Essex

BYRON, Benjamin, George Washington & Eliza Augusta

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, p 1035-1037

Benjamin BYRON (father of George W.)

Benjamin BYRON moved from Bridgewater [Plymouth County], Massachusetts, into 
the town of Maidstone [Essex County, Vermont] about 1780, with his wife and 
four youngest children, leaving two daughters married and settled in 
Bridgewater, where they remained. He settled first on the farm now owned and 
occupied by Jacob RICH, but soon obtained lease of a public lot in the north 
part of town, where he remained during life. He was a blacksmith, and having 
built a log house and a little shop, he supported his family mostly by 
working at his trade. He was a smart active man, and somewhat eccentric, 
like some others of his time, not having the advantage of an education, but 
had a fund of originality and ready wit as a substitute. Many anecdotes are 
told of him to the present time. The following is one: In time of war, he 
was bearer of dispatches to a distance, through long woods in great haste. 
Having traveled until he was weary and well nigh exhausted, he came to a 
settlement. Entering a house he found a company about sitting down to a 
table bountifully spread. Hunger and the importance of his message would not 
allow for delay, therefore he immediately sat down and commenced helping 
himself. Some one suggested to him the propriety of waiting as the minister 
would ask the blessing. He kept on eating, but replied, "Say what you are a 
mind to, you won't turn my stomach." His wife was Rachel BAILEY, sister to 
Ward BAILEY, who settled in Maidstone about the same time. She was a woman 
of good native talents and possessed of perseverance and good calculation, 
which were very necessary in order to encounter the difficulties and dangers 
to which the early settlers were subject. Many times were these traits 
called into exercise that her family might be comfortable.



George Washington BYRON (son of Benjamin; father of Eliza A.)

Their youngest child, George Washington BYRON, was born 07 July 1776 in 
Bridgewater [Plymouth County], Massachusetts. He was not a healthy child and 
had but few privileges; was active both in mind and body and in his earlier 
years evinced those marked traits of character which he manifested through 
life. He must know "the reason why" to become convinced and see wherein 
would be the advantage in order to be influenced. He often related an 
anecdote of his early years. When he was about five years old, there was an 
alarm given that the Indians were coming, as they often did to take prisoners 
to Canada. His mother must take her children and run to the fort. 
Washington, as he was always called, had seen friendly Indians, and was not 
afraid of them. He could not see the advantage of going to the fort, but he 
knew the worth of the meat and vegetables that were on the fire boiling, and 
refused to leave until after dinner. His mother, knowing that unless the 
child went willingly he would not run very fast, asked him what she should 
give him to induce him to go. He told her if she would give him the large 
pin that she used to pin her shawl, he would go. Such things, so common now, 
were then almost unknown, and he desired it. She did so, and they went to 
the fort. But the alarm proved false, and they returned the next day, and 
much to his satisfaction found their dinner hanging on the crane as they had 
left it.

At another time when a lad, he with his brother Benjamin were in the field, 
when they saw a rabbit. His brother, who was a pious youth, commenced 
running and crying, "Lord, help! Lord, help!" when he, thinking that the 
noise would do more to frighten the animal than secure aid, said quickly, "Say 
nothing Benjamin, two are enough to catch a rabbit." This was not so much 
from irreligion, as a habit he always had of relying on his own exertions and 
using proper means for whatever he wished to accomplish. His chance for 
education was very limited, as he had to go about three miles to school, but 
he acquired a passable knowledge of the common branches. But this life, free 
from restraint, was giving his body a vigor and health that rendered him able 
in after years to endure many hardships necessary for him to encounter; and 
he was acquiring a knowledge of nature with a habit of reasoning which, 
combined with good judgment, was very useful.

