Yolo-Sutter County CA Archives Biographies.....Byrns, Charles E. 1861 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 22, 2006, 9:53 pm Author: Tom Gregory (1913) CHARLES E. BYRNS The original association of the Byrns family with the state of California dates back to the memorable year of 1850, when there crossed the plains as driver of a large herd of cattle a young man bearing the name of John Byrns. The discovery of gold in the west had attracted him from the quiet environment of Jefferson City, Mo., where he had been born and reared. With characteristic energy he determined to come to the coast country and to bring with him a drove of stock, which plan he carried to a successful consummation. The cattle were disposed of in Sutter county and during the summer of 1851 he returned to his old Missouri home, only, however, to make immediate preparations for another expedition to the coast. After having brought another large drove of cattle through in safety, in the autumn of 1852 he arrived in Sutter county, where he embarked in the stock industry. At first he was prospered, but the flood of 1862 proved so disastrous that he was led to remove to the northern part of Yolo county. Here in 1864 he lost heavily on account of the severe drought. The succession of floods and droughts had discouraged him in stock-raising and he turned his attention to general farm pursuits on his large tract near Woodland. Establishing his home in Woodland, he embarked in the livery business and finally started to erect a large building for hotel purposes. Unfortunately his death occurred March 25, 1883, before the completion of the building. Later when it was made ready for use, it was called the "Byrns Hotel" in his honor. Always he had been a patriotic citizen, a local upbuilder, a man of generous impulses and the sturdy resolution so necessary to successful pioneer effort. For more than a quarter of a century he was survived by his wife, Cornelia (Reynolds) Byrns, who was born in York state and died September 29, 1911, in Eldorado county. The eldest of four children comprising the family of the late John and Cornelia Byrns was Charles E., whose birth occurred in Sutter county December 12, 1861, and whose loyalty to this part of the state came from a lifelong familiarity with its resources. An excellent education was made possible for him through the zealous oversight of his parents, who were not satisfied to limit his advantages to those offered by the public schools, but in addition sent him to the Hesperian College and also to the Pacific Methodist College at Santa Rosa. Later he took a commercial course in Heald's Business College. His marriage took place at Woodland June 23, 1882, and united him with Miss Laura Hiatt, a native of Yolo county, being a daughter of George W. and Amanda (Ledford) Hiatt. Early in the '50s Mr. Hiatt crossed the plains from Missouri to California, where eventually he became one of the most extensive farmers in Sutter and Yolo counties. Both he and his wife died in Woodland. Their daughter, Mrs. Byrns, was educated in Hesperian College and is a woman of broad culture and excellent business ability, co-operating with her husband in his real-estate undertakings and promoting their success by her far-seeing discrimination. Their only child is a son named Elmer E., now living in Woodland. For years, beginning in 1882, Mr. Byrns engaged in farming at Dunnigan, where at times he operated as many as eight thousand acres. Enormous crops of grain were raised on his vast tracts and at times his profits were large. After he had spent twenty-six seasons on the grain farm he established himself on a dairy farm one-half mile north of Woodland and here he still makes his home. The farm is in alfalfa and has a fine water system which gives excellent irrigation facilities. Besides the raising of cattle, he now makes a specialty of raising mules and Belgian horses. As soon as he had settled on his farm near Woodland he became interested in the real-estate business and during January of 1909 he opened an office here. In a short time he had sold more property than had changed hands in many years, his sales averaging from eighteen thousand to forty thousand acres each year. At his office, centrally located on Main street, he has an exhibit and display of products of the county. Even the old residents, familiar as they are with the advantages offered by this locality, experience a feeling of renewed pride and gratification in the showing depicted by this progressive citizen, who as real-estate agent and as a leading worker in the Chamber of Commerce is promoting the prosperity of city and county and proving the value of "boosting" to even the most prosperous and settled of old communities. While he has not taken part in public affairs of a political nature, he has positive views of his own and gives allegiance to the Democratic party in state and national elections. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/byrns650bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 5.7 Kb