Robert Thomas Byler was born on 8. Dec. 1867 at Cooper County, Missouri. He was the son of
Joel Woodward Byler and
Susan Esther Harris. Robert Thomas Byler married
Lenora Hurt, daughter of
Fleming Mitchell Hurt and
Flora Ann Davis, on 20. Feb. 1889. Robert Thomas Byler
(Transcribed by Jim Thoma)
Robert Thomas Byler, justice of the peace in and for Clarks Fork township and one of the best known and most substantial farmers in that section of Cooper County, owner of a fine farm of 160 acres ten miles southeast of Boonville (rural mail route No. 1 out of Boonville), was born in Prairie Home township, a member of one of the real pioneer families of Cooper County, and has lived in the county all his life. He was born
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Dec. 8, 1867, son of Joel Woodard and Susan Esther (Harris) Byler, both of whom also were born in this county and the former of whom is still living, being now past 85 years of age.
Joel Woodard Byler was born on a pioneer farm in Boonville township Feb. 18, 1834, son of Thomas Dillard Byler, who was a son of Thomas Byler, who had come here in territorial days and had entered a tract of land in what is now Clarks Fork township and had there spent the remainder of his life and at his death was buried on his farm there. Thomas Dillard Byler, grandfather of 'Squire Byler, made his home on the farm now owned by Henry Muntzel and died there in 1876, being then 76 years of age. His son, Joel Woodard Byler, father of 'Squire Byler, grew up on that farm and became a farmer on his own account. June 8, 1865, he married Susan Esther Harris, a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, and after his marriage established his home on a farm in Clarks Fork township, where he continued actively engaged in farming until his retirement. He is now living in Moniteau township, over the line in the county of that name. His wife died on June 8, 1915, the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage. They were the parents of eight children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follows: Fannie Jane, wife of Robert Hornbeck of Prairie Home; William Henry Byler, a hardware merchant at Prairie Home; Tyra Emmet, also of Prairie Home; Joel Albert, of Kansas City; Jesse Dillard, a farmer of the neighboring county of Moniteau, and Walter Lawrence and Harris Byler, who continue to make their home on the old home place.
Reared on the home farm in Clarks Fork township, Robert Thomas Byler received his early schooling in the local district school and supplemented the same by a course of two years at the old Prairie Home College. From the days of his boyhood he was helpful on the home place and after his marriage when 21 years of age began farming on his own account, a vocation he ever since has continued. In Jan., 1909, he bought the farm on which he is now living, the old Peter Wehmeyer place of 160 acres in Clarks Fork township, and since taking possession of the same has made numerous substantial improvements, bringing the farm plant up to an excellent standard. One half of the farm is Clarks creek bottom land and the place is admirably adapted to the raising of live stock, Mr. Byler giving considerable attention to the raising of Shorthorn cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs. Mr. Byler has always given proper attention to local civic affairs and is now serving as justice of the peace in and for his
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home township. He also for the past nine years has served as director in the Washington school district. He and his wife are members of the Prairie Home Baptist Church. He is a member of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America at Prairie Home and Mrs. Byler is a member of the auxiliary order of the Royal Neighbors of America.
Feb. 20, 1889, that Robert T. Byler was united in marriage to Leonore Hurt, who also was born in this county, and to this union six children have been born, namely: Joel Fleming Byler, who married Addie Douglas and lives in Saline township; Flora Esther, wife of Arthur White, of Prairie Home; Robna Frances, wife of John Wood house, of Boonville; Stella Teel, wife of Adolph Hoerl, of Boonville, and Jessie Gibson and Virginia Florence, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Byler have three grandchildren, Charles Robert Woodhouse, Arthur Lewis White and Norma Jeannette Byler. Mrs. Byler was born in Boonville township on March 21, 1871, daughter of Fleming and Flora (Davis) Hurt, both members of pioneer families in Cooper County and both now deceased. Fleming Hurt died in July, 1909, and his widow did not long survive him, her death occurring in Jan., 1912. They were the parents of four children, those besides Mrs. Byler being H. G. Hurt, of Boonville, Mrs. Florence Davis, living east of Boonville, and Mrs. Dollie Adair, deceased.