William Byrne Biography


	This biography appears on page 752 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	WILLIAM BYRNE, who is one of the representative farmers and stock 
growers of Faulk county, where he is the owner of a large and valuable 
ranch, is a native son of the great west and has exemplified its 
progressive spirit in a marked degree, gaining success through his well 
directed efforts in connection with the industrial development of South 
Dakota, where he has maintained his home for the past score of years, 
so that he is entitled to consideration as one of the pioneers of Faulk 
county.  

	Mr. Byrne was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, on the 18th of 
September, 1861, and is a son of Lawrence and Delia Byrne. This worthy 
couple became the parents of ten children, of whom eight are living, 
while four of the number are residents of this state.  

	William Byrne was reared on the homestead farm which was the 
place of his birth, and received his education in the excellent public 
schools of Iowa. He continued to be associated in the management of the 
homestead until 1882, when the property was sold, and he then, in 
company with his mother and the other members of the family, came to 
South Dakota. They passed the winter of that year in Turner county and 
in the spring of 1883 came to the newly organized county of Faulk, 
where each of the family entered claim to government land. The subject 
took up a preemption claim, six miles east of the present village of 
Orient, which is his post office address, and at once instituted the 
improvement of his land, to which he has since added until he has a 
valuable estate of nine hundred and sixty acres, the major portion of 
which is under effective cultivation, being devoted to the raising of 
wheat, oats, corn, barley and hay, in large quantities. He is also 
giving careful attention to the raising of high-grade stock. His place 
has an excellent supply of pure water, which may be secured at a depth 
of about sixteen feet on almost all portions of the ranch. He is a 
staunch supporter of the principles and policies of the Republican 
party and fraternally is identified with the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows and the Knights of the Maccabees.  

	On the 15th of May, 1895, Mr. Byrne was united in marriage to 
Miss Mary Paul, who was born in Muscatine county, Iowa, being a 
daughter of August Paul, who removed from that state to South Dakota in 
1884, locating in Faulk county, where he remained until 1894, when he 
removed to the state of Virginia, where he and his wife now maintain 
their home. He is a native of Germany, and his wife, whose maiden name 
was Bertha Schulz, was born in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Byrne have four 
children, namely: Paul, Raymond, Theodore and Leonard.