John Byers (1849-1938)

BYERS, HOPFE, WILSON, PAGE, SAUER, AHRENSTORFF, MCCALLISTER, STEVENSON, ALJOE

Posted By: jane austin (email)
Date: 6/12/2021 at 21:05:24

John Byers, son of Robert and Mary Ann Byers, was born in Northern Ireland February 10, 1849, and died at the home of his daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Hopfe, at Austin, Minn., October 5, 1938, being 89 years, 7 months and 25 days old.

Mr. Byers came to America when 22 years old and settled on a farm near Pontiac, Illinois, where he was married in 1876 to his neighbor's daughter, Miss Susan Wilson, formerly of Pennsylvania. To this union nine children were born: Dave, of Des Moines; Robert, of Hartley; Mrs. Mary Page, deceased, of Delta, Colo.; W. J. Byers, of Hartley; Mrs. Ella Page, of Lyle, Minn.; Mrs. Isabell Sauer, of Hartley; James A. of Hartley; Mrs. Martha Hopfe, of Austin, Minn., and Mrs. Susan Ahrenstorff, of Hartley.

Mr. and Mrs. Byers and family came to Iowa in 1891 where they were prosperous pioneer farmers, braving early day blizzards, drouth and cyclones with the good cheer, courage and optimism unsurpassed by any other generation.

Mrs. Byers died in 1912 and after her death Mr. Byers lived with his children until 1919 when he was married to Margaret McCallister of Pontiac, Illinois, where they made their home until a year ago-when they came to live with their son, W. J. Byers, at Hartley.

Mr. Byers' father died in 1888 and in 1889 his mother came to America and lived with her children until her death in 1906. Mr. Byers was also preceded in death by two sisters, Margaret, of Ireland, in 1889, and Isabell, of Pontiac, Ill., in 1891. His three remaining sisters are Mrs. Martha Stevenson of Pontiac, Ill., Mrs. Annie Aljoe of North Dakota, and Mrs. Mary Ann Wilson of Hartley, Iowa. Mr. Byers is also survived by 20 grandchildren, 5 great grand children and a host of friends in Illinois and Iowa who will long remember his kindly, jovial manner, his word of cheer and comfort to all.

Mr. Byers was tenderly cared for at the home of his son, W. Byers, until seven weeks ago when he went to visit his daughter and family at Austin, Minn, who with other members of the family enjoyed so much his last days with them.

When Mr. Byers was 19 years old he and his sister Martha united with the Presbyterian church in Ireland, in whose faith he lived and rejoiced until he answered the heavenly summons, to which home he was ready to go.

Funeral services were held at the Methodist church Saturday afternoon with Rev. E. J. Plummer officiating. A mixed quartette furnished the music. Interment was made in Pleasant View cemetery. The Foley Funeral Home had charge of the funeral.

Hartley Sentinel, 13 Oct 1938, p4