Biographies

Source:
The Biographical Record of Knox County, Ohio
To Which is Added an Elaborate Compendium of National Biography
Illustrated
Publ. Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Company
1902
 

JACOB B. MYERS.   Among the worthy citizens that Pennsylvania has furnished to Ohio is Jacob Benjamin Myers, who for many years has carried on general farming in Knox county, but is now living retired in Mount Vernon, enjoying a well merited rest.  He was born in Bedford county, of the Keystone state, July 24, 1828, a son of Jesse and Eleanor (Louderbaugh) Myers.  The family is of German lineage and was founded in America by the grandfather of our subject, who sailed from Germany and took up his abode in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, when that region was just being opened up to civilization.  There he spent his remaining days, but his wife afterward died in Knox county, Ohio.    Jesse Myers, the father of our subject, was born in Bedford county, and after arriving at years of maturity he wedded Eleanor Louderbaugh, also a native of the same county.  In 1837, accompanied by their family, they started westward and took up their abode in Clinton township, Knox county, but afterward removed to Pleasant township, where they remained until called to the home beyond. The father passed away in 1869, but the mother long survived him and died in 1897.  Mr. Myers was a farmer and also engaged in digging wells.  He dug many of the early wells of Mount Vernon and was an active factor in reclaiming the wild land for purposes of civilization, carrying on his farming operations quite extensively.  His industry, his honorable business methods and his capable management made him one of the leading agriculturists of the community and he became widely and favorably known.  Unto Mr. and Mrs. Myers were born seven children: Mary Ann, the deceased wife of Lloyd McDonald; Elizabeth Ann, the wife of Harvey Branyan; Catharine; Jacob, the subject of this review; John, who was the treasurer and county recorder of Knox county, and was for many years very prominent in public affairs; Eliza, who resides in Mount Vernon; and Jesse F., who is foreman in the paint shops of the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus Railroad, in Mount Vernon.      In the public schools near his home Jacob Benjamin Myers, whose name begins this record, pursued his education, and upon the home farm he was trained to the work of the fields.  Like most young men when starting out upon an independent career he desired a companion and helpmate for the journey of life and chose Miss Martha Ann Young, the wedding being celebrated on the 29th of November, 1855.  The lady was a daughter of Reese and Eliza (Gates) Young, and died May 14, 1885.  For his second wife Mr. Myers married Margaret, the daughter of Reuben and Sarah (Good) Dutt.  She was born Apr. 19, 1850, and was married Nov. 18, 1884.  Her father was a native of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, and her mother was born in New Jersey.  In 1870 they removed to Marshallville, Wayne county, Ohio, and later went to Medina county, this state, where the mother died June 15, 1876.  Subsequently the father became a resident of Gibson, Kansas, where his life's labors were ended on the 18th of April, 1882.  They were the parents of nine children: Eliza, deceased; Cortland B., who lives in Akron, Ohio; Anna, the widow of Oscar Carr and a resident of Akron; Sarah, who is the widow of Jacob Hess and makes her home in Cleveland; Margaret, now Mrs. Myers; George, deceased, late of Mount Vernon; Nathan, who is a resident of Kansas; Reuben, who makes his home in Akron; and Mary, the wife of George Drisback, of Bangor, Pennsylvania.  The father of this family was a blacksmith and carriage-maker and his life was one of industry and honest toil.  For ten years he was postmaster at his old Pennsylvania home.  His son, Cortland, was a soldier in the Civil war, and during his service was taken prisoner and sent to Andersonville, where he was incarcerated for eighteen months.      Both Mr. and Mrs. Myers are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church in Mount Vernon.  Politically Mr. Myers is a life-long Democrat, and has served many years in important public capacities.  Throughout the years of his active business career he was connected with agricultural interests in Knox county.  He was only about ten years of age when brought by his parents to Ohio, and during his youth he shared with the family in many of the hardships incident to life on the frontier.  He has done much toward clearing and developing his portion of the county and lived in his present neighborhood when there was nothing but a great wilderness all around him, there being but two other houses on the Gambier road between him and the city, which then consisted of one store.  In addition to the home he also owns what is known as the old Indian field, adjoining the city, upon which for many years the tribe maintained an Indian village.  As the years have passed he has aided in pushing forward the wheels of progress and his labors have been very beneficial in developing this portion of the state.  He has taken just pride in what has been accomplished in the county and well does he deserve to be numbered among its leading and influential citizens. Source: The Biographical Record of Knox County, Ohio - Publ. 1902 - Page 151

