Dear Seekers: In response to a query from Jean MILLS MLS2GRANDS@aol.com, I had regarding the BYERS family of Hancock Co. IL, am sharing what I found for her. Perhaps some of you are related to the BYERS family (or the other surnames in the data) and can add more information to what follows: I don't know a whole lot about the BYERS family, but you are welcome to what I do know and the data/info I have. By using a search engine (I like http://www.askjeeves.com/ or http://www.alltheweb.com/), I plugged in the surname BYERS and came up with the following: http://www.chartiers.com/beers-project/articles/byers-1123.html article on Robert Carr BYERS, M.D., p. 1123 and Theodore BYERS, p. 1131 - same website as above, but just put in 1131 vice the 1123. You should get a title page of the BEERS page which lists all the surnames included in that site. As to my own connection with the BYERS family: First of all, my Half-Great-GreatAunt Emma SANDERS (b. 1855) married Charles BYERS. Emma was a half sister to my Great-Grandma, Mary CLARK - they had the same mother, different fathers. I can't find their marriage date on the Illinois Marriage Index, although I believe they probably did marry in Hancock or one of the abutting counties. Guessing on bride's date of birth, it was probably like 1875, give or take a couple of years. However, it is entirely possible that they married out 'west' in Nebraska or even Kansas, because Emma SANDERS mother (don't know about her dad) moved to Nebraska, sometime after the death of her husband, Caleb SANDERS. Caleb SANDERS was Emma's father. I am not sure of his death date, but if the children were small or young teenagers, their mother would have taken them with her - so it is entirely possible Emma and her SANDERS siblings grew up in Nebraska/Kansas. Charles (we knew him called as Uncle Charlie BYERS) was probably born about 1850. Uncle Charlie and Aunt Emma BYERS either moved 'west' or were already out 'west' when they met/married (may be why I can't find their marriage data in the Illinois Marriage Index) - and settled in Talmage, KS - were living there in 1923. Charles S. BYERS died 29 Nov 1926, Saline Co., Kansas Emma SANDERS BYERS died 26 Jun 1927, Saline Co., Kansas They did own farm property (I think it was a farm) in Dickinson County, KS, but had lived in Saline Co. for many years. Emma and Charles BYERS had a son, Carl A. BYERS: he died Saturday, 24 April 1971, in Kansas City, KS. He had lived in Salina for 47 years before moving to Kansas CIty in 1970. He was 80 years old. [so he was born in 1891]. He was a former Salina attorney. Obit does not list his place of birth, but it could have been Nebraska or Kansas. Survivers of Carl were: the widow, Lillian M.; a son, the Rev. David M., Oberlin, OH; a daughter, Mrs. Jean Wilson, Mission [KS], and 5 grandchildren. Burial was in Roselawn Memorial Park, Salina. I tried to locate the son, the Rev. David but had no luck at all; also tried to locate the daughter - no luck. Charles and Emma BYERS also had a son, Ambrose. I don't know what became of Ambrose. I think he may have been the older brother. If so, he was probably born about 1885 or so. - --------------------------- from HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY ILLINOIS, edited by Charles J. Scofield, 1921, is the following [I have capitilized surnames for ease in reading and brackets [] are mine, also]: BYERS, Frank, one of the representative men of Colusa, is interested among various lines in Hancock County, and has been instrumental in promoting some important enterprises. He was born in Durham Township, March 14, 1872, a son of John W. and Lois HOPKINS BYERS, natives of Pennsylvania and Adams County, IL, respecively, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this book. Frank BYERS attended the Durham Center district school, and the Johnson Business College of Fort Madison, Iowa. When he was twenty-two years old, he began buying stock, and some months later, he and Edward Ownings, opened a general merchandise store at Colusa, Jesse LIONBERGER becoming his partner when he bought out the interest of Mr. OWNINGS. The firm of BYERS-LIONBERGER branched out and now owns a grain elevator and conducts a livestock business. Mr. BYERS owns a sixty-acre farm, upon which he raises hogs and feeds cattle, and he is a very alert and capable business man. On October 1892, Mr. BYERS was married to Maude A. LIONBERGER, born in Dallas Township, a daughter of Jackson and Elizabeth WINT LIONBERGER. Mr. and Mrs. Byers have the following children. Helen; Doris; Selma; and, Norine Catherine, all of whom are at home. Mr. BYERS is very prominent in the United Brethren Church, having donated the land on which the present $15,000.00 church now stands, and having served as treassurer and secretary of the building committee for the erection of this church. He is also treasurer of the Sunday school, and deeply interested in all kinds of church work. In politics, he is a Democrat. He served as a school director for nine years, and is now road commissioner. He is a charter member of Colusa Camp, M.W.A.