter; the daughter of Mary Tina (Nichols) Stovall.15 
  The cemetery in which Samuel and two of his wives are buried probably sits on the land Samuel owned in 1900. It is situated off Friendship Rd., northeast of the community of Friendship in the southeast corner of Washington County. Interestingly, the land is near Patterson Creek; perhaps named for Samuel's first wife's family. 
Cens-19203 Jan 1920  However by 1920 Samuel and Sarah lived in neighboring Smyth County. That years census, enumerated in early January, recorded their residence as "Rail Road Front" in Chilhowie.16 
Death9 Jun 1921 Samuel died from cancer on 9 Jun 1921 at age 83.2,17 
Burial He was buried at Byars Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.2 

Related Links and Images:

Samuel's headstone
Other interments in Byars Cemetery

Family

Eleanor V. Patterson b. 5 Jul 1843, d. 19 Apr 1874
Children
Last Edited23 Mar 2013

Citations

  1. [S855] "Arthur B. Byars-Susannah Blessing family group sheet", (undocumented); ancestral file numbers 14N7-XWQ and 14N7-XXX, Ancestral File.
  2. [S2746] S.A.. Byars tombstone, Byars Cemetery, Washington, Virginia, The stone reads: S.A. Byars, born Feb. 27, 1838, died June 9, 1921.
  3. [S8] Hockett and Hunt, 1891-1902 Marriages of Washington Co. VA, p. 15. Samuel A. BYARS, 55, wid, b. Smyth Co., VA, s/o __ Byars AND S.A. NICHOLS, 45, wid, d/o __ Nichols; 28 Mar 1892.
  4. [S465] Susan Byars household, 1850 U.S. cens, Smyth Co., VA, pop. sched., District 60, p. 187 (stamped), dwelling 415, family 421, viewed online at Ancestry.com, March 2004, image 63 of 169. Susan Byars 45; William 24; Ann Eliza 20; Sally 18; Arthur H. 13; Samuel A. 12; Mary 8; Henry C. 6; Thomas B. 4; all b. VA.
  5. [S576] Jacob A. Wolfe household, 1860 U.S. cens, Smyth Co., Virginia, pop. sched., 7 Mile Ford post office, p. 100 (original script), dwelling 647, family 649, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2006, image 102 of 191. Enumeration includes: Jacob A. Wolf, 38, brickmason, owns real estate of $500; pers. prop of $200; Adaline, 39; James C. 12; William A. 9; Eliza J., 8; Susan B., 5; Mary E., 3; Laura B., 3; Samuel A. Byars, 21; all b. VA.
  6. [S2729] "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Belonging to Units From Virginia," digital images, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : accessed Sept. 2011); Samuel A. Byars, private, Co. B (later D), 4th Virginia Infantry.
  7. [S917] State of Virginia, "Confederate Pension Rolls, Veterans and Widows", digital images with index, The Library of Virginia (http://www.lva.lib.va.us). Samuel A. Byars application, downloaded 28 May 2012.
  8. [S2268] Research of Tom Colley, Hanceville, Alabama; Mr. Colley cites the Washington County, Virginia death register entry for E. V. Byars, d. 1874, age 31y, fever, d/o T. E. & Polly Paterson, S. A. Byars wife, reported by husband.
  9. [S635] S.A. Byars household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Sprint twp, p. 62 (stamped), dwelling 128, family 133, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Aug 2011. Household includes: S.A. Byars, 31, farmer, owns pers. prop of $200; Eleanor V., 27, owns pers. prop of $750; Robt W., 3; John T., 3/12, b. Mar; Emily Sheffy, 17, mu, cook; all b. VA.
  10. [S60] Thomas Hockett and Shelia Steele Hunt, Smyth Co. VA Marriages 1851-1891 & 1860 Census, p. 26. Transcript states: Saml A. Byars, 31, wid, s/o Arthur & Susan AND Almeda A. Cole, 26, d/o Sampson and Eliza; marr 18 Aug. 1874.
  11. [S163] S.A. Byars household, 1880 U.S. Cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Holston District, ED 100, p. 16D, dwelling 133, family 133. Aug 2011. Household includes: S.A. Byars, 43, farmer; Almeda, wife, 35; R.W., son, 12, farm laborer; John T., 10, farm laborer; S.A. Nickles, 30, servant; all b. VA.
  12. [S521] Sampson Cole household, 1880 U.S. cens., Smyth Co., Virginia, pop sched., St. Clair district, ED 85, page 38B, dwelling 336, family 336, viewed online at Ancestry.com, May 2012. Household includes: Sampson Cle, 68, laborer, b. KY, father b. VA, mother b. TN; Eliza, 66, wife, b. VA/VA/VA; FreeLove, 40, dau; Dorcus E., 34, dau; D.D., 31, son; Robert L., 18, son; Almidia A. Byars, 37, dau, divorced; Bird Byars [?], 4, grandson; all VA/VA/VA; individuals who are listed as sons or daughters of Sampson are indicated with father's place of birth as VA, despite the fact Sampson's place of birth was listed as KY.
  13. [S2943] Samuel A. Byars vs Almeda Byars, Washington Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1892-005, reel 267, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia.
  14. [S634] Sammy Byars household, 1900 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Holston District, ED 114, sheet 11A (p. 158 stamped), dwelling 187, family 188, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Aug 2011. Household includes: Sammy Byars, 62, b. Feb. 1838, marr 8yrs, farmer, owns farm, no mortgage; Sarah, wife, 49, b. Nov. 1850, marr 8yrs, mother of 3 children, all living; Livie Stoval, gdau, 7, b. Nov. 1892; Lily Doss, 16, servant, b. Jan 1884; all b. VA.
  15. [S2944] Barbara Muller, "Samuel A. Byars-Almeda Cole Byars," e-mail to D. Powell, 28 May 2012. Barbara is the 2nd great granddaughter of Sarah (Thomas) Nichols Byars.
  16. [S835] Samuel Byars household, 1920 U.S. cens., Smyth Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Chilhowie, ED 113, sheet 3A (p62 stamped), dwelling 51, family 54, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2012. Household includes: Samuel Byars, 81, b. VA/VA/VA; Sarah, 70, b. NC/VA/VA; resid "Rail Road Front."
  17. [S1302] "Confederate Pension Applications Submitted by Widows and Soldiers who Served from the State of Virginia", Library of Virginia (http://ajax.lva.lib.va.us/F/ : viewed July 2012). Sarah A. Thomas pension application dated 8 July 1921 at Chilhowie, Smyth Co., VA.
  18. [S2964] "Washington State Death Certificates, 1907-1960", index, Family Search (https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/… : accessed 15 July 2012), Robert Wade Byars entry, d. 12 Jul 1949, age 81 yrs, father Samuel Byars.
  19. [S1513] "Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1955", index with selected images, Missouri Digital Heritage (http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates : viewed Jul 2012), John Trigg Byars certificate #8552 (digital image); personal data contributed by Mrs. Lydia Byars, Kansas Ave., Kansas City, MO.