Excerpt of the book "Writer and Engraver's Picture of Graham County's Progress Since Its Organization" (1906)

E. J. Byerts

(pages 35-37)

The accompanying pictures are of the farm home of E. J. Byerts, three miles west of Hill City.

Mr. Byerts and his family are among the early settlers of Graham county, having come to the county in 1878, and they have been continuous residents here since that time. Their first home was on Rock Creek in Gettysburg township, where they farmed and raised cattle with varying success until 1884 when proof was made on the homestead and title was obtained. The family then settled on school section sixteen at the junction of Sand creek and Solomon river.

At this time there was not a shrub on the land larger than one’s finger, and whatever timber there is on the farm now has been grown there since.

Mr. Byerts is among the few who always had implicit confidence in the final development of this part of western Kansas.

He has always farmed on a large scale having for many years planted and tilled 250 acres of corn and when the seasons were good had large crops.

Mr. Byerts, like many others, made the error of mortgaging his farm to buy more land and twice since he came here, had all his property been sold it would not have paid his debt.

But by his perseverance he has each time been able to pay every dollar against him and today owes no man a farthing.

His old homestead and timber claims belong to others, but the farm on the Solomon, which consists now of seven hundred acres, all bottom land, is to be planted to alfalfa in the hope that in a few years it will be a thing of beauty and profit.

Mr. Byerts has taken an active part in local politics having always had a friend or a measure that he desired to help along. But he was never a candidate for office outside of his own township until 1901, when he was appointed Postmaster of Hill City in which capacity he is now serving.

What greater marks of esteem and confidence can citizens of a community show to one of their fellowmen than to indorse him for the position requiring a man of undoubted integrity and more than average ability.

Mr. Byerts never sought office prior to 1901, having always been content with his life on the farm.

In the Post Office building which he owns he conducts a notion and book business carrying a stock of $800.00.

Mr. Byerts was born in Pennsylvania and during the Civil war was a soldier in Company E, 194^th Infantry, Pennsylvania volunteers.

At the close of the war he came to Sedalia, Missouri where he married and 28 years ago moved to Graham county.

Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Byerts, two girls and two boys, only one of which is now at home.

Landscape picture covers one and half miles of valley and timber on this farm.