Submitted by

Jim Brasher, G G Grandson of Robert Carlisle

and Sarah Frances (Carter) Byrne

and G Grandson of Sinie Eleanor (Byrne) McQuillen

Byrne Family History

Our first documented O’Byrne appears, born about 1748 in Wicklow, Ireland and was married to Mrs. O’Byrne who was also born about 1748. Only three children were listed for Mr. and Mrs. O’Byrne, but I’m sure there were more. (This would be my fifth set of great grand parents.) Their children were:

1. William, b: Oct 12, 1765, in Dublin Ireland.

2. Alexander, b: 1770, Dublin, Ireland.

3. Daniel, b: 1772, Dublin, Ireland.

Doing the math, we find that their first child was born when the couple was only seventeen years old. There is no indication that the two O’Byrne’s moved to America, however William Byrne, their number one child appears in America in 1796 married to Rhoda England who was born in 1773, White County, Tennessee. I am guessing William came to America as a young man at around the age of twenty in 1785.

By 1796, William Byrne, it appears, dropped the O’ in the name O’Byrne. That was the year he married Rhoda England who was born Oct 2, 1773 in White County, Tennessee. The couple would marry 1796 in Burke County, North Carolina, which is very close to other sets of great grandparents, the Sheets and Ropers. The irony is that the Byrne family is on my mother’s side of the family tree and the Sheets and Ropers are on my father’s side of the tree, yet they were not to combine until 1933 in St Louis with the marriage of Florence Margaret McQuillen and Ralph Waldo Brasher Jr., my mother and father.

William and Rhoda were my fourth great grand parents. William would die Dec 23, 1823 in White County, Tennessee. Rhoda would pass on Sep 22, 1840 in Putnam County, Tennessee. They would have seven documented children:

1. Brice Collins, b: May 5, 1797 in Burke, NC--d: Sep 22, 1840 in Putnam, TN. (age: 43)

2. Lawrence, b: Aug 8, 1798 in Burke, NC--d: Jan 19, 1854 in Putnam, TN. (age: 53)

3. Malinda, b: Aug 8, 1800 in Roane, TN--d: Dec 7, 1881 in Putnam, TN. (age: 81)

4. Alexander, b: Aug 28, 1801 in Roane, TN--d: Apr 10, 1820 in ???. (age: 19)

5. Dorcas, b: Dec 10, 1803 in Putnam County, TN--d: Dec 20, 1833 in ???. (age: 30)

6. Mariam, b: Jul 26, 1804 in Putnam, TN--d: Jan 1832 in ???. (age: 28)

7. William Jr., b: May 31, 1813 in Putnam, TN--d: Jan 1830 in ???. (age: 17)

My third set of great grandparents is, Lawrence and Sarah (Carlisle) Byrne. But there is a small twist to Lawrence’s story that requires a little explanation. Lawrence was married twice and I will list his two families separately.

First marriage:

Lawrence Byrne, Born Aug 8, 1798 in Burke County, NC: d: Jan 19, 1854 in Putnam Co, TN. Married: Jun 12, 1821 in Burke Co. NC.

Martha (Patsy) Jared, Born Oct 10, 1795, Bedford VA: d: Apr 10, 1832 in Putnam, TN.

Children of Lawrence and Martha:

1. Alexander, b: Apr 15, 1822 Marion, TN. d: Aug 29, 1888.

2. William Jared, b: May 5, 1823 Marion, TN. D: Dec 28, 1906 Marion, TN.

3. Clinton, b: Jul 28, 1824 Nashville, TN. d: Feb 14, 1901 Nashville, TN.

4. Terrell, b: Apr 8, 1826 Nashville, TN. d: Aug 17, 1905 Nashville, TN.

5. Samuel, b: Feb 13, 1828 Nashville, TN. d: Jul 2, 1849 Nashville, TN.

6. Mary Ann, b: Jan 13, 1830 Nashville, TN. d: Oct 2, 1855 Nashville, TN.

Second Marriage:

Lawrence of Burke County, NC.

Married: 1833 (Mormon records show 1823 but first wife did not die until 1832) Sarah Carlisle, b: Feb 28, 1803 Mecklenburg, NC. D: Nov 20, 1881 Putnam, TN.

Children of Lawrence and Sarah:

1. Bryce, b: Oct 27, 1833 Putnam, TN. d: Feb 22, 1860.

2. Simon, b: Feb 9, 1835 Putnam, TN. d: Apr 1, 1836.

3. Robert Carlisle, b: Apr 28, 1836 Putnam, TN. d: Mar 9, 1912 in Falls Co, Texas.

4. Lawrence, b: Nov 13, 1837 Putnam, TN. d: Oct 5, 1838 Putnam, TN.

5. Myram Fanny, b: Sep 2, 1839 Putnam, TN.

6. James Polk, b: Apr 23, 1842 Putnam, TN.

7. George Dallas, b: Jul 8, 1844 Putnam, TN.

8. Rhoda Frances, b: Dec 12, 1846 Putnam, TN. d: Oct 28, 1910 Putnam, TN.

This lusty ancestor had a total of fourteen children, but it took two wives to do it.

Note:

The U.S. Census of 1880, also 1870, shows Sarah Carlisle Byrne living in the household of her son and family, Robert Carlisle Byrne, in Putnam County Tennessee. This leads me to believe that Robert moved to Falls County, Texas in 1882 or after, not before his mother died.

