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Below is a family biography included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.   These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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CHARLES MEYRAN, president of the Germania Savings Bank, of Pittsburgh, was born Oct. 12, 1883, at Bramsche, Germany. His great-great-grandfather, John Charles Meyer-Arend (later called Meyran), born in the year 1697, entered the military service in his youth, and under Frederick the Great fought through the “Seven Years’ War.” After this war he was promoted to be adjutant to the king at the court, and lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and thirteen years.

The father of the subject of this sketch was C. Ludwig Meyran, a tanner at Bramsche, and the mother was Minna Meyer (Wolterman); both died before he had completed his tenth year. He kept on with his studies, and at the age of fourteen was graduated at the high-school of his native place. He immediately emigrated to America, accompanied by a schoolmate, and they arrived in New York in September, 1848. Master Meyran proceeded to Pittsburgh, where he joined his uncle, G. H. Meyer, a jeweler, with whom he spent two years learning the trade; then served an apprenticeship of four years to the trade of watchmaking with Mr. Louis Reinemann. In 1854 he took charge of the commercial department of the house, and entered the firm as a partner, which then became Reinemann & Meyran. In 1862 he and others bought the Oakland & East Liberty & Pittsburgh & Minersville Passenger railroad. He became president of this corporation, but afterward sold his interest and resigned. The business of Reinemann & Meyran, with a few changes, continued successfully for twenty years, at the expiration of which time both partners retired from active connection with it.

In 1870 Mr. Meyran and others organized the Germania Savings Bank, of which he has ever since been president. In 1876 he became interested in a new enterprise at Delphos, Ohio, for the manufacture of material for sugar and flour barrels and nail kegs. A company was formed, known as the Pittsburgh Hoop and Stave company, of which he became president. In 1883 the buildings of the works were destroyed by fire, and the property and material left from the conflagration were sold. Shortly afterward Mr. Meyran joined with his son, Louis A. Meyran, Col. John Ewing, H. S. Duncan and other well-known men, in founding the Cannonsburg Iron and Steel company at Cannonsburg, Pa. Mr. Meyran is president of this flourishing corporation, and his son is treasurer. In 1885 Mr. Meyran and his associates conceived the idea of drilling for gas on the ground of the mill. It proved a success, and has been the sole source of fuel for the iron and steel works, stamping-works, machine shops, as well as the town of Cannonsburg and the buildings and grounds known as the Pennsylvania Reform School, at Morganza. Mr. Meyran took up about ten thousand acres of land in Washington county, which has since proved to be the best natural gas field in that section of the state. Associating with himself several of the leading iron and steel manufacturers and business men in Pittsburgh and Allegheny, he organized the Manufacturers’ Natural Gas company of Pittsburgh, which speedily built a system of pipe-lines from these farms to the city of Pittsburgh. This enterprise involved an expense of over a million of dollars. Mr. Meyran was chosen president of the company, a position he still holds.

Among the honors conferred on Mr. Meyran by his fellow citizens of Pittsburgh may be mentioned the presidency of the German Library association, of the Frohsinn Singing society, and of the Immigrants’ Aid society; chairmanship of the German-Franco Peace jubilee, also of the Humboldt Monument festival. In the business world of Pittsburgh he is a most important factor, holding many positions of trust and responsibility, notably in banking and insurance corporations. He is, and has been for the last twelve years, treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce of Pittsburgh, and was chosen treasurer of the County Centennial festival, held in the year 1888.

Mr. Meyran married, in 1858, Miss Sophia Flowers, of Baldwin township, a descendant of one of the earliest pioneers of Western Pennsylvania. He has two children: one son, Louis A., who finished his education and graduated at Hanover, Germany, now married to Miss Marie, daughter of Charles F. Herrosee, Esq., secretary of the Allemania Insurance company, and one daughter, Emma, wife of W. A. Scott, Jr., firebrick manufacturer.

Mr. Meyran has many houses and stores in Pittsburgh, and has made extensive purchases in the suburbs of the city, which he has improved and disposed of as occasion offered at good advantage. He has traveled extensively, having crossed the Atlantic a dozen times or more. He is a quiet but liberal friend of the poor and suffering, and has been a generous benefactor of many charitable institutions. Mr. Meyran has never been ambitious of political honors, but he has worthily served the city of Pittsburgh as a member of the councils and as school director, and also, in a semi-official way, in many capacities.

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This family biography is one of 2,156 biographies included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.

View additional Allegheny County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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