Person:William Byers (13)

William Byers was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

Contents 1 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA 2 Records in Augusta County, VA 3 Notes		Welcome to Old Augusta Early Settlers Beverley Manor Borden's Grant Register Data Maps Places Library History Index
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Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 16.--7th February, 1754. Same [from Col. James Patton] to William Byers, 160 acres on Tom's Creek. Cor. John Cook; cor. to another tract belonging to Byers; Conrad Kinder's line.

• Page 97.--10th February, 1754. Jacob Harmon to Wm. Byers, 170 acres conveyed to Harmon by Patton 1st February, 1754, on Tom's Creek. Cor. John Adams.

• 1755 - William Byers had surveyed 335 acres in Augusta County, Virginia (now Rockbridge) west and north of Natural Bridge “on ye north side of Cedar Creek in the forks of the James River joining land of Samuel McDowell. "Capt. William Byers of the Revolution" by Elmer Oris Parker

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley's:

• Vol. 1 - MARCH 23, 1754. - (126) Road ordered from Campbell's School House to Renix's Road--Saml. Walker, overseer--with these workers: William Bradshaw, John Maxwell, James Frazier, John McColley, John Peter and George Salley, Henry Fuller, Joseph Ryan, John Hutchings, John Hutchings, Jr., John Sprowl, Mathew Vance, Richard Benton, Wm. Burt, John Smith, Joseph Smith, John Allison, Wm. Byers, Richard Mathews, Sampson Mathews, Saml. Walker, Thos. Shaw, Stephen Arnold, John Peteet, Wm. Noble, Saml. Allison.

• Page 73.--7th February, 1754. Same [from Col. James Patton] to John Cook, 190 acres on Tom's Creek as above. Cor. Wm. Byer's land; cor. Conrad Kinder.

• Page 88.--11th February, 1754. Same [from Col. James Patton] to Conrad Kinder, 290 acres on Tom's Creek. Cor. Michael Kinder; cor. Wm. Byers, John Cook's line; Jacob Lingel's line.

• Page 203.--17th February, 1758. Colonel James Patton's estate; appraised by Thomas Stewart, John Ramsey, Edward Hall. List of bonds, bills, &c., due the estate: James Wiley's, 3rd May, 1754; Wm. Leppard's 15th February, 1753; John Die and Wm. Leppard's, 2nd February, 1754; William Byers, 15th February, 1754; Ernest Sharp, John Sharp and Martin Loy, 15th February, 1753; Thomas Ose, 8th February, 1754; Alexander Sayers, 22nd April, 1751; Daniel McNaire, 29th November, 1753; Frederick Stern, 12th February, 1754; Elizabeth Sumpter, 12th November, 1754; Patrick Callhoun, 20th April, 1751; Jacob Larton, __ June, ____; John Cook, 6th February, 1754; James McCaul, 20th April, 1751; John Wilson, 13th August, 1753; Conrad and Michael Kinder, 6th February, 1754; John Goldman, 17th December, 1750; George Stevenson, 8th December, 1752; Daniel Brown, 5th February, 1754; John Adams, 1st February, 1754; James Scaggs, 12th February, 1753; Luke McCherry, 22nd February, 1755; John Miller and Charles Springer, 1st April, 1751; Andrew Evans, 29th January, 1753; James Miller, of Reed Creek, ......; William, Henry and James Bates, 13th August, 1752; William Henry's note; Mathew Patton, 17th December, 1753; Paul Garrison, 16th February, 1754; John Brinegar, 20th April, 1753; John Stedham, Jacob Patton, and Peter Tar, 18th December, 1753; Thomas Lutterington and John Brinegar, 3rd January, 1754; Robert Williams, 17th December, 1753; Thomas English and John Medley, 9th February, 1754; John McCurry and Samuel Jackson, 27th September, 1752; William Lees, 17th December, 1753; Errick Bright, 18th February, 1753; Francis Cypher, 18th February, 1753; Henry and William Ledford, 3rd January, 1754; Henry Holston, 17th December, 1753; Conrad Harchy, 18th December, 1753; Nathan Nicholas, 14th January, 1755; Thomas Hill, 18th February, 1753; John Medley, 11th April, 1748; Samuel Jackson, 25th September, 1753; Plackard Siller (Scilar), 18th December, 1753; Peter Upsher, 20th December, 1753; Benjamin Ogle, 18th February, 1753; Elisha Isaac, ____, 1753; Patrick Downey and Adam Looney, 4th October, 1753; Tobias Bright, 13th December, 1752; Thomas English, 13th December, 1752; Peter Looney, 6th March, 1754; Hance Maurice, 20th December, 1753; George Peter Tar and Henry Holston, Sr., 17th December, 1753; William Graham, 13th August, 1753; William McCurry, 2nd January, 1754; John Brinegar, 3rd January, 1754; Michael Finney, 12th December, 1752; Peter Looney, 6th March, 1754; John McCurry, 25th , 1753; [Remainder omitted]

