Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan : historical account of their progress
from first settlement to the present time.

Fisher, Ernest B., Editor
Chicago [Ill.]: Robert O. Law Company, 1918.

Wm. Byrne was born in county Carlow, or Kildare, Ireland. He married Ann Moran, later came to America, and for some years lived in Canada. He came to Grattan township, Kent county, Michigan in 1845 or 46 to work on the Michigan Central railroad. In the course of time, through industry and frugality, he secured a large farm east of Round lake, where he made some changes on the farm that had first been improved by his son Michael. He was one of the thirty persons to organize St. Patrick’s church, and retained his membership of the congregation throughout his life, and was always a liberal contributor to the church. To the marriage of William Byrne were born six sons and seven daughters, in the following order: Mary, who was married to John Kenna, but is now deceased; Thomas, John; Michael, of Grattan; William, who lives near the old homestead; Kate, married to Michael Boylen, but dies at twenty-three years of age; Ann, now Mrs. Cornelius Boylon, of Grand Rapids; Ellen, who was married to William Jones, died when thirty-seven years old; Margaret is the wife of William Heffron, of Grattan; Theresa was married to Ambrose Weeks and died at the age of forty-three; Lizzie is the wife of R.A. Weeks, of Grattan, and George died at the age of thirty-seven years. William, the father of the family, died November 22, 1882, aged seventy-two years, and his wife expired May 5, 1891, at the age of eighty.