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We here in northeast Tarrant County have a Civil War veterans monument in place, and are posting biographies and photographs of the men at our Genweb site. If you can add to the following biographical sketch, or could share any photos you might have of this veteran, his wife, or his home, we’d be happy to have them. Thanks for taking the time to read our query. Mike Patterson, Colleyville, Texas.
Byron Akers was born about 1842 in Illinois. By 1850 he was living at Birdville, Tarrant County, in a family headed by George Akers (1791-1859), who was probably his maternal grandfather. Byron’s mother was apparently Telitha Akers Everard, who was married to Patrick Everard when she died in Tarrant County about 1853.
Some guardianship papers concerning Byron were among the few items which survived the disastrous 1876 court house fire in Fort Worth. In 1853, the above named George Akers filed an application with the court to be made guardian of Byron Akers, the son of Patrick Everard and his wife, Telitha Everard. In the fall of the next year, 1854, it was noted that Byron’s share of his parents’ estates consisted of fifty-four head of cattle. By 1860, his estate had grown to ninety head of cattle and one Spanish pony, and he had acquired three hundred twenty acres of the “T. Eberard survey,” probably one of the Patrick Everard surveys.
At the age of nineteen, Byron enlisted in Co. A, 9th Texas Cavalry at Camp Reeves on October 14, 1861. He traveled 150 miles to the rendezvous, bringing with him a horse worth $90 and equipment worth $18. He is shown as present on rolls through March and April, 1862, and was discharged and a final statement was given him on June 10, 1862. His original disability certificate is in his file in Washington. It shows him 19 years old, a native of Illinois, 5'8” tall, with a fair complexion, gray eyes, black hair, and a farmer by occupation.
In response to an application for a furlough, his records show that “The applicant was seized with Typhoid Fever during the latter part of January and from its effects he is incapable of bearing arms and judging from his constitution it is doubtful whether he will soon be.” Byron re-enlisted at Grapevine, Texas on September 27, 1862 under Capt. Thomas G. Berry for a term of three years or the war. His name appears present on rolls from March through August 1863; he was sick in camp in August 1863. He was detailed to work extra duty as a teamster on August 10, 1863. He appears on the roll for May and June 1864 as a teamster for the “Brig. Com.”
Byron was captured at Atlanta, Georgia on September 22, 1864 and sent to Louisville, Kentucky on October 27. He was transferred to Camp Douglas, Illinois two days later. He died at Camp Douglas on December 24, 1864 of debility from small pox, and was buried in an unmarked grave near Camp Douglas, one of about six thousand Confederates who died and were buried there.
Three years after his death, Byron’s administrators presented several bills for expenses they had incurred for his support. Some of these were for tuition for Byron paid in 1855 to Samuel Manning, in 1857 to E. T. Withers, in 1859 and 1860 to J. H. Hughes, and tuition paid in 1860 to William Hudson and a Mr. “Butle.” There was also a payment made to the Trustees of Birdville High School for five months’ tuition for lessons in drawing taken in 1858, and to Joseph Nugent for tuition at another unspecified time. Tuition was also paid to the High School at another date by the transfer of “1 beef Stear.”
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