BYRNE, Charles Benjamin

Other Events and Attributes:

• Research Notes: 1900 Census shows Charles Byrne giving his date of birth as Nov 1847. This is problematic, in that his father, George Byrne, supposedly died on Oct 2, 1844. On the 1910 Census, taken in April 1910, his age is listed as 67. This would make sense had he been born in 1842, and for the moment I’m going to assume there is an error in the reading of the 1900 census, and am theorizing he was born in Nov, 1842.
• Hobbies: Member of Jackson, Michigan Baseball club, “The Central”, (May, 1865)
• Occupation: Principal in hardware firm Heath & Byrne, Santa Cruz, and City Superintendent of Waterwork, Santa Cruz.
• Residence: 1850, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan
• Census: 1860, Jackson Ward 2, Jackson, Michigan
• Military: 23 Jun 1863, Jackson, Jackson, MI, USA
• Census: 24 Aug 1870, Paw Paw, Van Buren, Michigan
• Voter Registration: 26 Jul 1875, Ventura, Ventura, CA USA
• Misc. Event: 2 Jul 1877, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
• Arrival: Aug 1877, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
• Residence: 1880, 101 Locust Street, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
• Residence: 1892, Maple & Pacific, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
• Residence: 1900, 72 Plymouth Street, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
• Residence: 1907, 299 Mission, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
• Residence: 1910, Santa Cruz Ward 4, Santa Cruz, California

Notes:

“Copper teakettles were manufactured in Santa Cruz in 1888. Cook stoves also were turned out. Partners in the hardware venture were Charles Henry Heath, who established a hardware store in Santa Cruz in 1874, and Charles Benjamin Byrne. Byrne was a former superintendent of Hihn Water Company. He and Heath set up their business next to the southwest corner of Pacific and Locust street..

Census:
Name: Charles Byrne-Age: 17-Birth Year: abt 1843-Gender: Male-Race: White-Birth Place: Michigan-Home in 1860: Jackson Ward 2, Jackson, Michigan-Post Office: Jackson-Dwelling Number: 354-Family Number: 364-Occupation: Gass Plumber

Military:
Registered for draft but no record of serving

Census:
Byrne, C. B. / 27 years old / Male / Occupation: Tinner / No real estate / Value of personal estate: $300 / Place of birth: Michigan / Father of foreign birth: Blank / Mother of foreign birth: blank / Male citizen of 21: yes

Voter Registration:
Charles Benjamin Byrne-Event Type-Voter Registration-Event Date-26 Jul 1875-Event Place-Town Of San Buenaventura, Ventura, California, United States-Age-32-

Misc. Event:
“Accidentally he met in San Francisco Mr. Charles Byrne, who married a sister of his brother's wife.”

Arrival:
Two unclaimed letters on Aug 2nd in Santa Cruz indicate Charles is due or has arrived

Residence:
Boarder in the home of A. E. Bolton, Attorney at Law

Charles married ROBINSON, Josephine on 24 Feb 1870 in Johnstown, Barry, MI USA. Josephine (daughter of ROBINSON, Unknown and Susan) was born in 1844 in Johnstown, Barry, MI USA; died before 1878. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name
Charles B. Byrn
Birth Date
1843
Birthplace
Jackson, Mich.
Age
27
Spouse's Name
Josephine M. Robinson
Spouse's Birth Date
1844
Spouse's Birthplace
Johnstown, Barry, Mich.
Spouse's Age
26
Event Date
24 Feb 1870
Event Place
Johnstown, Barry, Michigan

1. BYRNE, Marion Josephine was born on 3 Dec 1870 in Van Buren, MI USA; died on 10 Nov 1946 in Plainfield, Uniion, NJ USA.
2. BYRNE, Nellie was born about 1862 in Indiana, USA.

