~Byers Line(This is my line straight down. I am aware there are other people not included here.)
Backstory:
My Grandmother (Wilhelmenia) didn't know a lot about her Grandfather (Hicks Byers). He had died many years before, when Granny's Mother (Bonnilee) was a little girl.
What she told me was, he (Hicks) and his brother, who was possibly named David, came from Texas. They were raised by Warren Triplet. The brother went back to Texas. He (Hicks) was really tall.
According to his headstone at (New) Ledford Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery in Hayesville, Clay Co, NC, J.H. Byers was born March 12, 1852, and died October 27, 1900.
I have in my notes that his first name was either John or Joseph, but I didn't note from who or where I got that info.
Without proof, I didn't write anything in stone, but leaned towards it being John because his son was named John, and many people named their sons after themselves.
Later, after Find-A-Grave.com became a thing, the person that added him named him as Joseph Hicks Byers.
It wasn't proof, just the guy's say-so as far as I knew, but it was someone else had heard the same thing I had. It wasn't a completely different, never heard of before name like, Jedediah. That gives info the tiniest bit more credence.
I didn't really do a lot of digging into J.Hicks Byers. I found him in Warren and Nancy Triplet's household in Clay Co., NC in 1870, age 18, occupation listed as At School.
He wasn't in their home in 1850 or 60, or after 1870, and no sign of a brother.
There were other Byers' in the Cherokee/Clay Co, NC area, but I didn't know how/if they were related, if Hicks "came from" Texas. I didn't even know how/where to start looking in Texas.
Currently: I asked the gentleman if he had any further info on my J.Hicks Byers, and he very kindly sent to me an accounting of the Byers family.
I CAN NOT verify any of the information prior to 1850, but am sharing it as a starting point for further investigations.
1. William "The Seaman" Byers
born August 11, 1647 St. Ives, Cornwall, England
died Unknown Probably son of Thomas of Byre. "Byre" is the old English word for "cowshed or barn". Thomas was probably a farmer or stockman. married on June 7, 1677 Louisa Kinkade born July 6, 1654 died Unknown
The following information was taken from a small etching, source Thurlo Byers:
The family moved from Cornwall to Exeter, Devonshire, England sometimes after 1687, then to Milltown, County Cavan, Ireland about 1717.
On June 4, 1734 the family boarded the "Friendship" and sailed out of Dublin.
The ship encountered two storms while crossing the Atlantic.
The family arrived in Philadelphia on June 10, 1734. They arrived in North Oxford District, Chester County, Pennsylvania on November 3, 1734.
2. William "The Emigrant" Byers born May 6, 1687 St. Ives, Cornwall, England died April 8, 1742 Lexington, Augusta County, Virginia
buried New Monmouth Cemetery, Augusta County, Virginia married in 1708 at St. Mathew Chapel, Exeter, Devonshire, England Elisabeth Cox daughter of James Cox born June 7, 1649 and Agnes Best born August 8, 1654
3. David Byers born about 1721 Milltown, County Cavan, Ireland died October 1794 York County, SC buried (possibly) Beersheba Cemetery, York County, SC married in 1745 in Chester County, PA Margaret "Peg" Carson
4. Samuel Byers born about 1750 died after 1830 Lumpkin County, GA married about 1776-7 Margaret Handley
5. David Byers born about 1778 in York County, SC died about 1850 in Haywood Co, NC married December 3, 1800 in Rutherford Co, NC Rebecca McClain born about 1780 died before 1850 daughter of John & Jane McClain
(source: http://main.nc.us/OBCGS/byers.htm)(Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society)(annals of Haywood County History by W.C. Allen)
Rev. Ephriam McClain , the bride's brother, performed the ceremony, R. Lewis was the witness.
In 1802 Rebecca was shown to own one slave, Pegg, given to her by her Mother. In another census David was shown to own 4 slaves. They first lived on 300 acres on Main Broad River in Rutherford County, NC. The family moved to Haywood County, Clyde Township, NC and are enumerated there in the 1830 census. They lived on Jonathon's Creek before moving to what is now Clay Co, NC.
Rebecca may possibly buried at Old Beulah Baptist Cemetery, Henderson Co, NC.
6. David McClain Byers born 1813 Haywood Co, NC died Unknown married1 October 16, 1847
Mary Caroline Henry born about 1808 in SC died between 1850-1860
1850 Haywood Co, NC Census David Ledford1860 Cherokee Co, NC, Fort Hembree (In 1860, David M, John R. age 10, and Joseph Hicks age 7 are living in the home of J.A. Roberson. Relationship unknown. David 2nd married Sarah Roberson, but she doesn't seem to be of this household.)(I assume Mary C. and daughter Rhebecca died.) 7. Joseph Hicks Byers (*J.Hicks Byers) born March 12, 1852 Haywood Co, NC died October 27, 1900 of "Cramp Colic" aka Appendicitis Clay Co, NC buried (New) Ledford Chapel Cemetery, Hayesville, Clay Co, NC married December 31, 1885 Tusquittee, Clay Co, NC Eliza Canzada (Zadie) Ledford born November 24, 1867 died February 16, 1952 buried (New) Ledford Chapel Cemetery, Hayesville, Clay Co, NC daughter of Samuel H. Ledford and Rutha M. Hill In the 1870 Tusquittee, Clay Co, NC census, Hicks Byers is age 18, living in the household of Warren and Nancy Triplet, with is occupation listed as "at School". In 1880, a general search doesn't seem to locate Hicks Byers living in North Carolina. There is a Hicks Byers, age 26, born in NC, living in the Newby household as a Laborer, in Ellis, Texas. (If correct, this could be why Granny thought he was "from Texas".) By 1885 he was (back?) in Clay Co, NC, and married Zadie Ledford.
8. Bonnilee Byers born December 25, 1898 died May 8, 1976 Hiawassee, Towns Co, GA buried Lower Bell Creek Cemetery, Hiawassee, Towns Co, GA married January 17, 1915 Hiawassee, Towns Co, GA Esther Penley Ledford born June 24, 1890 died December 13, 1975 Hiawassee, Towns Co, GA buried Lower Bell Creek Cemetery, Hiawassee, Towns Co, GA son of Joab Turner Ledford and M.J. Isabella (Isabelle) Reynolds
9. Wilhelmenia Caroline Ledford born February 24, 1924 Hiawassee, Towns Co, GA died October 15, 1994, (Emory Hospital, Atlanta, GA) buried at Joab Ledford Cem. Hiawassee, GA married1 March 25, 1946 Hiawassee, Towns Co, GA, divorced February 1962 J.R. Ledford born December 17, 1926 died June 5, 1989 Gaston Co, NC buried (Old) Ledford Chapel Cemetery, Jackrabbit Campground Rd, Scroungetown, Clay Co, NC son of Mark Eugene Ledford and Mary Jane Gibson 10. Robert (Eu)Gene Ledford born 1947 Hiawassee, Towns Co, GA married April 2?, 1966 Ringgold, GA Nellie (Dollie) Mae Mason born 1948 Austell, Cobb County, GA 11. Melessia Suzanne Ledford born 1967 Marietta, Cobb Co, GA married1 Ronnie Eugene Yarbrough on June 15, 1985, Paulding Co, GA. Divorced 1988 married2 John Edward Croker on November 16, 1989, Paulding Co, GA son of Thomas Alva Edison Croker and Barbara Jean Jordan 12. Daniel Eugene Yarbrough 12. John Ryan Croker 12. Kevin James Robert Croker
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