Byrne, Bryant and Durkin Family Papers (MC 412)
Biographical Note
s
Mary Margaret Byrne was born in Franklin, North Carolina on November 9, 1928 to John Bernard Byrne, Sr. and Margaret Godfrey Bryant.
John Bernard Byrne, Sr. was born in 1897 in Nevada City, California and became a forest ranger. He died in Asheville, North Carolina in 1934. John Bernard Byrne's father was Thomas Phillip Byrne, born in 1864 and his mother was Mary T. Beckman.
Margaret Godfrey Bryant was born in 1903 in Columbus, Georgia. Her parents were Alaric Marion Bryant and Mary Melissa Durkin, both of Columbus.
John Bernard Byrne, Sr. and Margaret Godfrey Bryant were married in 1927. In addition to Mary Margaret, they had two sons; Philip Byrne (18 Jan 1930- 3 Aug 2000), and John Bernard Byrne, Jr.
Mary Margaret Byrne was a reporter for the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. She died February 19, 1989 and is buried in Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of one box of folders containing materials pertinent to the Byrne, Bryant and Durkin families. There are many photographs of members of both sides of the families. Her father, John B. Byrne, Sr., was from California and many of his school pieces are included. Her brother Philip had been an outstanding athlete at Columbus High School. His scrapbook is included. The family attended Holy Family Catholic church in Columbus and there are many family bibles, prayer books and devotionals in Box 2, which also houses old family daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and tintypes and other pieces belonging to family members.
Permission to Publish
Permission to publish material from the Byrne Bryant Durkin Family Papers must be obtained from the Columbus State University Archives at Columbus State University. Use of the following credit line for publication or exhibit is required:
Byrne Bryant Durkin Family Papers (MC 412) Columbus State University Archives Columbus, Georgia
Provenance
This collection was donated to the CSU Archives by Sherry Green on May 25, 2018 in honor of Anne and Philip Byrne.
Note to Researchers
See also: Mary Margaret Byrne Collection (MC 338)
Box and Folder/Item List
Box 1
Folder 1 - Alaric M. Bryant and Mamie (Mary Melissa) Durkin
Folder 2 - Americus Cemetery
Folder 3 - Application to Children of the American Revolution by Mary Margaret Byrne as a descendant of Dr. John Taliaferro
Folder 4 - Byrne family crest
Folder 5 - Carter Presidential Center dedication, 1986
Folder 6 - Commencement Program for Columbus Industrial High School, July 1920 for Margaret Bryant
Folder 7 - Confederate money
Folder 8 - Correspondence from John B. Bryant to Alicia Flint, 1917-1918
Folder 9 - Correspondence from John Byrne 1934
Folder 10 - Correspondence of Margaret Godfrey Bryant Byrne (Mrs. John B. Byrne)
Folder 11 - Correspondence of Mary Margaret Byrne
Folder 12 - DAR application of Mary Margaret Byrne
Folder 13 - Death certificate for Mary Margaret Byrne, Feb. 19, 1989
Folder 14: Deeds to Lot south of #37, 1890 to Thomas M. Bryant, in City Cemetery
Folder 15 - Edward M. Bryant and Grace Agnes Lynn Maxham papers
Folder 16 - Family records sent to Margaret Godfrey Bryant Byrne (Mrs. John B.)
Folder 17 - Gas ration stamps for Mary Margaret Byrne, 1945
Folder 18 - Inauguration of Jimmy Carter, 1977
Folder 19 - Jimmy Carter connections
Folder 20 - John Bernard Byrne papers
Folder 21 - John Byrne as Forest Ranger in North Carolina
Folder 22 - John Byrne Memorial Tower on Wayah Bald, Franklin, North Carolina, 1937
Folder 23 - John Durkin-deeds, will, papers
Folder 24 - Letter from Melissa L. McCrary to her daughter, Lamira McCrary Durkin, 1872
Folder 25 - Margaret B. Byrne's will, 1951 and a bank passbook, 1938
Folder 26 - Mary Margaret Byrne's funeral program, Feb. 22, 1989, Linwood Cemetery
Folder 27 - Mary Margaret Byrne's will, 1989
Folder 28 - Military records of John B. Byrne, World War I
Folder 29 - Miscellaneous articles and photographs
Folder 30 - Newspaper articles by Mary Margaret Byrne
Folder 31 - Nevada City, California
Folder 32 - Philip Marion Byrne, buried in Riverdale Cemetery
Folder 33 - Photographs of John Bernard Byrne, 1897-1934
Folder 34 - Photographs of Mary Eugenia Bryant, who died in 1918 of influenza; 646 3rd Ave.