Charles married WASHBURN, Florence May on 18 May 1881. Florence (daughter of WASHBURN, John H and ?, Jane Potter) was born in Mar 1860 in Iowa; died on 1 Jul 1939 in Huntington Park, Los Angeles, CA, USA; was buried on 6 Jul 1939 in IOOF Cemetery, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Co, CA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. BYRNE, Helen Alice was born on 13 Oct 1883 in California; was christened on 6 May 1900 in First Congregational Church, Lincoln and Center Streets, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; died in Dec 1972 in Downey, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
2. BYRNE, Don Washburn was born in Apr 1885 in California; was christened on 6 May 1900 in First Congregational Church, Lincoln and Center Streets, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; died on 3 Feb 1920 in Los Banos, Merced, CA USA; was buried on 6 Feb 1920 in IOOF Cemetery, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Co, CA.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Physical Description: Semi-disabled
• Research Notes: Found verification of death on 2 Oct 1844. A document from 10/1/1844 transferring assets to his children is in the Jackson County records department, and I hope to be able to transcribe my photos of it at some point. The date used in my records comes from another tree on Ancestry.com. DNA tests and comparison with descendants from other children of John Byrne of Windham, CT (notably descendants of Samuel Hazard Byrne), indicate George was not a biological child of John. Whether he was a son of Ann Powers is unclear.
• Occupation: Register of deeds
• Religion: Baptist (was also first clerk, of the First Baptist Church in Willimantic, as well as Baptist Church in Norwich, CT)
• Residence: 1830, Windham, Windham, Connecticut
• Possessions: 7 Nov 1837, Land Patent granted of 74.5 acres, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan, USA
• Occupation: Bef 1838, Ran a store, combined with dwelling in Windham (Willimantic)
• Occupation: 1838, Schoolteacher, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan, USA
• Residence: 1838, Jackson County MI
• Occupation: Between 1840 and 1842, Register of Deeds, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan, USA
• Residence: 1 Jun 1840, Columbia, Jackson, Michigan, USA
• Occupation: Aft 1842, Justice of the Peace, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan, USA

Notes:

From History of Jackson Michigan: George Byrne settled in Jackson in 1838. He was elected register of deeds in 1840, and served two years. He also served very acceptably as justice of the peace for several years. His son, Gilbert R. Byrne, has been in the banking-house of Cooper, Thompson & Co., and with the Jackson City Bank for many years. He is now assistant cashier of the last-named institution.

From A Modern History of Windham County Connecticut:

Page 582: “First Baptist Church, WIllimantic… a number of bretheren met in council at the house of Elder Chester Tilden on Thursday, the 20th of October, 1827…. Brethren:…George Byrnes…Records of December 11, 1827, show that the first clerk of the church was George Byrnes.”

Buried:
Headstone incorrectly reads 1841, and was placed at some point in the 20th century, probably by either daughter Susan or Josephine, who have similar markers, and died in the early 1960s

George married GRIFFING, Sarah S on 23 Jan 1828 in Albany, Albany, NY USA. Sarah (daughter of GRIFFING, Benjamin and MATHER, Clarissa) was born on 24 Sep 1801 in Lyme, New London, CT, USA; died on 3 Jan 1887 in 137 Maple Avenue, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan, USA; was buried on 6 Jan 1887 in Mount Evergreen Cemetery, Jackson, Jackson, MI, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Obituary: Obituary from the Jackson Weekly Citizen, 11-Jan-1887: Mrs. Sarah Byrne, who has been suffering from a stroke of paralysis for a week, died yesterday about noon at the residence of her oldest son, George G Byrne, 137 Maple avenue, aged 85. Being one of our oldest settlers, and the oldest member of the First Baptist Church of this city, a short biographical sketch of her long busy life will be appreciated by her legion of intimate friends and of interest to those who knew her but slightly. She was born at Lyme, Conn, Sept 24, 1801, of Puritan extraction, being a descendant of the celebrated Puritan leader, Cotton Mather. She experienced a change of heart in her girlhood and embraced the Christian religon, being baptized and connecting herself with the Baptist church at Pleasant Valley, Conn. She was married to George G Byrne at the residence of Erastus Corning, Esq., in Albany, N.Y. on Jan 23, 1828. The family moved to Brooklyn, this county, in 1837. Her husband being elected Register of Deeds for Jackson county on the Whig ticket in the fall of 1838, the family moved to this city when Mr. Byrne took his office, on Jan. 1, 1839, and have lived here since, a period of forty-seven years. On their arrival here, Mrs. Byrne and husband united with the First-Baptist Church. Mr. Byrne died in 1844, leaving his wife and five small boys to mourn the loss of a kind husband and affectionate father. Being a woman endowed with an abundance of spiritual strength, she reared her family of boys and has had the supreme pleasure, allotted to few, of seeing her children and grandchildren uniting with her church, and to hear great-grandchildren lisping the blessed truths of the gospel. She leaves a legacy to her descendants a beautiful Christian character. Her five sons are Gilbert R and George G of this city, Rufus H of Buffalo N.Y., (who is here to attend the funeral), Charles B., of Santa Cruz, Cal., and John H, who died in Jackson in 1878. The funeral will be held at residence, 137 Maple avenue, to-morrow (Thursday) morning, at 10:30.
• Religion: Puritan, later converted to Baptist
• Cause of Death: Paralysis following a stroke
• Residence: 1850, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan
• Residence: 1860, Jackson Ward 2, Jackson, Michigan
• Residence: 1867, 41 Washington, Jackson, Jackson, MI, USA
• Residence: 1870, Jackson Ward 2, Jackson, Michigan
• Residence: 1872, Corner Blackstone & Wilkins, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan, USA
• Census: 8 Jun 1880, 137 Maple Avenue, Jackson, Jackson, Michigan, USA