• Page 261.--23d February, 1768. Jacob Hannon and Sarah ( ) to Joseph McDonald, £145, 455 acres, part of a tract conveyed to said Jacob by Col. James Patton, 2d February, 1754, on Toms Creek of New River; corner William Byers, a stake in the Barrens; corner Lorton's land, now James Bane's, pine by the Beaver Dams. Delivered: Jacob Scilor by your order, 29th March, 1773.

Notes

Capt. William Byers, born ca. 1730 Ireland, to Pa. with father, then to va., came to York Co., SC ca. 1765. (brother, David Byers, also Rev War soldier, came to York Co., SC, ca. 1765). Married ca. 1760 Elizabeth Walton of Rockbridge, Va. She was born ca. 1740, died ca. 1795. Children were as follows:

Edward Byers, born 5 Dec. 1761 Augusta Co., Va, died 13 March 1832, York Co., SC. Married 1st: Martha Alexander, 2nd: Elizabeth Byers (1st cousin), 3rd: Mary (Polly Smith) Chambers.

Nancy Byers, born 1763, Va., died 20 May 1818, York Co. SC. Married major Adam Meek.

William Byers, Jr., born 9 April 1765, Va., died 24 Aug. 1816. Married Sarah Hope.

Lorena Byers, born 29 Jan. 1767, York Co., SC, died 21 July 1837, Dallas Co. Ala. Married Capt. Thomas Wood.

Elizabeth Byers, born 15 Sept. 1769, York Co., SC, died 21 July 1852, Logan, Co., Ky. Married Rev. Ephraim McLean.

Susannah Byers, born 12 March 1771, York Co., SC, died 3 April 1844, York Co., SC. Married Capt. James Meek, brother of Maj. Adam Meek.

David Byers, born 3 Oct. 1774, York Co., SC, died 16 Aug 1862, York Co., SC. Married Mary Gordon.

[Source: http://logan-family.org/doc/byars.html].

Children of William Byers:

1. Edward (5 Dec 1761-13 Mar 1832), married (1) May 4, 1786, Martha "Patsy" Alexander (1767-11 Sept 1794), daughter of the Rev. Dr. Joseph Alexander; married (2) Aug 16, 1796, Elizabeth, "Betsy" Byars (1776-8 Oct 1803), daughter of William Byers (1747-1837), and married (3) May 10, 1804, Mrs. Mary "Polly" (Smith) Chambers (6 Oct 1773-3 June 1849), widow of James Chambers (1771-28 June 1803).

2. Nancy "Ann" Agnes (1763-20 May 1818), married 1783, Maj. Adam Meek (1760-1807).

3. William, Jr. (9 Apr 1765-24 Aug 1816), married (1), Catharine Hope (1776-1815), and (2), Sarah, surname unknown.

4. Lorena (29 Jan 1767-31 Jan 1837), married 1784, Capt. Thomas Woods (1758-1834); moved in 1804 to Christian County, Kentucky, and in 1816 to Dallas County, Alabama.

5. Elizabeth (15 Sept 1769-21 July 1852), married 1788, Ephraim McLean (1768-1813), son of Col. Charles McLean, who lived next to Captain Byers in 1767, but later moved to vicinity of Crowder's Mountain in Lincoln County, N.C., and in 1796 to Logan County Kentucky. Ephraim, first ordained minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Elizabeth were the parents of John McLean (1791-1830), first U.S. Congressman from Illinois and U.S. Senator; Dr. William Byers McLean (1792-1846) for who McLeansboro Illinois was named; and Finis Ewing McLean (1806-1881), U.S. Congressman from Kentucky.