Robert Carlisle Byrne, my gr-gr-grandfather, was born Apr 28, 1836 in Putnam County, TN. He married Sarah Frances Carter, born Oct 16, 1844, also of Putnam. They married about 1861, but no documented record of marriage can be found.

Robert C. Byrne died Mar 9, 1912 three years after wife Sarah Frances Carter, who died Dec 11, 1909 in Lott, Falls County, Texas. To date, I have not found which cemetery they are buried in.

Note:

Putnam and Jackson counties are adjacent to each other and I believe that Robert lived somewhere very close to the border line of these two counties. This has caused confusion over which county he lived in. There is no Putnam town in TN and the town of Jackson TN is in the western area of the state. I have seen Putnam, TN used more often as Robert’s residence than Jackson, so I believe he comes from Putnam County.

Robert Byrne enlisted in the Confederate Army on June 9, 1861 and was wounded in the left hand at the 1st battle of Murfreesboro, TN. Corporal Robert Byrne received this wound Dec 31, 1862 and returned to his home in Putnam County, TN. Robert and Sarah wasted no time starting a family as their first child, Enoch James Byrne, was born the following year of 1863.

Children of Robert and Sarah Byrne

1. Enoch James, b: abt 1863.

2. Sinnie Ellen (or, Sinia) b: abt 1865. (My gr-grandmother) d; Feb 23, 1925, bur: Calvary Cemetery St Louis, MO. Married George W. McQuillen in St Louis in 1885.

3. Olive Ann, b: abt 1967.

4. William Lawrence, b: Dec 12, 1869, d: Jul 21, 1935 in Breckenridge, TX.

5. Katie Myram, b: abt 1872.

6. Robert Clinton, b: abt 1874.

7. Hixie Melinda, b: abt 1876.

8. Samuel Dallas, b: abt 1877.

9. Florence Elizabeth, b: abt 1880.

10. Francis Alexander, b: abt 1882.

11. Susan (No info), b: abt 1883

12. Alice Harriet, b: abt 1885, d: Dec 27, 1941.

13. John K. Rose, b: abt 1888. (d: at early age.)

The 1870 census shows the family living in Putnam County Tennessee where they picked up their mail at the Buffalo Valley post office. There were three children and two extra females. Most of the ages are incorrect, but what is striking, is that the females appear to be Robert’s mother Sarah Byrne age 67 and Sarah’s Sister, Martha Carter, age sixteen.

The 1880 census shows the family still living in Dist. 10 Putnam County, TN but with six children and Robert’s mother Sarah. (No Martha Carter) I believe it was after 1882 that the family moved to Falls County, Texas.

It was 1885 in St Louis that my gr-grandmother, Sinnie Byrne, married George W. McQuillen. She was twenty, George was twenty-nine. It was his second marriage, her first and only.

The 1900 Census for Falls County, Texas shows Sinnie’s younger brother, Samuel Dallas, still living there as a 23 year old man in PCT-4J. He is listed as a farmer and boarder. Another brother, William Lawrence Byrne born: 1869 married Virginia Woodall in Falls County, TX in 1895.

By the early 1900s, Sinnie and George had seven children. Five of which grew to adulthood. Also in the 1900s, Katie Myrum appeared in the St Louis street directories as a schoolteacher. There was also a brother who settled in St Louis about this time whose descendants became St Louis policemen. And the name became “Burns.” I cannot prove this yet, but I believe he was, “Francis Alexander Byrne.”

This next Section comes from Falls County Texas where Robert C. Byrnes moved the family abt. 1882 or after.

Robert Carlisle Byrne, born April 28, 1836 in Putnam County, Tennessee, died March 9, 1912 at the town of Lott, Texas, and his wife, Sarah Frances (Carter) Byrne, born December 16, 1844 TN, died December 11, 1909 at Lott, TX. Both Robert and Sarah are buried side by side in the cemetery in Lott with no tombstones. Picture of Robert Carlisle and Sarah Frances (Carter) Byrne

William Lawrence Byrne, b December 12, 1869 TN, d July 21, 1935 Breckenridge, TX - was the fourth of thirteen children of Robert Carlisle Byrne.

The Byrne family, included Enoch James; Sissie Eleanor; Olive Ann; William Lawrence; Katie Myrum; Robert Clinton; Hixie Melinda; Samuel Dallas; Florence Elizabeth; Frances Alexander; Susan; Alice Harriet, b May 7, 1885, d December 27, 1941 at Lott-married Joseph J. Joiner, a Blacksmith at Lott; and John K. Rose Byrne, who died young.

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William Lawrence Byrne was married on August 28, 1895 at Lott to Virginia Texana Woodall, b 1873, d June 15, 1957. They were the parents of eight children:

1. Annie Lee Byrne, b February 5, 1896, d December 12, 1918 - married Dee Broughton.

2. Lydia Byrne - a Twin, b November 24, 1897- married Buford Broughton.

3. Lena Byrne - a Twin, b November 24, 1897- married Paul Treadway.

4. Minnie Byrne, b September 11, 1899 - married John Schoonover.

5. Nettie Byrne, b March 23, 1902, d September 17, 1979-married Elmer Lee Taylor (called "Jack").

6. R. C. Byrne, b May 2, 1904, d December 13, 1907.

7. Mamie Floye Byrne, b July 13, 1907 - married R. C. Johnson.

8. Arthur L. Byrne, b March 3, 1910 - married Leota (maiden name unknown).

Nancy P. Woodall was the mother of Virginia T. (Woodall) Byrne and died near Lott, TX in 1912.

In 1930, William and Virginia (Woodall) Byrne moved to Breckenridge, Texas.