31 Jul 1867 – 15 May 1946
Grandson of Philip Cardon and Martha Marie Tourn
Son of Catherine Cardon and Moses Byrne
Former Buhl Mayor, Once Captured by
Sioux Indians, Succumbs After Stroke
BUHL, May 15-Once captured by the Sioux Indians of Wyoming and rescued by Chief Washike of the Shoshones, Edwin W. Byrne, 78-year-old former mayor of Buhl, died at 8 a.m. today at Blackfoot.
The Buhl pioneer had been in poor health since 1939. He died from effects of a stroke.
His capture by the Sioux came when he was four years of age. Chief Washike, a good friend of the Byrne family, traded the warlike Sioux out of their captive and returned him, unharmed, to his parents.
Mr. Byrne’s middle name was Washike, given to him as a mark of honor for the Indian Chief.
He was a personal friend of Buffalo Bill Cody and traveled with the old frontiersman’s show for six months.
Born in Ft. Bridger, Wyo., July 31, 1867, Mr. Byrne was married Nov. 15, 1894, to Dora S. Schmalz. They came to Buhl July 24, 1908, among the early west end pioneers. His activities here were diversified. From 1908 to 1915 he operated the Byrne livery stable and also a stage line between Jarbidge, Nev., and Buhl. At the same time, he was agent for Continental Oil company and operated his own farm.
From 1915 to 1918 he lived at Pocatello, where he was purchasing agent for a packing concern. He returned to Buhl in1918 and from then until he retired in 1939 was a stockman in this area.
He was mayor of Buhl from 1913 to 1915; was a member of the city council from 1911 to 1913.
Before moving to Idaho-and after performing in the Buffalo Bill show-Mr. Byrne and several brothers organized their own wild west show and operated it for several years.
He was a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge in Buhl.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Ernest R. Byrne, Santa Ana, Calif., and Lloyd E. Byrne, manager of the Idaho First National bank in Buhl; two sisters, Mrs. Minnie Kendall and Mrs. Sanford Fife, Ogden, and a half-sister, Mrs. Annie Corey, also of Ogden, and one brother, William Byrne, Hawthorne, Calif. Two grandchildren in Buhl also survive.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Buhl Presbyterian church with the Rev. S. C. Orr officiating. Interment will be in Buhl cemetery under direction of the Albertson funeral home.
-Published in The Times-News (Twin Falls, ID), Wednesday, May 15, 1946, Page 1 courtesy of Newspapers.com (Cropped by MRH), transcribed by Cardon Families Organization, May 12, 2025
Buhl Pioneer, Ex-Mayor Dies
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Career of Edwin Byrne Included Capture By Sioux Indians
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BUHL (UP) – The four-year-old Wyoming lad who was rescued from the warlike Sioux Indians by Chief Washike of the Shoshones died Wednesday at the age of 78.
He was Edwin W. Byrne, former Buhl mayor. He died at Blackfoot Wednesday morning from effects of a stroke. He had been in ill health since 1939.
Byrne’s capture by the Sioux came in 1871, near Fort Bridger, Wyo. Chief Washike, a staunch friend of the Byrne family, talked the boy’s captors into giving him up in a trade deal and returned him unharmed to his parents.
Byrne was a personal friend of Buffalo Bill Cody and traveled with Cody’s show for a time. Later, with several brothers, he organized the Byrne Wild West show in Wyoming.
He came to Buhl in 1908 as one of the early pioneers, operated a livery business, a Jarbidge to Buhl stage line and his farm. He was city councilman from 1911 to 1913 and mayor from 1913 to 1915. In the latter year he moved to Pocatello where he was purchasing agent for a packing company until he returned to Buhl in 1918. He was a stockman from then until he retired in 1939.
Survivors include two sons, two sisters and a half-sister at Ogden and a brother. The Ogden sisters are Mrs. Minnie Kendall and Mrs. Sanford Fife; the half-sister is Mrs. Annie Corey. One of the sons is Lloyd E. Byrne, manager of the Idaho First National bank here.
-Published in The Idaho Statesman, Thu, May 16, 1946, Page 7.
One-Time Captive of Indians Dies
BUHL, Idaho, May 15 -(AP)- Once captured by the Sioux Indians in Wyoming and rescued by Chief Washakie of the Shoshones, Edwin W. Byrne, 78, former mayor of Buhl, died Wednesday at Blackfoot.
His capture by the Sioux occurred when he was four years old. Chief Washakie, a friend of the Byrne family, traded the Sioux out of their captive and returned him unharmed to his parents. He was a friend of Buffalo Bill Cody, and traveled with the old frontiersman’s show for six months.
-Published in The Montana Standard (Butte, Montana), 16 May 1946, Thursday, Page 1
IDAHO PIONEER DIES
BUHL, Idaho, May 15 -(AP)- Once captured by the Sioux Indians in Wyoming and rescued by Chief Washakie of the Shoshones, Edwin W. Byrne, 78, former mayor of Buhl, died Wednesday at Blackfoot.
His capture by the Sioux occurred when he was four years old. Chief Washakie, a friend of the Byrne family, traded the Sioux out of their captive and returned him unharmed to his parents. He was a friend of Buffalo Bill Cody, and traveled with the old frontiersman’s show for six months.
-Published in The Missoulian (Missoula, Montana), 16 May 1946, Thursday, Page 1
Onetime Indian Captive Succumbs at Blackfoot
BUHL, Idaho, May 16 -(AP)- Once captured by the Sioux Indians in Wyoming and rescued by Chief Washakie of the Shoshones, Edwin W. Byrne, 78, former mayor of Buhl, died Wednesday at Blackfoot.
His capture by the Sioux occurred when he was four years old. Chief Washakie, a friend of the Byrne family, traded the Sioux out of their captive and returned him unharmed to his parents. He was a friend of Buffalo Bill Cody, and traveled with the old frontiersman’s show for six months.
-Published in the Billings Gazette (Billings, Montana, 17 May 1946, Friday, Page 6
West End Cemetery, Buhl, Twin Falls, Idaho
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