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My cousin Paul C. Byrnes was married to Mary D. Martucci (1920 - 1994), a daughter Karen Ann Harmon is a close second cousin.
I was glad to see Paul at his home in Byrnesville, near Barnesboro, now Northern Cambria Borough Pennsylvania in October of 2003. My wife and I had traveled to the area to enjoy the mountains with autumn color. I found Paul with a rake in his backyard on James Street; he was filling in a small depression in the lawn. I said, "Hey Paul! Boy am I glad to see you!" Paul said he was glad to see me too. It had been 20 years since I last saw him or Byrnesville. Everything had changed but Paul Byrnes still lived in Byrnesville, in the house he built and it meant a great deal to me to see him again. Paul told my wife and I all about the little grocery stores which used to do business in Byrnesville, DeFazio's Grocery and Sampson's Grocery which later became Bunny Byrnes's Grocery Store. |
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We talked about the parties which used to go on in his large covered porch. At 13 I was allowed at the party for a bit before hitting the sack at my grandparent’s house across from Paul's. I listened to the party, the music, and laughter, long into the night. (I know I was 13 because the song A number of us Byrnes's gathered at Paul's house in July of 2005 in the few days before the Byrnes Family and Friends Reunion of 9 July 2005. It was the best of a small reunion there in Paul's front yard. Karen Byrnes, Jerry and Judy Byrnes, Edward A. Byrnes, his sister Diane Byrnes Carl, Maureen Byrnes wife of Wes and daughter Cynthia were in attendance. One of my favorite memories of Paul was when I was about 10 years old. I loved to fish and so did Paul. Paul made an electrified metal rod which he could stick into a damp lawn. This pipe would apparently shock and induce night crawlers to come to the surface of the grass for easy collecting. Being ten and wanting to do everything (still do), I begged Paul to let me work the electric rod. In my bare feet I'd take that rod and try to stick it in the ground but I'd get zapped every time and would have to give it back to Paul to operate. I asked him about it during the October 2003 trip, he said there was electrical tape on it which would keep him from getting shocked. We had a great time remembering! |
by Little Eva was playing which came out in 1962.)
Paul Byrnes & Edna Byrnes LantzyWith the help of her daughter Kathy Lantzy Matta, Edna Francina Byrnes Lantzy has created a wonderful oral history of delightful recollections concerning Byrnesville and the Byrnes Hotel. Edna is the daughter of Marcell
Tracked: Jan 16, 13:45