Biography of Hon. William H. Byars, 1882; State of Oregon

***********************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced
in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or 
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must 
obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative
of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of 
this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives 
to store the file permanently for free access. 
http://www.usgwarchives.net 
***********************************************************************
Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
W. David Samuelsen - August 2002
************************************************************************

Pen Pictures of Representative Men of Oregon
Frank E. Hodgkins & J. J. Galvin
Published: Farmer and Dairyman Publishing House; Portland, Oregon; 1882

Hon. William H. Byars

The experience of mankind has stamped with the signet of truth the popular saying
that "success denotes merit," and when a young man attains a position of honor and 
prominence in a community, whether it be in the political or mercantile world, that
fact should be taken as proof of merit of no ordinary kind, in the make up of the 
one winning such honor and distinction. Such an elevation as that of Hon. W. H. 
Byars to the responsible position of State Printer argues that his past life has 
been spent to good purpose, and that he has availed himself of his leisure time to
store his mind with that fund of literary and political lore which stands him so 
well before the people of Oregon to-day. He was born in Desmoines county, Iowa, 
July 7, 1839, his father, Fleming Byars being a Virginian by birth and his mother,
whose maiden name was Anna Deardorff, a native of Ohio. The father died in 1847, 
leaving the mother with one son and three daughters. In 1851 she was married to 
John H. Mires and in 1853 they crossed the plains and settled in Umpqua (now 
Douglas) county, where they still reside. The subject of our sketch carried the 
United States mails from Oakland, Oregon, to Yreka, California, in 1856-7 and 1858,
and, notwithstanding the fearful condition of the roads, the almost utter absence 
of bridges during that time, showing conclusively that he was possessed of 
indomitable pluck and energy and a hearty, robust constitution. During the winters
of 1858-9 and 1859-60 young Byars attended the Columbia College at Eugene City, and
taught school at Fair Oaks, in his own county, during the summer of 1859. In 1860 
he ran for the office of County Surveyor but was defeated. He attended Umpqua 
Academy during the winter of 1860-1. He spent the summer of 1860 prospecting for
gold on the headwaters of the Umpqua river. The summer of 1861 was spent in 
teaching school at Fair Oaks, and in the winter of 1861-2 attended school at the
Willamette University, and during the years 1862-3-4 he was in the Eastern Oregon
and Idaho Territory god mines. On March 15, 1865, he enlisted in Company A of the
First Oregon Cavalry, and was elected Orderly Sargeant, in which capacity he 
served until mustered out July 26, 1868, acting meanwhile as an escort and guard
for the surveying party that located the Central Oregon Military wagon road, 
running from Eugene City to the eastern boundary of the State. Entering school 
once more he graduated from the Umpqua Academy in 1867, and in the winter of that
year taught school at Calapooia school house. The year following he was elected 
School Superintendent of Douglas county. He was married to Mrs. Emma A. Reed (nee
Slocum) on December 23, 1868, and their family now consists of three boys and two
girls. In 1869 and 1870 he was one of the principals of the Umpqua Academy, and 
in 1870 was the nominee of the Republican party of Douglas county for the office 
of Sheriff but was defeated at the polls. He moved into Roseburg in 1872 and in 
1873 purchased the "Plaindealer," then a Democratic newspaper published by W. A. 
McPherson, and at once converted it into a Republican organ, since which time he 
has continued its publication and has in a great measure assisted in making Douglas
county one of the strongest Republican counties of the State. Mr. Byars is a 
practical surveyor and has acted as Deputy U.S. Surveyor for a number of years, 
and had several important contracts. Mr. Byars is a strong Republican and has been
such ever since he cast his maiden vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. At the 
Republican State Convention held in Portland in April, 1882, Mr. Byars received 
the nomination of State Printer, and at the general election held in June 
following, he was elected by 2,438 majority over W. F. Cornell, the strongest 
man the Democracy could have nominated for that position. Mr. Byars is a quiet, 
unobtrusive gentleman, who rarely attracts attention. He is a good business man,
however, attentive and prompt in the discharge of his official duties, and as 
honest a man as we ever met. He is a genial, whole-souled gentleman, and, socially
speaking, stands high in the community. He is of low stature, heavy built, with a
clear, penetrating eye, prominent features, heavy beard and hair and a strong 
constitution.