U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Byrne Family ------------------------------------------------------------------- History of Braxton County and Central West Virginia by John Davison Sutton Sutton, West Virginia, January, 1919 Pages 353-355, THE BYRNE FAMILY. This family in all probability settled in America early in its history, one George Byrne being the first to come, he having come from the county of Wicklow, Ireland, and settled in Virginia. The only accurate data we have on this pioneer family is furnished by Prof. S. B. Brown of Morgantown. Samuel Byrne married Clary Buckner, and to this union were born seven children, as follows: Peyton Byrne married Barbara Linn before 1790 and moved from Prince William county, Va., in 1794 to Preston county, and in 1798 he moved on to a four-hundred acre tract of land at the mouth of Salt Lick creek, this county. He was sheriff of Lewis county when he died in 1824. His wife Barbara died in 1838. Their age at time of death is not known. To continue with names of the children — Sarah married Jacob Zinn, Mary married John Fairfax, Charles married Charlotte Ash, Thomas married Rebecca Dorsey, John never married, and Elizabeth married Archibald Anderson. Peyton Byrne was born near Dumfries, Va., his wife undoubtedly being from the same place, and they were married there. Their children were eight in number, as follows: John B. married Ann Haymond, Samuel married Elizabeth Low, and died on Salt Lick Creek; Thomas and Peyton Buckner went to Kentucky where they settled and reared the family of that name in that State; Charles died at home; Nancy married Wilson Haymond; Elizabeth married Jesse Arnold of Harrison county; and Mary died unmarried. John B. Byrne died July 8, 1846, and his wife, Ann Haymond Byrne, died December 25, 1846. The children of this union were William H., quite prominent in the early history of this country; John P. also was a prominent figure in the early organization of the county, he having been one of the first deputy sheriffs under John Clifton. He was later County Clerk, and died Feb. 2, 1860. He married Sabina C. Sterrett April 3, 1845. To this union were born Margaret A., wife of J. M. Boggs; John, Andrew, Amelia and Effie. His second wife was Jane Hamilton, and to this union were born Rebecca, wife of James Taylor Frame, Charles Y., and Peyton. The two surviving children of John P. Byrne are John Byrne of Sutton, of the first marriage, and Peyton Byrne of Washington, D. C., by the second marriage. The children of this family who have been honored by elective offices in Braxton were John who was elected Sheriff; Charles Y. Byrne was elected Circuit Clerk of the county for three terms, and at the time of his death was in office. We doubt whether any man ever lived in Braxton who had more friends than he. Peyton Byrne represented his county in the Legislature for one term. The other children of John B. Byrne were Roena H., married Jas. R. Dyer; Benjamin W., well known by all throughout the state; Marcellus, Tom M., Thaddeus, Miranda, Sarah E. Dunlap, Mafia Darlington, and Mary A., who married Judge Homer A. Holt. John Byrne married Francis Catherine Squires, daughter of the late Norman B. and Rheuma Squires, and to this union were born Sabina C., wife of the late Joel S. Berry, Norman, Ella, wife of Dr. M. T. Morrison; John Peyton, Guy (deceased), Chas. M., Russel (deceased), Mamie, wife of John Newlon; Robert, Hugh, Ethel, George Coble and Clarence. Charles Byrne was an early settler on Salt Lick. He married Temperance Gibson, and moved to Illinois many years ago. Benjamin Wilson Byrne was born May 16, 1820, near Burnsville, in Lewis (now Braxton county) Virginia. He was the son of John B. Byrne and Ann Haymond Byrne. His ancestors settled in Prince William county. Virginia, in 1720. Early in the last century his father moved to and settled in what was then Harrison (now Braxton county). His family connections were numerous, and among them were the Raymonds, Wilsons, Camdens, Holts and other distinguished families who adorned the history of Virginia and later West Virginia. He was well educated and studied law at the famous law school of Judge Lucas P. Thompson in Staunton, Va. In 1848, almost as soon as he was licensed to practice law, he was elected to the legislature from the district composed of Braxton, Lewis and Gilmer, the same territory now covering Calhoun, Upshur, half of Clay and half of Webster, and portions of Barbour and Ritchie, a grand constituency. He served in the session of 1848-49, and in the extra session of 1849, called to revise the code. In 1849, he married Mary Louisa Holt, daughter of Jonathan Holt, and sister of the late Hon. Homer A. Holt, of the Supreme bench, and also of Mrs. T. B. Camden of Parkersburg. He was again elected to the legislature in 1857 from the counties of Braxton and Nicholas, and in that year he had the new county of Clay carved out of Kanawha, Braxton and Nicholas. He served in another session in 1858. Colonel Byrne's children surviving him are Mrs. J. C. Given of Canton, Ohio; Mrs. J. M. Boggs of Big Otter, this state; Mrs. M. W. Venable, Mrs. Olin White, George Byrne and W. E. R. Byrne of Charleston. These and their children and his devoted widow will mourn him and revere his memory as a beloved husband and an unselfish and ever kind father, while this city and state will always honor the memory of his useful and honorable life. His death occurred at Charleston in September, 1903. W. E. R. Byrne was born Oct. 26, 1862, at Ft. Defiance, Va. His father, Benjamin W. Byrne, was a native of Braxton county, and his mother, Mary L. Holt, was born at Beaver, Pa. His grandparents were John B. Byrne and Anne Haymond. Mr. Byrne was married June 12, 1889, to Amanda Austin, and their children are George A., Marie L., Barbara Linn, Charlotte and Wm. E. R., Jr. W. E. R. Byrne served as Prosecuting Attorney from 1893 to 1897, and moved to Charleston Jan. 1, 1897, where he now resides. Mr. Byrne is a man of sterling character, a safe councilor and a strong advocate. He formed a partnership with G. R. Linn, and they have a lucrative and extensive practice in Charleston. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Braxton County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/braxton/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------