[Modern Woodmen of America], and he belongs to the Colusa band. Mr. BYERS has been instrumental in promoting the organization of the Farmers Telephone Company of Colusa, which is owned and operated by the farmers of this locality, with an exchange at Colusa. He also took part in raising the standard of the Colusa High School which is now one of the accredited ones of the county. BYERS, John W., now deceased, was for a number of years, one of the leading agriculturals of Durham Township, where he settled in the early days, and there developed valuable farm property. He was born in Pennsylvania, a son of William and Agnes COCHRAN BYERS, substantial people of the Keystone State. Realizing the fact that the broad prairies of Illinois afforded better opportunities for people of limited means to secure farming land, William BYERS and his wife started forth on the then long and dangerous trip from Pennsylvania to Illinois. When they reached the Ohio River, they took passage on it to the Mississippi River, as far as Quincy, Il, from there they traveled overland to Durham Township, Hancock County, and there bought land. After their arrival in the new home their son, John W. BYERS, met Lois HOPKINS, a native of Adams Co., IL, and subsequently, they were married, then located in Durham Township, where they spent thirty years. They then moved to Dallas Township, whee he died in 1900, but she survived him for some years, passing away in June, 1917. John W. BYERS and his wife had the following children: Narcissa, who lives at Colusa, IL; Esther, who is Mrs. William BLYTHE, of Durham Township; Frank, who lives at Colusa; Grace, who is the widow of Frank LAMB of Dallas Township; Elizabeth, who is Mrs. Jesse LIONBERGER, of Colusa; John Wesley, who lives in Dallas Township; Anna, who was Mrs. Hugh LAMB, is now deceased; Mary, who is Mrs. William DEITRICH, of Dallas Township; and Alfred N. who lives at Colusa. Although John W. BYERS has passed away, the results of his hard labor and upright living remain, and his name is held in respect by the community in which he lived. --------------- The following are entries from PIONEERS OF THE PRAIRIE, by Wilma Brunnen. priv. pub., ca. 1895, no copyright. Book has much errata and I can not/do not attest to any of the data in the 'pioneer' book. BYERS, Alfred Nelson - born 3 Dec 1888, in Durham Twp.,died 24 May 1954, at Ft. Madison, IA [Lee Co., IA]. On 12 Dec 1916, he mar. Clara MORRISON. One daughter [not named]. They are buried in Harris Cemetery [Hancock Co., IL]. BYERS, A. J. - died 1898; buried in Payne Cemetery [Hancock Co., IL]. BYERS, Bernard Benton - b. 14 Sep1902, a son of James and Ollie McMINIMY BYERS, was mar. 21 Feb 1921 at Ft. Madison, IA, to Lois Isabelle BARNETT, b. 14 Sep 1902, in Walker Twp. [Hancock Co., IL], a dau. of Orville and Minnie Maude SYMMONDS BARNETT. She d. 7 Feb 1972, and is buried at Monrovia, CA. They were the parents of three children: 1 - Mary Louise, b. 16 Feb 1922; mar. 5 May 1945 to J. R. STEVENS. They have four children: Pamela Hope, b. 1 Feb 1946; Lynette Ruth, b. 16 Sep 1955; Gregory William, b. 25 Jun 1957; and Roger Allen, b. 23 Sep 1960. 2 - Martha Jane, the second child of Bernard and Lois, b. 24 Apr 1924, died at birth and is buried in Buckeye Cemetery. 3 - Ruth Harriet, b. 10 Dec 1920; mar. 13 Feb 1945 to J. R. FLEMING. They have two children: Cathy Jo, b. 12 Nov 1957, and Douglas John, b. 18 Sep 1962. Mr. BYERS worked as a mail carrier in CHicago for many years; they moved to California, where he now resides. [note: I think Wilma BRUNNEN was a born BARNETT so she has the BARNETT family down pretty well - still, tho, there can be mistakes.] BYERS, Donald - b. 28 Nov 1907, at Dallas City, IL; d. 6 Aug 1980. On 30 Jan 1937, he mar. Fern MILLER. Children: 1 - Donald 2 - Jean METTERNICH. They are buried in Calvary Cemetery at Carthage [IL]. BYERS, Frank - b. 14 Mar 1872; died 27 Mar 1928. Four daughters [not named]. BYERS, James - died 1944. He mar. Ollie McMINIMY. The family lived in St. Albans Twp. in the 1920's. Mr. BYERS worked as a farmhand for Harry GRAHAM. Three children: 1 - Bernard B. 2 - Raymond 3 - Paul BYERS, John White - b. 18 Sep 1840; d. 13 Feb 1899. A son of William and Esther COCHRAN BYERS. On 15 Mar 1863, he mar. Lois HOPSON, who was b. 25 Dec 1844, in Adams Co., IL., a dau. of Robert and Narcissia PIERCE HOPSON. They are buried in Harris Cemetery. Eleven children: 1 - Narcissia, b. 9 Apr 1864 at Disco; d. 11 Sep 1911. 