Byrnes, Col. William H.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Byrnes, Col. William H., of New Orleans, was born in Ireland in the year 1845, and died in New Orleans, La., 1910. He came with his parents to America when a boy, and grew to manhood in the city of New Orleans, where he attended the public schools and in due course of time graduated from the Boys' high school of that city. Shortly following his graduation he became connected with the meat packing business and continued in this line of industry several years. However, the young man was ultimately attracted to the fire insurance business, and from the first of his connection with this it became evident that he was specially qualified for this line of endeavor. His rise in the insurance business was very rapid, through the successive stages of his upward career to the presidency of the Hibernia Fire Insurance Co., which station he occupied at the time of his death and for a number of years previous to this. Col. Byrnes was regarded as a very able business man, and was held in highest esteem throughout an unusually wide circle of acquaintances and friends. He had long been numbered among the best known, most active, progressive, and sagacious business men of the city, and being unassuming, pleasant, and considerate of others, easy of approach, genial and optimistic, he enjoyed a deservedly wide popularity among all classes of people. He was a man of the most splendid physique and physical development, easy and graceful in manner and of commanding bearing, but in no sense proud or boastful. Col. Byrnes was a Catholic in religious faith, and a member of the Knights of Columbus and several social organizations, among which were the Pickwick, the Chess, Checkers and Whist, and several other clubs. He was a democrat in politics, and took an active part in political affairs, at all times upholding democratic principles and the interest of his party, but insisting upon the best available men being elected to office. He never sought political preferment or advantage for himself, though political honors might easily have been his; for nearly 20 years as a member of the New Orleans Levee board and later as a member of the Dock board, he rendered conspicuous service in upbuilding the port and commerce of the city. Five successive governors of the state gave him the rank of colonel on their military staffs. He was content as a private citizen, doing fairly and justly with his fellowman and maintaining the strictest regard for personal integrity.

A life-long friend has said of him: "He was a true and noble man, a good citizen, a sagacious business man, a staunch friend, and a beloved husband and father." Col. Byrnes was married to Miss Ellen Conery, who was born in the City of New Orleans and a daughter of Edward Conery, a prominent steamboat owner and ship chandler. Five children were born to Col. And Mrs. Byrnes, these being Edward C., William H., Jr., Ellen Mary, Ann Mercedes, and Marie Carmelite. The mother of these children preceded her husband in death. She died in 1895.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp. 750-751. Edited by Alc e Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.