JOSEPH MYERS.   In Democratic circles in Knox county Joseph Myers is a recognized leader and that to a high degree he enjoys the confidence and trust of his fellow men is indicated by the fact that he is now filling the responsible position of president of the board of county commissioners.  His personal popularity is indicated by the fact that at the election of 1900 he ran more than two hundred and fifty votes ahead of his ticket, his support coming from many who voted for the Republican nominees for other offices.  His loyal citizenship, his practical yet progressive administration of the affairs of the office and his earnest efforts to promote the welfare of the county — these are some of the strong characteristics of the man.      Mr. Myers was born in Liberty township, Knox county, four miles west of Mount Vernon, on the 3d of May, 1844, his parents being William and Sarah (Dietrich) Myers, in whose family of four daughters and two sons he was the youngest child and the only survivor.  Upon the home farm he was reared and his work in the fields was alternated by period of attendance at the public schools.  At the age of eighten he was drafted for service in the army, enlisting as a member of Company F, Sixty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  He served under the command of General Rosecrans and participated in the battle of Stone River.  He was drafted for nine months, but was with his command at the front for eleven months.      After receiving an honorable discharge Mr. Myers returned home and remained on the farm until his father's death.  The old home place was willed to him and his brother, Jacob, and the latter, having married and removed to another locality, our subject operated the land which they had purchased from the other heirs.  Upon Jacob's death Joseph Myers purchased his interest in the property and soon after sold the entire amount and bought his father-in-law's farm of one hundred acres, in Clinton township, two miles west of Mount Vernon.  There he lived for a number of years, but eventually sold the place and invested his money in one hundred and sixty-eight acres of land in Monroe township, three miles northeast of Mount Vernon, upon which he yet resides.  Throughout his entire life he has carried on agricultural pursuits and his farming methods are in harmony with the advancement of the times.      Mr. Myers was united in mariage to Miss Clementine Rinehart, a native of Knox county and a daughter of Samuel Rinehart who came from New Jersey to this county with his parents in 1816.  Unto Mr. and Mrs. Myers have been born seven children:  Emma, who is the wife of Foster Tulloss, of Clinton township, by whom she has six children: Joseph; James; Charles; Anna; Fay and Margaret; Samuel deceased; William at home; Victoria, the wife of Harry Patterson, of Morris township; Mary, Melissa and Ralph, all yet under the parental roof.      Since attaining his majority Mr. Myers has been a supporter of the Democratic party and in 1897 was elected on that ticket to the position of a member of the board of county commissioners.  He served so capably that on the expiration of his three-years' term he was re-elected in 1900 by a majority of sixty-five, although a majority of two hundred was given the head of the Republican ticket.  He was then chosen president of the board and is therefore at the head of the business affairs of the county, which come under the province of this board.  For several terms he was trustee of Liberty township and at all times has exercised his official prerogatives in support of such meagures as he believes most conducive to the public good.  Mr. Myers belongs to the Methodist Protestant church, and fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, his membership being in Mount Vernon Lodge, No. 316; Cokosing Encampment and also with the Uniformed Rank of the Order.  Few men in the county are better known, for he has always lived in Knox county, has successfully engaged in farming and has proved himself a worthy public officer. Source: The Biographical Record of Knox County, Ohio - Publ. 1902 - Page 73

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