When little more than sixteen it became necessary for him to take the 
management of business, as his father had not a good business faculty. He 
learned the trade of his father, and commenced life in earnest. Being 
ingenious, he worked at all kinds of business, and whatever he wished to do 
he found a way of doing. He bought land adjoining his lot, with a view of 
improving his farm, thinking a farmer's life the best. He built a convenient 
house and other buildings, and gave his parents a comfortable home, as they 
lived to an advanced age. His affection for his mother was a marked trait of 
his character, and it continued unabated while he lived. He received no aid 
pecuniarily, as his father's property would not pay the debts; therefore it 
was sometimes necessary to turn short corners. He was prompt to pay. At one 
time a man to whom he was owing money came to him as he was ploughing in the 
spring with the first yoke of oxen he ever owned, and wished to buy them, not 
so much to get the debt, but cattle were scarce. He said he thought a moment 
of his need of them, as he did not know where he could get more, but it would 
pay the debt, and he immediately unhitched them, though, he added, tears came 
to his eyes as he did so. But he accumulated a good property, and having 
earned it himself knew how to make good use of it.

He did not aspire to office, but his good judgment was often very efficient 
in many of the business transactions of the town. He also took a lively 
interest in schools, that others might receive the benefit of what he felt so 
much in need. He was very industrious, seldom ever being idle an hour, which 
accounted for the great amount of labor which he performed. He was married 
about 1806 to Mary, daughter of Antipas MARSHALL, of Northumberland [Coos 
County], New Hampshire. She [Mary BYRON] died in 1824, leaving eight 
children to mourn the loss of an excellent mother, and a husband who never 
forgot her worth. He [George Washington BYRON] was married again to Nancy, 
daughter of Caleb MARSHALL, of Northumberland, a second cousin to his first 
wife. She still lives on the same farm, keeping it in the original name. 
She had four children, making fourteen in all. Twelve of the children lived 
to be men and women grown; seven are now living. The children possessed the 
same ingenuity of their father, but he, thinking his boys better be farmers, 
tried to keep them from the shop. This perhaps made them desire to be there 
more, for when he was going from home he would take the precaution to fasten 
the windows and doors to keep them out; but as soon as he was out of sight, 
they would climb upon the roof and get in at the chamber windows, and work 
until about time for him to come, taking care to put every tool just where 
they found it. But he soon suspected them, and concluded they might as well 
follow the best of their inclination; and not one of them was ever a farmer. 
He lived to be threescore and ten, yet was never old. He retained all his 
faculties nearly perfect (especially a remarkable memory), and his last day's 
work was he said as great as he ever did. It was probably the cause of the 
acute rheumatism with a lung fever that so suddenly terminated his life. He 
[George Washington BYRON] died 17 April 1846.



Eliza Augusta BYRON (daughter of George W.)

We would notice particularly one of the youngest daughters, Eliza Augusta, 
born 01 June 1828. She was a person of great energy and perseverance; had an 
impression from a child that she should die young; always entertained an idea 
she should sometime be a Christian, but it was not until she was eighteen 
that she manifested that bright and shining example which always marked her 
in after years. Then her character matured rapidly, and she engaged in 
everything good and worthy with an avidity which indicated a short life. The 
Sabbath school became her delight, the Bible her constant companion; the 
house of God was to her truly a sanctuary. Still she gave much time to all 
the literature of the day which is entertaining or beneficial; her journal 
was to her a dear friend. The Missionary cause was, to use her own words, 
her "daring theme," and she would without doubt have devoted herself to the 
work, but she still felt that her life would be short, and it soon became 
evident to her friends that she was fast ripening for the grave. She was a 
cheerful Christian; performed many duties faithfully; yet claimed no merit of 
her own, but often said, "My salvation is through amazing grace." 
Consumption claimed her as its victim. She felt admonished to see her house 
in order, and she did so. Not one of the numerous friends who visited her in 
her sickness but received a word of Christian counsel. She arranged her 
affairs to her entire satisfaction, and gave directions for her funeral with 
as much cheerfulness as one would prepare for a festival, choosing as the 
text, "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and I shall be satisfied when I 
wake in thy likeness." On a beautiful Sabbath, 08 August 1859, her freed 
spirit entered its everlasting rest, not as one who dies prematurely, but as 
one who has performed a life work and is ready to depart.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly