My Genealogy Hound

EDWARD MYERS, clothier. The subject of this sketch is a native of England, born in Lemington, Warwickshire county, Dec. 25, 1882. He was born in the castle of the Earl of Warwick, one of the peers of England. He is the fourth of a family of thirteen children, whose parents were Jacob and Rosa Myers, both natives of Holland, but married in England in 1802. Jacob Myers’s parents were Meyer and Prescilla Myers, both natives of Holland. Edward was educated in England and remained in that country until twenty-three years of age, when he came to this country, landing in New York City June 27, 1847, where he secured a position with Aaron Jacobs, on Chatham Street, as salesman. After a few months in this house he went into business for himself on Packe Slip, remaining about a year; then he engaged as traveling salesman, which occupation he followed several years. Stopping in St. Louis he remained a year with Raphael Keller, clothier, as salesman. He then went to California, crossing the plains with a wagon train, which took the company over five months to accomplish, and reached Sacramento City Oct. 3, 1852. The party he started with divided at the mouth of the Platte, one going the north trail, the other the south. They reached Sacramento the same day and almost the same hour and stopped at the same hotel. Mr. Myers remained in California until 1865, most of the time in the hotel business, which he made very successful. He had the misfortune to lose considerable by fire, but always rebuilt his houses. He was in business a while in San Francisco as clothier. From there he went to another part of California, and for eight years carried on business. He then moved to Stockton and took charge of the New York Hotel and Peoples’ Clothing House, which he managed for two years. He then traveled over parts of Oregon and Vancouver’s Island and returned to San Francisco where he remained a short time; then went north again and remained a year; he then returned to San Francisco and fitted out his theatrical business, and made his debut at at Luekery Hall, in that city, and was known as Professor Myers, the “American magician.” With this business he traveled all over the West, giving his last exhibition at Ft. Leavenworth, Lang’s Hall, before Generals W. S. Hancock, Hoffman, and St. Clair. He then retired from the stage, returned to St. Louis, and engaged in business for several years, and then came to Joplin where he carried on a very large auction business, having branch stores in several towns. He met with business reverses, however, and lost heavily. In 1882 he came to Webb City and engaged in the clothing and saloon business, which he now carries on very successfully. He has invented during his leisure time a safety attachment for cars, which renders it almost impossible for them to leave the track; and also a patent switch, which dispenses with the “frog.” These are pronounced by experts to be very valuable inventions. Mr. Myers has been twice married; the second time in St. Louis, to Miss Sarah Jacobs. They have had three children, only one of whom is living, Evadney, wife of Dr. W. M. Whitely. In his travels he has been a close observer and has an inexhaustible share of information.