Person:Sarah Huff (2)

SARAH ELIZABETH HUFF BYARS 1834-1916 1834 Oct 25: Called Elizabeth, she was born in Boone Co., Indiana, not far from Indianapolis. Daughter of Jefferson & Lutilda (Rice) Huff.

1840 US Census: Boone Co., Indiana; Roll 74; page 277: Jefferson HUFF; males; 1, age 0-4; 1, 5-9; 1, 20-29; 1,30-39; females; 1 age 0-4; 1, 5-9; 1, 15-19; remarks - total 5; 2 people employed in agriculture.

1850: US Census, Polk Co., Iowa enumerated 29 Aug 1850; Jefferson HUFF age 39 Physician born TN; Matilda age 37 born KY; Henry age 17 farming born IN; ELIZABETH age 15 born IN; Phillip age 11 born IN; Dinelia age 10 born IN; Ellen age 8 born IN; Jefferson age 6 born IN; Gilbert H. age 4 born IN; Reuben age 7/12 born IA.

1852: Traveled The Oregon Trail with her father, mother, 8 brothers & sisters. Six of her siblings died of cholera on the journey. Many years later descendants of Elizabeth would repeat a story telling about how her father had forbidden them to drink water directly from ponds & streams. He insisted that they only drink hot water, possibly boiled. Elizabeth, however, broke the rule every chance she could. It was so hot out there on the plains, that she would sneak a quick sip of cold water from a stream when no one was looking. Oddly enough, she was the only one who was never ill.

1853 Aug 9: MARRIAGE; Byars, I..., Aff. 26 Nov 1853, of Lancaster Prec., by Solomon Strong, J.P., Huff, Sarah E., of Lancaster Prec.. 'Clark County Marriages 1852-1896' Clark Co. Genealogical Society page 2, 1982.

1870: US Census; St. Johns, Multnomah, OR; BUYERS, I. age 38, farmer, b IL; Elizabeth age 36, keeping house, b IN; Maria age 14 b OR; Mary L. age 11 b OR; Martha age 6 b OR; Sophia age 2 b OR. 1880: US Census; St. Johns; Byars, Irijah age 48 b IL, father b SC, mother b TN; Elizabeth wife age 44, keeping house, b IN, father b TN, mother b KY; Mary dau age 22; Martha age 16; Cylphia age 12; Elizabeth age 10; Vesta age 5.

1881 Aug 27: Death of Jefferson Huff. [Tooele Co., UT Probate Orders 1874-1892, p 125] Information in this document also links him to his family in Oregon. "Three notices as aforesaid addressed to Elizabeth Byers, Ellen Grounds, and Thos J. Huff heirs of said deceased residing in the State of Oregon."

1899 Jul 3: Death of her husband, Irijah Byars.

1900 US Census: Portland Ward 9, Multnomah, Oregon; T623-1350; ED 75; Page: 11A Elizabeth Byars, b Oct 1834, age 65, wid, m 47yrs, mother 10/6, b Indiana, fa b Tenn; mo b Kentucky Elizabeth Luella Byars, b Feb 1871, age 29, b Oregon Izora Vesta Byars, b Mar 1875, age 25, b Oregon

1903 Sep 1: "Mrs. Sutton sent an urgent telegram yesterday to her mother in Portland, Or., explaining the situation and asking for aid. Mrs. Byars, the mother, is now on her way to this city." [San Francisco Call, Tues Sep 1, 1903 14:5] [see notes Martha Ellen Byars]

1905: Portland City Directory; page 269; Byars, Elizabeth (wid Irijah) res 435 E. Burnside; Byars, Izora V.E., bds 435 E. Burnside.

1910 US Census, St. Johns, Multnomah Co., OR; ED 112, 14B, line 87, stamped page 107; Edison St. #729; 265/380 Basey, Walter S, 36, wid., b OR, parents b Unknown, bookkeeper Tea Company; Andrew B., son age 9/12 OR; Byers, Elizabeth, Mother-in-Law, 74, Wid., b Indiana, father b TN, mother b KY.

