Byrne Papers

Monsignor Edward Byrne, professor of Sacred Scripture, was born on December 1, 1880, in Auburn, New York. He was ordained into the priesthood at St. Bernard's Seminary, Rochester, on June 10, 1905. In 1908 he was awarded his Doctorate of Sacred Theology from St. Bernard's Seminary in Rochester, New York. He furthered his studies at the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem and the Biblical Institute in Rome, where he earned his second Doctorate Degree in Philosophy. He then returned to St. Bernard's Seminary to become a professor of Scripture.

Not only was Father Byrne a well-respected member of the St. Bernard's Seminary until his death in 1952, he was a dedicated and well-known amateur historian. His interest in local Native American remains, and especially in evidence of Native American contact with Jesuit and French Missionaries, sprouted from a desire to continue his brother, Reverend Andrew Byrne's work in this field.

Much of the contents of the Father Byrne Papers consists of personal notes and letters to his collaborators regarding plans for these monuments and information about new findings. Much of the text had been prepared by another area historian, Harrison C. Follett. Follett's main area of interest focused on the history of Cayuga County, with the brunt of his studies central to the Algonkian site of Levanna, New York on Cayuga Lake. He was an integral member of the Archaeological Society of Central New York. Many of his articles were published in the society's monthly bulletin, and he self-published historical booklets, a few of which are included in the Father Byrne Papers collection.

For a complete listing of the Byrne papers in Microsoft Word format, Click here.

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