Finding Your Folks: The estate of John F. Byram

When I am lucky enough to be able to get away and do some hands-on research in the courthouses around here, I always try to share what I find. Original court records are scarce on the Internet and you never know when someone from California or Texas might be able to use the court documents you have.

A few weeks ago I was doing the research on Mary Eunice Tidwell and John F. Byram and was able to photocopy John’s entire estate settlement at the Coweta County Courthouse. I was trying to find out when he died and why (Civil War?) and, of course, trying to make as many ties as I could to Mary’s true family so we could determine who her correct parents were. (We did that, thanks to Jackie Lambert.)

Aw, okay. I also like to read all the notes due, notes paid, the inventory of all the property, vouchers, receipts, and who all made purchases at the estate sale. Yes, I’m nosy.

Since John died intestate (without a will) and administration on his estate was begun Dec. 12, 1862, I think we can assume he died shortly before that time. But whether he died in Coweta County or elsewhere remains to be seen.

Since he was only about 32 when he died, it is possible he may have died in the Civil War. I checked both Henderson and Broadfoot and this was the closest I could come:

“Byrum, J.F. - Private Aug. 9, 1862. Roll for Dec. 1862, last on file, shows him sick in Knoxville, Tenn. hospital. Died Jan. or Feb. 1863.” (Henderson, Vol. IV, p. 14)

This John F. Byrum was with Company F, 3rd Battalion, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Army of Tennessee, C.S.A., Muscogee County, Ga., Jackson “Avengers.”

If this is our John, he joined up far from his home in Coweta. Columbus isn’t that far today. Was it back then?

His burial in the Cook (Adamson, Cedar Creek) cemetery in Coweta is just a guess, since Mary Eunice is supposed to be buried there. The dates are close but not exact, so I would classify this as “iffy.”

On 12 Dec. 1862, Isham J. Moody, Mary’s (step) uncle applied to the court for temporary letters of administration on the estate of John F. Byram. (Permanent letters were granted in March of 1863.) Isham was the brother of Mary Eunice’s stepmother, Martha Moody Tidwell (if Nancy Boyd as her mother is correct and I am more and more confident that it is). Isham posted $8,000 bond with John B. Brock as security. The court appointed John R. Brock, Robert Farmer, Thomas G. King, James Stamps and B.D. Smith to appraise the property and gave Isham permission, after proper notice had been given, to sell all the perishable property.

In the appraisal inventory, the usual items appeared which most families owned during that period, livestock, furniture, farming tools, buggy and wagon, two Negroes named Henry and Ann, and 100 acres of land. The total came to a hefty $6007.13. Most interesting were overdue notes owed by A.J. Byram ($519), Wm. Cathcart ($4.44), J.E. Gurley ($12.19), and H. Hammond ($50), with a line written underneath, “Supposed to be insolvent.”

I would like to think that because the war had wrought hard times on everyone, John and Mary would not call in debts owed by their friends and neighbors when they knew they couldn’t pay. However, the notes were now a part of the estate and, if not able to be collected, at least had to be listed.

The estate sale was held Dec. 29, 1862 and took in $1,983.86, with most items (17) going to a T. Watkins (sure wish I knew who that was) and the next highest number (12) going to the widow, Mary Tidwell Byram.

Doct. Zellars purchased six items, J. Powell purchased four, and B.D. Smith, E. Alexander and W.J. Gay each purchased three items. Those purchasing only one item included John Brock, E.J. Cook, James Byram, B. Watkins, W. Chowan, Wm. Church, James Hogan, Wm. Bullard, Z. Rainwater, S. Avery and someone named Hearlin or Kearlin.

A year later, Isham was no longer able to administer the estate (he was “leaving the state,” he told the court) and he handed it over to the widow, Mary Byram, on Dec. 7, 1863. Mary continued to administer the estate, pay the bills and the taxes (including “Confederate” tax), raise her two daughters, and made annual reports (returns) to the court on how she was spending the money, which debts she had collected, and which had been paid.

Tuition was paid to Sallie Bridges for 1866 for Alice V. Byram ($4) and personal items purchased for the girls included a spelling book, two pair of shoes, seven yards of ribbon, four yards of apron checks and two roach combs. Schooling for 1867 was $6.

In some of these vouchers, John is referred to as “John Byram of Campbell County” and that is the location given for his farm. Allen Brock submitted a bill for clearing “four acres and 120 rods of land at $5 per acre.” The work was done in 1862 and was paid by the estate. Vouchers show that Mary shopped at stores in Palmetto so their farm was probably very near there.

Mary wrapped up the estate in 1869 when she applied to be discharged from her duties. This was done at the Ordinary Court’s September Term, 1869.

According to Bible records, Mary married William Henry Harrison Hayes in August of 1869.

This has been a most interesting family series. I have learned a lot about my former Coweta neighbors. I would love to hear about more of them!

Stories about your ancestors who lived in the south metro Atlanta area are most welcome. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214, or e-mail jkilgore@thecitizen.com or JodieK444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!