Franz O'Neall Myers
AW Bowen History, Montgomery County, Indiana (1913) p 1180
Franz O'Neall Myers, one of the most progressive of
Montgomery County's
younger farmers and a worthy representative of two of the honored
pioneer families of this section of the Hoosier state is a man who takes
an abiding delight in nature and existence, because he has been in touch
with the springs of life. Mr. Myers was born in
Ladoga Sept 4, 1885. He is a son of J. Frantz and Sarah E. (O'Neall)
Myers. The father of our subject was born also in the house where the
immediate subject of this sketch lives. He was a son of William Myers,
who was a son of John Myers, Sr., who was the principal actor in the
early development of Ladoga and Vicinity. He was the first of the
family we can trace definitely. The family is of German origin, and
emmigration was made to the
born in
Hantz (Frantz), who was born in 1775. Soon
after their marriage they
moved to
acres of land. 8 children were born to them, an equal number of sons and
daughters: John, Jr.; David; Henry; William; Catherine; Sallie;
Elizabeth and Nancy. About the year 1828 John Myers, Jr. came to the
site of Ladoga,
1830 he had purchased 320 acres which joined the mill site south of
Ladoga and in 1830 he brought his family here. In 1831 John Myers, Sr.
and son Henry and nephew, Mathias Frantz came on horseback to Ladoga to
visit John Myers, Jr. The senior Myers was then 60 years old. He
was
He was so favorably impressed with the possibilities of the new country
that he returned to Virginia, sold his land and other property for
$6000, which sum he put in a chest, which he loaded into a big wagon,
piling furniture on top. Hitching four large horses to the outfit he
started with his wife, youngest son William, son Henry and his family,
and with a goodly party of others came overland to this county, arriving
at Ladoga in the fall of 1833, their big prairie schooner, although
nothing new to the pioneers, yet attracting much attention. When John
Myers, Jr. was building the first flour mill there, William, the
youngest brother of John, Jr. then a boy of 19, was sent to the
river
deal of land in and about Ladoga and between there and
aggregating 1304 acres. He was a man of great vigor of mind and body as
is shown by the fact that at 60 when financially able to take his ease
he moved from the home of his early life to what was then the western
frontier and founded a new home where his children could have more
abundant opportunities. it was his money and public
spirit that made
possible the fostering of private enterprises and building up the town
of
at the south edge of Ladoga. He and his wife were members of the
opinions. They were given to many acts of
hospitality and charity,
often providing a home for persons until they could provide a home for
themselves. In her earlier married life, Mrs. Myers weaned one of her
own children so she could rear her sisters, child, Mathias Frantz, who
was left an orphan when a few days old. A leading trait of their
character was industry. They loved work and were never idle. Mrs.
Myers worked in the fields and no one was a better reaper or swifter
binder than she. After the flax was sown she did all the rest of the
work, sheared the sheep and made the cloth, cut and made homsepun
clothes for all her children. SHe also had some
ability as a milliner.
Her death occurred in 1850 and she was buried beside her husband. Her
son, William Myers, was born in 1816 in Botetourt Co, Va
and was married
here in 1836 to Lydia Harshbarger, daughter of Jacob
and Salome (Ammen)
Harshbarger. She was born in 1816 in
came here with her parents in November 1831. Her father was a man of
affairs, well to do and owned nearly 3000 acres near Ladoga. He was a
religious man and of high moral character. William
Myers' death occured
on March 1, 1907. After his marriage, William Myers went to
housekeeping in a log cabin on Raccoon Creek, a half mile south of where
Franz O. Myers now lives. It was new land and he cleared it as he told
his grandchildren in after years, "In those days we married to make a
home. Now the young folks must have a home after marriage. I cleared
this ground, your father ditched it. Now it is ready for you."
He made
a good farm of it and here he reared his family 7 children having been
born to William Myers and wife, only four of whom are now living,
namely: Mrs. Alice Baldwin, who lives East of Ladoga; and Daniel A.
Myers, who lives four miles NE of Ladoga. Two other
daughters, Mrs.
Salome Graybill and Mrs. Mary Gill liv ein
the sons was Jacob Frantz Myers, father of Franz O'Neall
Myers. He was
born May 18, 1850 on the place where Franz O. Myers now resides. He and
Sarah Ellen O'Neall were married in this locality in
1877. She was a
daughter of Abijah and Ellen Hall O'Neall.
She was born in
blood and she came here from
sketch of William Q. O'Neall appearing elsewhere in
this work. J. Franz
Myers was a farmer all his life. He and his wife were Presbyterians.
They lived all their married life on the farm
where he was born and
prospering with advancing years, he became owner of 320 acres of land,
which he kept well improved and well cultivated and ranked among the
successful and leading farmers of the southern part of the county. He
was a man of exemplary character and was well and favorably known. He
was active in the republican party, but never south
office, being
content to remain on his farm, always a man of modesty and plain
manners. he was, hoever,
a delegate to the state convention that
nominated Governor Mount with whom he was well acquainted and was one of
those whose earnest efforts brought about hte
nomination of this
distinguished son of
DePauw) University and
Gamma Delta Fraternity. He was a delegate to the Presbyterian General
Assembly in Washington D C. HIs death occurred
November 24, 1903. His
wife was educated at
and an earnest worker in the church. She was a good wife and mother and
an excellent housekeeper. Her death occurred August 25, 1893. Franz
O'Neall Myers, the immediate subject of this sketch, attnded
He left school upon the death of his father and took charge of the farm
where he now resides, and he has made a great success of operating the
same, carrying on general farming and stock raising on
a large scale,
and keeping the place well improved and well cultivated. On October 31,
1905, Mr. Myers married Chasie Bridges, daughter of
John l. and Vina
Harris Bridges. She was born reared and partly educated in
commissioner of
subject and wife, namely: Howard B. and Madonna. Fraternally, Mr. Myers
is a Mason. He is a member of the phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
religiously, he belongs to the Presbyterian
Church. His farm known as
"Fair Acres" is well named as all who have seen it will readly
acquiesce. It consists of 320 acres and his wife owns 80 acres.
Mrs.
Myers was educated at Western Female Seminary at
--
Jeffery G. Scism, IBSSG