2 - Esther, b. 22 Aug 1866, in Durham Twp. 3 - Clara, b. 14 Apr 1868; d. 18 Oct 1869; buried in Van Ruff Cemetery. 4 - Alice, b. 5 Mar 1870; d. 2 Oct 1872; buried in Van Ruff Cemetery. 5 - Frank, b.14 Mar 1872. 6 - Gracie, b. 31 Mar 1875. 7 - Elizabeth Lois, b. 25 Oct 1877. 8 - John Wesley, b. 18 Dec 1881. 9 - Mary Leona, b. 13 Nov 1884. 10 - Alfred Belson, b.3 Dec 1888. 11 - ??? BYERS, John Wesley - b. 18 Dec 1878; d. 10 May 1953. On 17 Apr 1901, he mar. Edith Theresa HEISLER. Four daughters and two sons [not named]. They are buried in Gittings Cemetery. BYERS, Paul - owned and operated a sore in Breckenridge [a small community near the village of Stillwell] for several years. He was also the proprietor of the huckstrey wagon [looked this huckstrey wagon up in the dictionary - nearest I could find is a huckster - a person who sells merchandise/goods off a wagon as a peddler does.] in the area until he entered the service in WWI. After his discharge from the Army, he settled in Ezra, IL, [don't know what county this is in] and worked in a coal mine; later he became an electrician. BYERS, Ray - b. 6 Jul 1908, at 318 Fayette St., Carthage, IL, a son of James and Ollie McMINIMY BYERS. He received his education in the West Point and Bowen Schools, He was a member of the first graduating class to graduate from the new West Point High School in 1927. In July 1930, he mar. Orvetta STRICKLER, who was b. 22 Jan 1910, at West Point. Her father was a teacher in the local school. Mr. and Mrs. BYERS moved from West Point to Chicago, where he was employed by the Postal Department for thirty years and one week, living there until his health failed and they moved to Arizona. BYERS, William - b. 8 Nov 1805 in Pennsylvania; d. 3 May 1879. On 18 Dec 1839, he mar. Esther COCHRAN who was b. 5 Mar 1818, in Pennsylvania. She died 7 Dec 1893, in Hancock Co., IL, and was a dau. of Thomas and Ann WADE COCHRAN. They were the parents of a son, John White BYERS, who was b. in 1840. BYERS, Willey - mar. 6 Jun 1887 to Mrs. GARWOOD. ==================================================== CEMETERIES stated in above: Van Ruff: Durham Twp. Harris: 1 in Wilcox Twp; 1 in Dallas Twp. Buckeye: (West Point Road) St. Albans Twp. Gittings: Durham Twp. Payne: Chili Twp. - ------------------------------------------ Now - that is all the info/data I have on the BYERS family. I suggest, if you haven't already, write to the Hancock County Courthouse in Carthage and ask if there are death certificates on file for the ancestors you are looking for. You could also write to the Hancock County Historical Society, located in Carthage and inquire there. I suggest you always send along a SASE for a more prompt response and to save the historical society and county courthouse postage...I know it is always appreciated. The Hancock County Historical Society (HCHS) website is: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/1542 and the Email address is: hancockhistory@yahoo.com above both printed in the latest HCHS newsletter - Oct 2000 or write to: County Clerk Hancock Co. Courthouse Carthage, IL 62321 Shirley: bobert@panacom.com *********************************************************** --Original Message----- From: MLS2GRANDS@aol.com <MLS2GRANDS@aol.com> To: bobert@panacom.com <bobert@panacom.com> Date: Sunday, November 26, 2000 9:06 PM Subject: Byers Hello, I am trying to confirm information I have on my ancestor, Andrew Byers. He was supposedly born in England in 1778, he married Hannah Beale (born in 1780 in England. They were married about 1803 and came to the USA about 1805 locating near Harrisburg,Pa. There they had 7 sholdren born between 1805 and 1825. In 1850 they left PA and traveled by praire schooner to a farm near Carthage,Il. Andrew Byer died in 1863 and is buried in a cemetery near Carthage. His wife, Hannah is also buried there, but I don't know when she died. Their children were Agnes, Wiley, Mary, Samuel, David, Isaac, and Aaron. I don't know what happened to these children, except Aaron who was my great-great grandfather. He died young (38) and his buried in Bentley, Il. His wife was Rebeccah Ellen Shoup, he also left one daughter, Mary Alice Byers who was born in 1857. Aaron was a school teacher in Carthage up to his marriage. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Do you know the name of a cemetery near Carthage? There are probably more than one! Thank you, Jean Mills