Folder 35 - Photographs of Mary Dorothea Beckman (later Mrs. Thomas Philip Byrne)
Folder 36 - Photographs of Mary Margaret Byrne
Folder 37 - Photographs of Mary Margaret Byrne and her brother Philip as children
Folder 38 - Unidentified Photographs and negatives
Folder 39 - Thomas Philip Byrne (grandfather of Mary Margaret, Philip and John Byrne, Jr.) and Mary T. Beckman
Folder 40 - Veterans Note for John B. Byrne, 1928-1932
Box 2
Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and tintypes
Item 1 - 2 ½ x 3 - 1 photo of a man sitting, ambrotype. Bearded, arm resting on chair, lock broken
Item 2 - 3 x 4 - double photos- left -young boy seated in chair ; right - mother and child in dress. Daguerreotypes in perfect condition
Item 3 - 3 x 4 - one photo of a woman on left side, tintype. Possibly same woman as #2
Item 4 - 3 x3 - looks like a book with gilded pages...1 young man on left side, tintype
Item 5 - 3 x 3 -1 man on right side. Arms in lap. Ambrotype
Albums
Album 1 - Inscribed "To my dear Mother M.L McCrary, from her affectionate child Samandra, August 3, 1869". First photo on back inscribed "For Lamira, her mother and brother May 6, 1868 Columbus, Ga" with a note to Lavinia from Lizzie in front.
Album 2 - 4x5 and 1 ½" thick with colored inset and 4 white feet on cover. This album include: some photos done by G.T. Williams, 81 Broad St., Columbus; Alpha A. Williams, Columbus; Phenix Photography Gallery, Corner Broad and Randolph St. Columbus, Miss Annie Kinn...., LaGrange, Ga;. and Miss Liddie L.... The album is from J.W. Pease, bookseller
Religious books
Volume 1 - The Catholic's Pocket Manual of Prayers, 1927, inscribed "A. M. Bryant 2207 19th Ave.", 1924, printed in Belgium.
Volume 2 - The Mission book of the Redemptorist Fathers, inscribed "Mary M. Bryant, 636 3rd Ave, From her husband, Columbus, Georgia, 1898"
Volume 3 - The Epistles and Gospels for the Sundays and Principal Festivals Throughout the Year
Volume 4 - The little Ursuline Manual, 1874. Miss Mamie Durkin inscribed on front piece.
Volume 5 - My Prayer Book, Happiness in Goodness with many insertions. One reads "John F Bryant Nov. 9, 1896 made his first confession to Father G.H Shaderwell during the Mission given by Rev. L.J. Power". leather-bound, 1908
Volume 6 - Catholics Pocket Manual, 1939-1942, brass front cover inscribed "May this protect you". From Google..."This is a WWII Soldier's Prayer Book called the Catholic's Pocket Manual." It has a metal cover that evidently was intended to protect the holder from bullets when the book was kept in the shirt pocket. The book was published in 1942. The metal cover is attached to the cover of the book.
Other items
Wallet with letters A.M.B (Bryant) on pocket; 2 inserts, 1930 sale of a car and a Central of Georgia Railway pass to AM Bryant and his wife, 1938
Brown leather pouch with 2 insertions, a photograph of a young man and a lock of hair
Box of brooches with hair ornaments, and buttons
Silver dollars dated 1921, 1923
Little green box with torn newspaper clipping
Boxed gift copy of Evangeline, To Mary from Gray, copyright 1905
Brass belt buckle with California
Standing committees for 1869
Box of assorted brooches, some with hair decorations, and a pink pearl collar stud.
Box labeled Soul Kiss Toilet Requisites
Scrapbook of Philip Byrne's Columbus High School sports career in newspaper clippings