Byars family papers, 1866-1990

William Henry Byars was born on July 7, 1839 in Des Moines County, Iowa, the son of Fleming Byars (1817-1848) and Maria (Deardorff) Byars (1817-1894). In 1853, he crossed the Oregon Trail with his family and settled in Milwaukie, Oregon. After meeting his future wife Emma A. (Slocum) Reed in Milwaukie in 1864, he moved to Douglas County, Oregon and worked as a teacher and mail carrier. Byars attended Umpqua Academy in 1860 and entered Willamette University in 1861. On March 15, 1865 Byars enlisted with Company A of the 1st Regiment Oregon Volunteer Cavalry under Colonel Reuben F. Maury. After being honorably discharged in 1866, he graduated from Umpqua Academy on June 21, 1867 as part of the first graduating class. A year and a half later he married Emma A. Reed on December 23, 1868. In 1873, he moved to Roseburg, Oregon and purchased the Roseburg Plaindealer newspaper. In 1882 he was elected state printer and moved to Salem, Oregon. Byars also worked as dater of the Oregon Statesman in Salem and purchased the Evening Capital Journal (later the Salem Capital Journal) shortly after its founding. He served as surveyor-general of Oregon under President Harrison and was appointed commandant of the state soldiers' home at Roseburg by Governor Lord. He died in Salem in 1922.

William Fleming Byars was born on February 26, 1871 in Wilbur, Oregon, the son of William Henry Byars (1839-1922) and Emma A. (Slocum) Byars (1843-1929). The family moved to Salem in 1883. There, he graduated from the Academy of Willamette University and spent a year in the College of Liberal Arts. At Willamette he met Ada Catharine Nesbitt of Goldendale, Washington whom he married on May 4, 1892. They moved to Portland and later to Goldendale in 1894, at which time he became the editor of the Goldendale Sentinel newspaper. Later, he acquired full ownership over the paper, which he published until he sold it in 1907. In 1908 he bought a half interest in an abstract company and would later purchase the other half. In 1913 he incorporated the three abstract companies of Klickitat County, Washington into the Abstract & Title Guaranty Company. Byars became president of the company and managed it until his death. He served as postmaster of Goldendale, Klickitat County engineer, city councilman, and mayor of Goldendale. He was active in the Goldendale Methodist Church and Mason Lodge No. 31. Byars died in Goldendale, Washington on March 6, 1949.

William "Bill" Joseph Byars was born April 14, 1917 to William N. Byars (1893-1982) and Minnie L. Byars (1890-1987). He graduated from Willamette University in 1941. During his time at Willamette, he was a member of Kappa Gamma Rho, the Mathematics Club, Songmen, and University Vespers. After her graduation from Willamette, he married Hilma May Breuser (Class of 1942). He died in Salem, Oregon on October 12, 2010.

Hilma May Breuser was born April 24, 1918 in Rainier, Oregon to Herman Mitchell Breuser (1873-1945) and Nancy Dorothy (Nowlin) Breuser (1890-1964). While attending Willamette University she worked as copy editor for the Willamette Collegian and was a member of Delta Tau Gamma and University Vespers. She graduated from Willamette University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1942 and later married William Joseph Byars (Class of 1941). She died in Salem, Oregon on January 24, 2011.