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Gospel Singers, Rev. J. I. Byler and Family, a Printed Photograph

It is one of the three historic peace churches along side the Mennoites and Quakers. John and his wife, Amanda Ellen Troyer (1882-1974), were avid singers and musicians, and passed this love of music onto their ten children- six sons and four daughters. When their youngest daughter, Carol was four, the family started performing in John's own church before beginning to tour locally, and then nationally. Becoming known as the Rev. J. I. Byler and Family Gospel Singers, or the Byler Family Gospel Singers, the group toured for over a decade performing over 900 times across through thirty-two states, Canada and Mexico. During performances, the family often broke up into smaller groups as quartets or duets. The four youngest children, James, David, Robert and Carol would become known as the Skeeter Quartet.

JLydia Carolyn "Carol" Byler Roth (1923-2016). John was a minister, and later Bishop, of the Church of the Brethren. Though he was a Mennonite at the end of his life. He and his family toured as gospel singing group starting around 1927 and into the late 1930s. By the time they retired, they had performed over 900 times and traveled through thirty-two states, Canada and Mexico. John died on April 26, 1970 in Canton, OH after a long illness.

North Manchester, IN: [1927]. A black and white images from a photograph of the Byler family, a group of gospel singers from North Manchester, IN printed on card stock. The patriarch of the family, John Ira Byler (1881-1970), was a minister and later Bishop for the Church of the Brethren, which is a Christian denomination with its origins in the Schwarzenau Brethen.The image depicts the family with the caption "Rev. J. I. Byler and Family, North Manchester, Indiana, Gospel Singers", and was most likely sold during performances. The parents, John and Amanda, sit on the bottom row, on opposite sides of the group, with their ten children in the middle, oldest in back and youngest in front. The names of the children are: Joseph, Orpha, John, Samuel, Marcy, Martha, June, James, David, Robert, and Carol. As the youngest child, Carol, appears to be four or five years old in the photograph, the image most likely dates from the first year or so in which the family began touring, 1927. Single sided. Measures 9" x 7" General wear and toning. Missing top left corner.

Price: $65.00

Item #20200318