Mt. Vernon's Episode 1859
Dr. Philander Byam
The Byam family of Mt. Vernon will stand out in village history for the colorful shenanigans that they brought to the area. Dr. Philander Byam and his two brothers sold patent rights for butter churns, and buggy springs. Many of the local farmers of the area were taken into their bogus scheme and lost money in the dealings. The Byams also owned land in the area. They went to Brockland, New York and sold village lots at vastly inflated prices by showing pictures that misrepresented the properties. Pictures of Mt. Vernon with a steamboat in a large river were shown to prospective buyers. One eastern family, the Tilton's, bought property in the village for $1,200, sight unseen. On the night of October 24, 1859, local townspeople sick of the antics of the Byams, took the law into their own hands and drove the unsavory Byams from the area. A band of nearly seventy people, led by R.B. Chandler, rallied and marched to Mt. Vernon determined to oust the brothers. They marched to the home of Dr. Byam, just south of the mill, and called out for Dr. Byam, who sent his wife out instructing her to tell the mob he wasn't home. The mob however, knowing that the Doctor was in, began to tear down the house using axes and crowbars. Finally the doctor made his presence known by yelling out, "If it weren't for the infant in the cradle here, a half dozen of you would by lying dead out there." Mr. Chandler yelled back, "Mr. Byam will you please come down and go with us over to the mill, we're going to hold a meeting there." After pledging that no harm would befall him, Byam was persuaded to go with the group. At the mill a trial was held and it was decided that Dr. Byam and his brothers would have to leave. Col. Kelly of Mt. Vernon declared, "Now Mr. Byam, and that means every Byam in Mt. Vernon, there is one of two things you can do, either leave Mt. Vernon, every soul of you, inside of 24 hours, or stay and be hanged." A brother who lived in a cabin by the "Big Rock" received tar and feathering that night. The next morning the Byams hired teams and wisely moved to Madison. One of the brothers did return to the area for a load of hay, but on the top of the Mill Hill he was apprehended and the wagon and hay was set on fire, causing quite a spectacle. In 1860, the Byams decided to sue the townspeople involved in the incidence and filed a suite for $10,000 dollars. The case ended in acquittal for the defendants, but the townspeople did have to pay the court costs of $78.26. (Article from "150 Years Down By The Old Mill Stream" a history of Mt. Vernon Wisconsin, published in 1996.)
Editor's Note: The following message from Kim Byham was received by e-mail regarding a mention of the Byam incident on the Society's website, www.mounthoreb.org.
" I was fascinated to read about the Byam incident in Mt. Vernon. You might be amazed to learn that at least one of the brothers Byam moved to Montana and became instantly a doctor and then served as a judge in a famous trial! Here's a link to the book about the area, but there is plenty on the web about Judge Don Lorenzo Byam: " http://www.yanoun.org/mont_vigi/dimsdale/chapters/chap14.html