BIO: James W. BYERS, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 860 & 861.
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  JAMES W. BYERS, a thriving and well known farmer of Burnside township, was 
born on the old Byers home near Mt. Zion church, in this township, October 12, 
1840, son of John and Sarah (Weaver) Byers.  He is a grandson on the paternal 
side of John and Mary (Colgan) Byers, early settlers in this region.  He is a 
descendant also of John Byers, born at Valley Forge, near Philadelphia, who came 
to Clearfield county from Huntingdon county in 1821.
  John Byers, father of our subject, was born about 1798 and died in 1879 at the 
age of eighty-one.  He came to the present Byers homestead accompanied by a 
brother and his death took place at New Washington.  Of his family, in addition 
to the subject of this sketch, there are one son and two daughters living, 
namely:  Samuel, who resides in Westover; Sarah, wife of H. B. Darr, a farmer of 
Burnside township; and Eliza, who is the wife of J. C. London, of Kane, Pa.
  James W. Byers, after a short period devoted to school studies, became engaged 
in the lumbering industry.  Then he and a brother, about 1865, purchased their 
father's interest in his business, and he has since continued in this line of 
industry, having met with a gratifying success.  He has also carried on 
agriculture, in which he has been equally successful.  In politics he is a 
Republican and has served in several of the township offices, proving a capable 
official.  Two of his brothers served in the Union army during the Civil war.
  Mr. Byers was married in 1868 to Lucretia McCracken, who died in 1871 at the 
age of twenty-five years.  Of this union there is one child living, David Thomas 
Byers, of Vandergrift, Pa., who married Tallie Kaufman and has two children.  
Mr. Byers was again married in 1880 to Elizabeth Kunsman, who was born November 
20, 1860, near Bethlehem, Pa.  Her parents were William and Mary C. (Smith) 
Kunsman.  Her maternal grandfather, John Smith (born in Lancaster county, 1791, 
died 1858), settled at Bethlehem and married Mary Snyder, who was born in 1790 
and died in 1879,  He planted the first orchards in that section of Clearfield 
county, carrying the young trees and slips all the way from Union county.  The 
McGees, Johnsons and Barnharts came to this part soon after.  William Kunsman 
was born in 1830 and died in 1899.  He and his wife were the parents of nine 
children, there being three sons and two daughters now living, including Mrs. 
Byers.
  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Byers are as follows:  Ada, is the wife of H. M. 
Dinsmore of South Dakota, and has one child, Frank B.  Lulu, is the wife of Dr. 
J. M. E. Brown, of New Bethlehem, and has one child, Thelma.  Mary Zella is 
deceased.  John Roswell is deceased.  Lorinda Rose, twin sister of John R., is 
residing at home.  Erminnie is teaching school in Dakota, and so also in 
Margaret Sarah.  Ruth and Blaine, twins, both unmarried, are residing at home, 
and so is Anna Catherine, born in 1899, who is attending school.  Mr. and Mrs. 
Byers are both members of the local Grange.  They are industrious people, good 
neighbors, and are widely respected.