Byrnesville, Barnesboro, Northern Cambria, Cambria County, Pennsylvania

From page 227 of the Centennial History of Barnesboro, Pennsylvania: 1894-1994...

On a winter's night around 10:00 P.M. in January, 1928, Angelo Dominic, track laborer on the Barnesboro crew, was called out to work. Strong winds, snow, sleet, and freezing temperatures were causing problems on the line from 10th Street in Barnesboro through Byrnesville, Allport, and Cymbria. Mr. Dominic was the only man called out and his assignment was to open up rail crossings, switches, and crossovers on the three mile section of track. After reaching Cymbria, the entire line had to be cleaned over again because of the blowing snow. This job needed to be done thoroughly so the trains could reach the loaded cars at the various coal mine sidings without having problems.
The tools used by Angelo on this job were a pick, shovel, and broom. The time-and-a-half rate of pay was 59¢ per hour.

Bartock, Jack. Centennial History of Barnesboro, Pennsylvania: 1894-1994.
           Barnesboro: The Committee, 1994.

Photo Credits: The photograph has been digitally manipulated for illustration. Use
           permission from Gary Mittner's Pennsylvania Railroad Homepage Photos.

Byrnesvillle is on a map. It is such a small place I think the general belief was you wouldn't find it on a map. I was able to get a copy of a 1930 Barnesboro map of the Sanborn Map Company. The map is for Barnesboro, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, January 1930 and underneath the seal it reads, 'including West Branch, Byrnesville, Allport & Parts of Susquehanna Township & Barr Township. It looks like it was used for by water facility and fire department employees.

The map has an Index which features two sections, Streets and Specials. Streets: Anne, at Byrnesville. Crosby Ave., at Byrnesville. James, at Byrnesville. Knight, at Byrnesville. McClain, at Byrnesville. Prosser, at Byrnesville. St. James Ave., at Byrnesville, see James. Sarah at Byrnesville. Specials: Byrnes, M.A., Coal Mine (marked in blue on the map). Byrnesville Hotel (marked in red on the map).

Byrnes Family & Friends Reunion 1981

We organized a 'Byrnes Family & Friends Reunion' in 1981 and held it at one of the pavilions at the Barnesboro Pool. We had seventy people attend. Most people brought their own food with dishes to pass around. We had a great time. It was suggested we have a reunion every five years. It took twenty for the next.

William H.'Bill' Byrnes (1895-1983) was the oldest person at the reunion being one month shy of 86 years old. Bill Byrnes can be seen in the picture above, he is next to Effie M. Ladenberger Byrnes (1894-1988) in the chair to