The
three BYERS mentioned in the above Will are: William BYERS (born
4
March 1810), Thomas Newton BYERS (born 14 October 1812), and John Hancock BYERS
(born 12 December 1814). They were the only children of Dr. John BYERS and
first-wife, Sarah BONAR. These three became lawyers in Ohio but spent the great
part of their professional lives in the State of Arkansas (William and John H.
in Independence County; Thomas in Chicot County). In their early years, these
three BYERS brothers were trained as chair-makers. Currently in my custody is a
child's chair made by John Hancock BYERS, my great grandfather. The most recent
youngster to use it has been my delightful granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth
CLINGER (born 18 February 1973).
Sarah
BONAR (b. 8 April 1786, d. 15 April 1817), the first-wife of Dr. John BYERS (b.
22 July 1786, d. 27 July 1871), was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, a
daughter of William BONAR and wife, Sarah. Her tombstone in the oldest cemetery
at West Alexander, Washington County, Pennsylvania, has this inscription:
"Sally
BYERS, Consort of Doctor John BYERS, Died April 15, 1817, aged 31 years. "
In
my custody is a Bible (published in 1795) that Sarah BONAR obtained prior to
her marriage. In it she wrote: "Sally BONAR her BOOK. Sally BONAR was born
April 8th., 1786." On another page of this small Bible, she wrote:
"Sally
BYER'S Book." BONAR GENEALOGY (1969) by BROWN, page 452, line 2, has this
Sarah listed as being born in 1772. This is an error. I've corresponded with Mrs. BROWN and we all agree that 1772 is
incorrect.
William
BONAR and wife, Sarah, are buried in the oldest cemetery at West Alexander,
Washington County, Pennsylvania. A double stone flat on the ground covers both
graves. The inscription for William says he died on March 9, (year illegible),
aged 63 years, 8 months. From probate records, we know that William died in
1814. Subtracting 63 years and 8 months from March 9, 1814, gives July 9, 1750.
This probable birth date for William is ten years later than the July 9, 1740,
given on page 449, line I, of BONAR GENEALOGY (1969) by BROWN. Perhaps the 1740
date represents an error in arithmetic when the birth year was being computed
for BONAR GENEALOGY.
The
statistics on the stone for Sarah conform with those for her given on page 449
of BONAR GENEALOGY---born 1750, died 12 October 1838.
The
following four paragraphs about William BONAR, and wife, Sarah, are taken from
page 449 of BONAR GENEALOGY (1969) by BROWN:
"William
BONAR (son of Barnet BONAR I), born...in Scotland (or Northern
Ireland),...married in 1770 to Sarah McELLIOTT (or McELWRATH), born 1750 in
County Derry, Ireland,... They had 7 daughters and 1 son. The son was named Barnet, and is referred to
in this genealogy as Barnet III. (His uncle, a brother of William above, is
referred to as Barnet lI--they are given these designations to avoid confusing
persons with the same given name.) William BONAR emigrated to America with the
family of his father. Later he migrated with his family and other relatives to
Washington County, Pennsylvania. One of the McCONNELL papers stating that
William and Sarah
-3