1916 Sep 14: DEATH CERTIFICATE of ELIZABETH BYARS: Portland OR Bureau of Vital Records, Registered No. 65; Stamped No. 1692; Place of death, 729 N. Edison, Portland, Multnomah Co., OR; widow; Date of Birth Oct. 25, 1834; age 81y 10m 20d; retired housekeeper; Birthplace, Indiana; Father, Jefferson Huff born Tennessee; Mother's maiden name, unknown; Length of residence place of death about 50 years (8 has been crossed out) in Oregon 60 years; Informant, Mrs. Ed Ashby 129 N. Edison St; Date of death Sept 14, 1916; cause of death diarrhea & general senility; Burial Multnomah Cemetery 18 Sep 1916, Undertaker St. Johns Und. Co., Portland. [certified copy issued 7 Jan 1983 in possession of compiler]

+Oregon State Archives checked the Multnomah Probate Index and did not find an entry for Elizabeth Byars.

OBIT: Mrs. Elizabeth Byars -- Mrs Elizabeth Byars passed away at her home, 799 N. Edison Street, Thursday morning, Sept. 14th, after an illness of ten days. Elizabeth Byars was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Jefferson Huff. She was born in Boone County, Indiana, Oct. 25, 1834. In the Spring of 1852 Dr. Huff and his family started on the long trip across the plains with an ox team. They had numerous trials. First one party took sick and more sickness followed. Some were buried by the wayside. Water became a luxury; food was getting scarce. Shoes wore out a long time before they got to Oregon, and walking became a torture. But after long, weary months they arrived in the most beautiful country -- Oregon -- at least they thought so. It was late in the Fall when they camped near what is now the site of the Lewis and Clark Fair. They stayed there all of that Winter. The following Summer, August 9th, 1853, Elizabeth Huff married Irijah Byars, a young man who came across the plains in the same party. The newly married couple intended to settle in St. Johns. But after a short time they went down the Columbia River and took up a homestead on the North Fork of the Lewis River. But trouble followed them up. After living on potatoes and salmon all of one Winter, the uprising of the Indians drove them away. So they came back to St. Johns. They traded their homestead to James John for 100 acres. After years of hard labor they made a comfortable home and built a house of boards and bats, finished inside with redwood which was shipped from California. The house is now owned by Mrs. Byars' daughter, Mrs. W. E. Ashby, who prizes the old home very highly, as it is the oldest house in St. Johns. February 18th, 1884, Mr. and Mrs. Byars and family moved to East Portland, on 7th and East Burnside, which at that time was a wilderness. Mr. Byars died July 3, 1899. Mrs Byars again moved to St. Johns, on the old place, nine years ago, where she lived until her death. Mrs. Byars was a woman of noble and generous character, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church, also a member of the Pioneer Association. The high esteem of her life spent in Oregon was manifested by the friends gathered to share their last respects to the noble pioneer. Her daughter, Mrs. W. E. Ashby, was with her during her last illness. [Newspaper Clipping, name of paper not showing, St. Johns, Portland, Oregon, Friday, September 22, 1916, No. 46 (old series vol XI, No. 38), sent by Vernice Junkins]

OBIT: PIONEER WOMAN DIES - INDIANA WOMAN CAME TO OREGON WITH FATHER IN 1851 (sic) - Her Home Oldest House in St. Johns, Funeral Is to Be Held Tomorrow. Five Daughters Survive. - Mrs. Elizabeth Byars, 81, one of the pioneer women of the state, died yesterday at her home, 729 North Edison street, St. Johns. Mrs. Byars was born in Boone County, Indiana, on October 24, 1834. Her father was Dr. Jefferson Huff, who, about 1836, removed to Hartford, Iowa. Mrs. Byars was 17 years of age when her father started to Oregon from Iowa. On their arrival at Portland they spent their first Winter upon the site of the Lewis and Clark Exposition. Mrs. Byars, then Miss Elizabeth Huff, was married to Irijah Byars in August, 1853. They moved to the site of St. Johns, where Mr. Byars purchased 100 acres of land, a part of the donation claim of James Johns. The house, still standing, is the oldest in the town. She leaves the following daughters: Mrs. Maria Louise Brown and Mrs. Mary Lutilda Root, both of California, Mrs. Martha A. Allen, Mrs. Zylpha Caroline Sutton and Mrs. Elizabeth Luella Ashby. Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon. [newspaper clipping; handwritten note, Died Thursday Sept. 14, 1916; the words, 'both of Calfiornia' have been crossed out; sent by Vernice Junkin]

FUNERAL NOTICE: With Picture; PIONEER OF 1852 WILL BE LAID TO REST TODAY. Mrs. Elizabeth Byars. The funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Byars, pioneer of 1852, who died Thursday at her home in St. Johns, will be held this afternoon. Mrs. Byars was 81 years old when she died. She is survived by the following children: Mrs. Maria Louise Brown, and Mrs. Mary Lutilda Root, of California; Mrs. Martha A. Allen, Mrs. Zylpha Caroline Sutton, and Mrs. Elizabeth Luella Ashby. [Newspaper clipping; sent by Vernice Junkin; the words, 'of Calfiornia' have been crossed out, errors by the newspaper staff.]