6. Susan (12 Mar 1771-3 Apr 1844), married January 21, 1790, Capt. James Meek (1758-1819), brother of Adam Meek.

7. David (3 Oct 1774-16 Aug 1862), married August 27, 1795, Mary Gordon (1779-1867), daughter of Henry Gordon, and step-daughter of John McCaw.

[Source: http://www.byersfamilies.com/resources/Additional%20American%20Byers%20information.pdf].

1. ↑ .

   Captain William Byers of the Revolution, by Elmer Oris Parker
   
   William Byers was born ca 1733. In 1755 he was surveyed 335 acres in Augusta County,
   Virginia (now Rockbridge) west and north of Natural Bridge “on ye north side of Cedar Creek in the forks of the James River joining land of Samuel McDowell.”
   In 1758 he was enrolled in the Virginia militia raised for the protection of the frontiers of the province. He met Elizabeth Walton and they were married. After the birth of their first three children they moved ca 1765 to what is now York County, South Carolina and settled on the headwaters of Bullock Creek. A short time before, his brother, David, migrated from York County, Pennsylvania and located near by on Turkey Creek. William at first built a cabin about three miles south of Bethany Presbyterian Meeting House and had as near neighbors Col. John Moffet, Col. Ezekiel Polk, grandfather of future President James K. Polk, and Co1. Charles McLean, whose home served as the Tyron County Courthouse in 1769-71.
   When the Rev. William Tennent visited the Carolina Up Country during the summer of 1775 to enlist support for the patriot cause, he lodged in the home of Byers and persuaded him to raise a Company of horsemen for Col. Thomas Neel’s regiment of militia. Soon afterwards an election for delegates to the Provincial Congress was held and Colonel Neel, Captain Byers and Captain Polk were among those chosen. Byers went to Charleston and took his seat in the State House on November 3, 1775 but four days later Col. Neel, with Byers’ Company and those of the other Captains in his regiment was ordered to join Col. Richard Richardson’s expedition against the “Scovillites” in what later became known as the “Snow Campaign.” Upon its conclusion, Capt. Byers resumed his place in the Congress only to be called out with Col. Neel for service under Gen. Andrew Williamson in the Cherokee War of 1776, in which his company was involved in some bloody engagements with the Indians.
   His Company marched next to Gen. Williamson’s camp at Adams Ferry on the Savannah River opposite Augusta, Georgia but Capt. Byers, on account of a disabling sore leg was unable to command his Company in the battle of Briar Creek on March 3, 1779. He afterward marched to the relief of Charleston but resigned his commission after Col. Neel was killed in the battle of Stono on June 20th.
   After the fall of Charleston in 1780, Byers and his family refugeed in North Carolina and after the battle of Cowpens his wife, Elizabeth and children fled in advance of the British Army under Lord Cornwallis, to her former home in Virginia.
   During the war Byers’ indigo farm was ruined by the British. He sold it and moved down Bullock Creek to the vicinity of present Sharon and built another home in the fork of Bullock Creek and Clark’s Fork. In the low ground west of the creek he cultivated rice successfully.
   In 1794 the South Carolina legislature appointed him one of the tax assessors and collectors for the New Acquisition District, as York County was then called.
   He was an Elder in the Beersheba Presbyterian Meeting House in 1785 and for many years afterward. The date of his death has been lost but it appears to have been in the year 1799. It is likely that he was buried in the Churchyard at Beersheba but if his grave was marked the stone has disappeared.
   
   ADDENDUM: I now believe the above David is none other than David of Family I. Here is my logic. We know that Eliza (Cox) Byers, the mother of David and Capt. William Byers, died in Chester Co., PA in 1741. We also know that their father, William Byers, died in Virginia in 1742. Both David and Capt. William were close neighbors of John and Jean Allison in Augusta Co., Va.
   I believe William and his sons, David and William, went to Virginia with the above Allison’s and that Jean Allison was a daughter of William who died there in 1742. This would mean that Capt. William Byers, a teen ager, was living with the Allison’s and that David returned to Chester Co., Pa. where he married Margaret Carson sometime after 1742. I believe Capt. William Byers was born in Cavan County, Ireland and not in Pennsylvania.
   
   http://www.byersstl.com/tvb/Art/1-24.pdf