Byrne Connection
In 1924, Ms. Genevieve Alice Smith of Kimball, South Dakota, married James Henry Byrne of Montrose, South Dakota. Genevieve (Gen) was the daughter of Irish John and Susan Smith of Kimball. Their wedding announcement said that she was born and raised on the Smith farm which was 9 miles south of Kimball. Prior to her marriage to James Henry Byrne (Harry), she was teaching in Parker, South Dakota. As Montrose is fairly close to Parker, it seems likely that it was during this time that she met her future husband.
The story begins with Michael Byrne. Michael Byrne, Harry's grandfather, made his way to America during Ireland's great famine. Famiy history suggests that thet made their way to America in 1849, and they quicly made their way to the heavily forested Sheboygan County in eastern Wisconsin. This was 1850. In the 1860 census, we see that Michael and Nora Byrne had 5 children: Hugh (8), Alice (6), Charles (4), Patrick (1), and Michael one month old. Only Michael remained on the farm in 1885, and at this time we see him living on the farm with his new bride and mother. The other Byrne children moved elsewhere.
It appears that both Patrick and Hugh Byrne made their way to Dakota territory, living initially in Sioux Falls, and eventually making their home in Montrose, South Dakota. Patrick would have been our great-aunt Gen's father-in-law.
The following articles have been taken from historical registers and gazateers. They provide more information about this family's importance in each of their adopted towns.
Patrick and Harry Byrne, Montrose, South Dakota
Patrick Constantine Byrne was born in 1859 in Santa Anna, Wisconsin (ed note: Santa Anna never existed - it should have read "Sheboygan"). In 1884 he came to Sioux Falls and entered the general merchandise business with P. P. Boyan.
In 1885 he married Nora Buckley. She was born in 1849 in Ballymacoda, County Cork, Ireland, and Came to Sioux Falls in 1882. In 1886 P. C. sold his interest in the business and they moved to Montrose where he established the Byrne’s Department Store. They had two children: James Henry (history follows) and Mary (Mrs. Tom Lalley, Montrose). P. C. died in 1921 and Nora passed away in 1940.
 |
 |
Two Photos taken in two time periods.
James Henry (Harry) Byrne was born in Montrose in 1889. He graduated from college in Watertown in 1908 and returned to work with his father in the Byrne’s Store. He served in the Marines during WWI. After his father died in 1921, Harry continued to run the store. He married Genevieve Smith (1893-1969) of Kimball in 1924. They had three children: John Patrick, Margaret Ann; and Mary Therese. They lived with Nora in the Byrne’s house east of St. Patrick’s. When the Byrne’s Department store was sold in 1937, Harry and his family moved to Pierre for two years, and then to Mitchell. Harry was Personal Director for the W. P. A. until it was disbanded, then he was O. P. A. Director until his death in 1948. In 1956 Genevieve Byrne moved to Omaha and lived with her daughters until her death.
John P. Byrne is a Staff Physician at the V. A. Hospital in Phoenix.
Margaret and Mary still reside in Omaha.
Source: In 1976 the Busy Bee Club of Montrose, South Dakota published “Montrose Memories” a book that contained many family histories.
The Smith sisters Genevieve Smith
|
Harry Byrne with his son, John Byrne; Harry was born "James Henry Byrne" in 1898. Harry's father, Patrick was born in 1859 in Russell, Sheboygan County, Wi, and married Nora Buckley in 1885. |
Emmie Byrne (McDermott) and John Bryne Birth about 1930 in South Dakota |
John Bryne MD and one of his sisters (Wees family tree, ancestry.com) |
Sheboygan Press, April 29, 1927
Russell, Wisconsin
Hardship And Privation Marked Settlement Of Russell, Once Covered By Dense Forests
The town of Russell forms the northwest township of Sheboygan county. The first settler of which there is any record was Lewis ODELL who came in 1848 and located in Section 13. At that time the nearest grist-mill was at Plymouth, a dense forest extending a long distance throughout that region, and there being no public road, going to this mill was a difficult and arduous task.
The early settlement of the town is a story filled with incidents of which hardship and privation played the leading roles. As an example of the hardship which the early settlers had to endure, it may be mentioned that Michael BYRNE, who came in 1851, made a clearing of about ten acres of land, which he planted to corn and potatoes, the ground being prepared with a grub hoe as the only implement.
