My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography from the book,  The History of Crawford County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

L. B. Byars, senior partner of the firm of Byars & Co., was born in De Soto County, Miss., in 1842, and is a son of Abraham and Sarah (Moreland) Byars, natives of Rutherford District, S. C., who after their marriage, went to Alabama. From there they went to Mississippi, and in 1874 came to Crawford County, Ark., where the father died in 1885, and the mother is still living, at the age of eighty-five. Mr. Byars was a son of Strippling Byars, who settled in Alabama in an early day. Our subject is the eighth in a family of nine children, and during his youth received a common-school education. In 1866 he married Nancy J. Cathy, also a native of De Soto County, Miss., in which county he farmed until 1870. After coming to Crawford County, at that time, he farmed here one year, and then engaged in the mercantile business with B. P. Renfroe for three years, after which he farmed five years and clerked one year. In 1883 he established his present business with L. T. Byars, his nephew, our subject and H. S. Lewers. The transact one of the largest businesses in the county, their stock being valued at $4,000, and their annual sales amounting to $8,000. Their stock of general merchandise is well selected, and they are prosperous and leading men in the community. Mr. and Mrs. Byars belong to the Christian Church, and have had seven children, four of whom are living. Mr. Byars is a Democrat, and his first presidential vote for Seymour, in 1868. During the war he served in the Confederate army, in Company B, in Wirt Adams’ regiment of Mississippi cavalry, operating in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. He was present at the fights of Shiloh and Vicksburg, and participated in a number of skirmishes. He surrendered at Gainesville, Ala., in 1865.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 222 biographies included in The History of Crawford County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Crawford County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Crawford County, Arkansas family biographies here: Crawford County, Arkansas

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.