FUNERAL OF MRS. BYARS - The funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Byars was held Saturday afternoon at the chapel of St. Johns Undertaking company. Rev. A.J. Montgomery was in charge of the services. Mrs Byars was a pioneer of 1852 and was 82 years of age. Mrs. W.E. Ashby of St. Johns is her only surviving daughter. [newspaper clipping, pasted in scrapbook at Oregon Historical Society Library, No. 77, Page 188]

Multnomah Park Cemetery, Portland, OR; File of Irijah Byars, written by the Oregon Pioneer Association: "MRS. ELIZABETH BYARS - Mrs. Elizabeth Byars is one of the worthy pioneer women of Oregon who has witnessed much of the growth and development of this section of the state, her memory forming a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. A native of Indiana she was born in Boone County, not far from Indianapolis on the 24th of October, 1834. Her Father, Dr. Jefferson Huff, lived in that state until about 1836 when he removed with the family to Hartford, Iowa near Des Moines. In both Indiana and Iowa he engaged in the practice of medicine. While a resident of the latter state he heard glowing accounts of the Far West and concluded to investigate. In the meantime, his daughter Elizabeth, had been a pupil in the public schools of Indiana and Iowa. She was a young lady of 17 when her father started westward with his family consisting of his wife and nine children. In those early days, Mr. Huff was considered a wealthy man. He traveled in better style than most immigrants, taking with him three wagons with four yoke of oxen to each wagon and other valuable livestock. He hired to go with him to drive one of the teams a young man of the name of Irijah Byars, then 21 years of age. The trip was a hazardous one and sorrow attended them as a close companion for six of the nine children died on the way. The others were also ill with the exception of Mrs. Byars (Elizabeth Huff) who stood the trip remarkably well. In the company leaving Iowa there were 52 wagons, the occupants of which had their eyes set upon the West of a land of dreams and brilliant hopes but family after family dropped out enroute until only three remained when they arrived in Oregon. They had various encounters with the Indians but managed to pass on their way unmolested and finally reached the Dalles. Then they proceeded down the river to Portland and spent the first winter in Portland upon the sight of the of the Lewis and Clark Exposition of 1905. The next spring they went to Washington, Clarke County, on the Lewis River where the father took up a donation claim of 320 acres. They lived upon this claim for two years and were often compelled to leave because the Indians were upon the warpath. There was a mission at the Cascades and upon a 30 minute warning given by the government agent to move, the Huff family did so. The government, however, gave them the patent for the land which they had been obliged to leave because of the eminent danger in that locality. Later the father sold the claim.

  In the meantime the friendship between the young man, Irijah Byars and the daughter of the household, Elizabeth Huff, developed into a strong attachment and they were married on the ninth of August, 1853. They immediately took up a claim near the father's property, though compelled to give it up on account of the Indian Massacre. Both families disposed of all their belongings and went to St. Johns, where Mr. Byars purchased 100 acres of land which was a part of the donation claim of James Johns. This was in 1860 or 1861. Since that time the property has all been sold with the exception of twelve acres bringing a good price as the land increased in value. The house which was built by Mr. Byars is still standing in St. Johns and is the oldest one in the town." (undated)

[Lewis & Clark Exposition grounds were located north of the city on the slopes overlooking Guild's Lake, about a 20 minute ride by electric car from downtown Portland. This fair was held in 1905 with an oriental theme. There were more than 20 national conventions held in Portland that year during the exposition.]

1. ↑ Byars, Lot 2-8, Block B. Multnomah Park Cemetery, Portland, Oregon. (SE 82nd Ave. & Holgate Blvd.).
2. ↑ Family Bible
   Irijah Byars and Elizabeth Huff; in possession of Maurice D. & Vernice Junkin of Sweet Home, Oregon; jlsm has photocopies.
3. ↑ St. Johns is a neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, United States located in North Portland on the tip of the peninsula formed by the confluence of the Willamette River and the Columbia River.