Hancock-Stark County OhArchives Biographies.....Byal, Absalom P. 1821 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson ann.g.anderson@gmail.com August 18, 2005, 9:21 pm

Author: Warner & Beers (1886)

   ABSALOM P. BYAL, Findlay, was born in Stark County, Ohio, June 19, 1821. In
September, 1833, his father, William Byal, with his family, consisting of wife
and four children, Absalom P. Amy C., William W. and Sarah J., settled in this
County on land partly the present site of Findlay, and soon after another child,
Samuel A., was born. Our subject, although a mere lad. was brought face to face
with the realities of life incident to the settling of a new country. At that
early day the motto of the pioneers was "honesty, industry and economy," and an
adherence to this motto was absolutely necessary in order to secure even a
scanty living. Under such discipline Absalom P. Byal formed habits that have
characterized his life and provided him a competency in his declining years,
with the appellation of an honest man. In December, 1833, when he was but a few
months over twelve years of age he was sent on horseback by his father from
Findlay to Union County, Ohio. The route was through Wyandot Reservation and a
new, wild country, and the melting of a deep snow had so swollen the Scioto
River that it was necessary to swim the horse over. The stream was quite high,
and in some places twelve miles intervened without a house, but Mr. Byal made
the round trip in safety. Our subject's father died when the former was eighteen
years of age, and some months afterward Absalom P. told his mother he would like
to learn a trade, to which she replied that it would please her, but if he left
home the happy family would soon scatter, as she could not support them; "then,"
said he, "I will never leave home until the family can take care of themselves,"
and he faithfully fulfilled his promise. In September, 1845, Mr. Byal married
Miss Sarah A. Youngkin, who died in May, 1865, leaving four children. About
three years after the death of his first wife our subject was married to Miss
Sallie Maveety, the union resulting in two children: Nellie and George, the
former of whom, at the age of three years, was drowned by falling down a well.
Mr. Byal received a common district school education, and subsequently studied
the higher branches of mathematics, including surveying. He read law and was
admitted to the bar, but preferred and followed farming. He was elected sheriff
of this county in 1846, resigned in 1848, and was at once appointed clerk of the
court of common pleas, which position he filled until the close of 1854. In 1872
he was elected justice of the peace for Findlay Township, serving one term. He
was a member of the convention of 1873-74 to revise and amend the constitution
of the  State, and was a member of the House in the sixty-sixth General Assembly
of Ohio, and has just been re-elected to the same. In politics Hon. Absalom P.
Byal is a Democrat.

Additional Comments:
Book Title: History Of Hancock County
Findlay Township and Village




File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/hancock/bios/byal227bs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ohfiles/

File size: 3.4 Kb