An undated cabinet card photograph (later colorized) of William Henry Byerly (1854-1906), a miner of Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The photographer is unknown.
Byerly died on February 14, 1906. The official cause of death was given as miner’s asthma.
His obituary appeared in the Lykens Standard, February 22, 1906:
W. H. Byerly
After a long illness Assessor William Byerly of Williamstown, died at his home on Spruce Street Wednesday afternoon of last week. Deceased was born in Schuylkill Haven, January 7, 1854, and was aged 52 years, 1 month and 6 days at the time of his death. He was the son of John Byerly and Catherine Kaufman, his wife. During the early days of his life he followed many occupations, such as painter, bookkeeper for a canal company, for which his father was a contractor, telegraph operator, and then became a miner, which occupation he followed until he met with a severe accident about ten years ago. He afterward held the position of dock boss at Summit Branch Breaker for some time.
Deceased was twice married, his first wife, Annie Warlow, having preceded him in death 19 years ago. The children of this marriage are Mrs. Marland of Philadelphia; Jennie Byerly (Mrs. William Miller; John Byerly and Joseph Byerly, of Williamstown. In 1889 he married Miss Bessie Wingate of Shamokin, who with the following children survive him: James Byerly; Maxwell Byerly; Alma Byerly; and Allen Byerly.
Deceased was a staunch Republican and very active in politics, and was well known at the county seat. He was a member of Carroll Lodge, I. O. O. F. of Schuylkill Haven. The funeral was held on Saturday at 2 o’clock, the services being conducted at his late home by Rev. A. Witmer of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and interment was made in the Methodist Episcopal Cemetery. Williamstown Lodge, I. O. O. F., attended the funeral in a body. The pallbearers were O. S. Row, Edward Row, George Lenker, John Bendle, Edgar Mason, Benjamin Phillips.
Among those who attended the funeral were Mrs. Marland of Philadelphia; Webster Wingate and wife, and Mrs. Joseph Eaton, of Shamokin; Daniel Byerly of Schuylkill Haven; Mrs. John Warlow of Minersville; and William Higgins and Pearl Higgins of Wiconisco.
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For additional information about this photograph and others like it, contact the Williamstown Historical Society.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.