Byrne A Wealthy Farmer
After enduring many vicissitudes Mr. BYRNE became one of the richest and most influential farmers in the town of Russell. It is said that for many years he had the largest barn in Sheboygan county. The main part of the building was 50 by 80 feet, and there was an ell on the west side 34 by 34 feet. Including the basement walls, which were 9 feet high, the barn was 33 feet from ground to eaves. In the basement was a cistern having 750 barrels capacity. The stables in the basement comfortably housing 28 head of cattle, 8 horses and 250 sheep, while the barn above the basement was large enough to store the crops raised on 100 acres of land.
The town of Russell was organized and named by the county board after John RUSSELL who, at that time, lived on Section 4. The first town election was held at George KEENAN's house, on Section 3, in the spring of 1854. Fourteen votes were cast, Michael BYRNE being elected chairman, and John L. SEXTON, clerk.
List Of Settlers
The pioneer settlers and the chronological order of their arrival in the town follows:
1849 - Herman HENSCHEL on Section 14; Louis HENSCHEL on Section 2; Valentine WELKER on Section 5; Anton BOLL on Section 5; Jonathan COTRILL on Section 2; and James SHUFFLEBOTHAM on Section 2.
1850 - Michael BYRNE on Section 10; George and Thomas CAIN on Sections 3 and 10; John HENSCHEL on Section 15; and C. ABBEY on Section 2.
"History of the Byrne Family, As I Know It" - Oral Byrne History
My great grandfather, Michael Byrne, was born November 4, 1819. There is some reason to believe that he was born in the village of Shin, County Down, Ireland, a few miles from Newry. Some of my Digney cousins, however, are of the opinion that he was a member of a Byrne family who lived in the neighboring village of Glascar. Early parish records were kept in the Newry cathedral but these records were destroyed in a fire many years ago. I know there there are Byrnes buried in the cemetery of St. Colman parish in Shin. Michael Byrne spoke nothing that has been recorded about his mother or father or whether he had brothers or sisters. We do have one letter which he wrote to his son Hugh and it is clear from this letter that he was well educated: his vocabulary, script and style attest to this. And it is in this letter that he refers to a Byrne family living in Chicago. I know that his son Hugh and my father, James C. Byrne, attended a funeral in Chicago prior to 1900, a wake that was distinguished by a cat's errant flight from a dog which had the effect of tipping the casket which had been suspended on the backs of two chairs.
Living in Shin at the time Michael Byrne was born Charles Digney and wife (name unknown to me) who had four daughters and one son: Alice, Ann, Margaret, Mary and James. Alice, the eldest, married a George Smith in the 1840s (ed. note: 1860 census shows them living next door to the Michael Byrne family in Sheboygan). . Ann Digney met Michael Byrne at a catechism class. It is apparent that Ann and Michael were more than classmates because in 1849 Michael told Ann that he had to tickets for America and that Ann should plan to accompany him. She agreed, but there were some problems. It would be unthinkable to leave without their being married. It was Lent and a church wedding would not be approved. And the parish church, still today a beautiful edifice, was under construction. Whether there had been an earlier church structure is still unknown to me. In those days it was not uncommon to use a rock as an altar on which to celebrate Mass and there is still in the neighborhood a Mass rock of which I have a picture. At any rate, Charles Digney had donated land adjacent to his home to be the site of the church. Because of the Digney generosity the Bishop of Newry approved the marriage which took place in front of the fireplace of the Digney home on April 9, 1849. Charles Digney was my great great grandfather. His daughter Ann became my great grandmother. The Digneys in Ireland tell of Ann's walking around the walls of the incomplete church, kissing them, sensing that she would never see the completed church.
The Other Patrick Byrne Family of Montrose
There were two Byrne families in Montrose, which by itself is not unusual, except that both family patriarchs was "Patrick Byrne". The oral history of the "other" Byrne family suggests there was a relationship, but they could never find any supporting documentation. According to the McCabe-Byrne family tree in ancestry.com, this is what they say about their "Patrick Byrne" connection:
"Not sure if there is a connection between this Patrick Byrne from Wisconsin (who married a Nora Buckley) and our Bridget Byrne McCabe, but they both ended up in Montrose, South Dakota. Mary Therese Heiberger, daughter of Mary Elizabeth (Bess) McCabe Donelan, reports that her mother (Bess) always indicated that there was no connection as far as she knew?
At least one of the family trees in ancestry.com notes that this Patrick Byrne was born in St. Croix, Wisconsin. However, in using the date they list as their ancestor's birthday, and matching against Wisconsin civil records, we find that this Patrick was also born in Sheboygan County. So, maybe there is some truth to the family tradition (see below).