Notes:

Census:
Maple Ave / Byrne, Sarah / White / Female / Age 78 / Mother / Widowed / / Birthplace Conn / Birthplace of Father Conn / Birthplace of Mother Conn

Notes:

Per Albany Argus, ceremony was performed by Rev (Bartholomew) Welch. (Welch was a Baptist minister who was successful in growing the Albany parish). Per Sarah’s obituary, George and Sarah were married at the residence of Erastus Corning, Esq (a noted Albany businessman, politician, and Baptist).

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: 1790, Newspaper Publisher
• Occupation: 1795, Postmaster
• Public activity: 19 Apr 1802, Windham, Windham, Connecticut, USA
• Occupation: 1807, Helped lay underground acqueduct

Notes:

From A Modern History of Windham County Connecticut:

Page 87: “In 1790 John Byrne of Norwich set up a printing press in the lower room of the courthouse, and early the next year produced the first newspaper of Windham County. It was called The Phenix, or Windham Herald. In a few years it had some twelve hundred subscribers, and made itself felt throughout the county. It was the medium for advertising of the first carding machine in the county, and was of great service during the War of 1812. “

Page 443: “Shaw also had a faculty for handling skunks. A man by the name of Byrnes kept a store at the foot of the hill going up to the machine shop. One day Byrnes was behind the postoffice boxes at the end of the counter next to the outside of the store. Shaw came in, had a bag which he opened and out came four or five half-grown skuns. Byrnes screamed, ‘Take them out.’ ‘Give me two plugs tobacco.’ ‘No,’ but Byrnes hesitated. Shaw kept going up and finally the Indian got six plugs, and the men in the store had a good laugh.”

Public activity:
“Mr. Charles Tainer, is appointed Poll Master at Windham, Connecticut, in the room of John Byrne, Esq., removed”

Buried:
Mr. John Byrne / Died Dec 31 1837 / Aged 77 Years

John married POWERS, Anne on 16 Nov 1784 in Windham, Windham, CT. Anne (daughter of POWERS, Samuel and BROWNING, Martha) was born on 22 Apr 1762 in New London, CT USA; died on 10 Jul 1819 in Windham, Windham, Connecticut, United States; was buried in Windham Cemetery, Windham, Windham, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Anna
• Obituary: From Connecticut Gazette (New London, CT) 14 Jul 1819: At Windham, 11th Inst. Mrs. Anna Byrne, consort of Mr. John Byrne, aged 57, formerly of this place. She was highly and justly esteemed by a numerous acquaintence for the excellent qualities of her heart; and died in the triumphs of faith.

Notes:

Newspaper notice gives date of death as July 11, 1819, though headstone says July 10th, 1819.

Died:
From Hartford Courant: At Windham, on the 11th inst. Mrs Anna Byrne, aged 57, consort of Mr. John Byrne

Notes:

Married:
New London Vital Records in Barbour Collection: POWERS Anne m John Byrne, Nov 16 1784

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 9 Sep 1850, Rome, Ashtabula, OH USA

Notes:

Both on Benjamin’s death notice in 1866 in Michigan and in the 1850 census the age given would indicate he was born around December 1770, not December 1774 as documented in Clara Stone’s Griffing genealogy record from 1881. The source of Stone’s assertion of 1774 as birth year is unclear, and remains an open question for me.

Census:
Benjamin Griffin / Age 79 / M / Farmer / Place of Birth CT

Died:
On the 14th inst, at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. S. G. Byrne, Benjamin Griffing, aged 95 years 4 months

Benjamin married MATHER, Clarissa on 20 Dec 1798 in East Haddam, Middlesex, CT USA. Clarissa (daughter of MATHER, Unknown) was born about 1774 in Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 9 Sep 1850, Rome, Ashtabula, OH USA

Notes:

Census:
Clarissa M Griffin / Age 76 / F / / Place of Birth CT

Samuel married BROWNING, Martha on 20 May 1756. Martha was born on 19 Nov 1733; died on 14 Apr 1816. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Obituary: From the Connecticut Gazette, 11 Feb 1818: At Lyme, 21st of Jan, Mr. Jasper Griffing, aged 91. He was a member of the Christian church, upwards of 70 years, and we trust has gone to his Father in peace, in hopes of a glorious immortality beyond the Grave.

Jasper married ROGERS, Eunice. Eunice was born about 1734; died on 11 Sep 1794 in Lyme, New London, CT, USA; was buried in North Lyme, New London, CT USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]