This post details the Myers family history of Derek's great-grandmother, Margretha Myers Hobson.
The Myers surname is of German origin meaning "steward or baliff", as in the magistrate of a city or town. The Meyer variant is Anglo-Saxon in origin meaning "mayor" or officer in charge of legal matters.
The Myers family emigrating ancestor was John Andrew Myers (Meyers), Derek's 3rd Great Grandfather, who was born in 1827 in Bavaria, Germany. As of this writing his parents remain unknown. J. Andrew married Rosina Margretha Negehline Shirar (born 1828 to John Negehline (Neiglein) and Mary Scherer) in Germany. Shortly after their marriage in 1853, Andrew and Rosina emigrated from Germany to the United States, settling in Hillsdale, Michigan. Andrew and Rosina had a total of six children together including Derek's second great-grandfather, John George L. Myers. In 1857, shortly after the birth of their son, John George Leonard, the family relocated to Elkhart County, Goshen, Indiana where they became "pioneer citizens" according to a local paper. Andrew worked as a railroad laborer and conductor. During his life he served as Goshen city marshal for six years and as street commissioner of Goshen for 10 years and later was contractor and superintendent of the construction of the C. W. & M. railway between Goshen and Anderson, IN. Andrew died from Bright's Disease (a form of liver disease) in Goshen in 1902 at 75 years of age. Rosina died in Goshen in 1913 at the age of 85.
Dr. John George Leonard Myers was born in 1857 in Michigan before his family relocated and settled in Goshen. John became a physician and practiced medicine in the Bloomingdale, Indiana area for half a century. He married Ann Launa Sanderson (1858 - 1940) in 1886 and they had eight children together including Derek's Great Grandmother, Margretha. Both J.G.L. and Launa died in Bloomingdale, IN in 1951 and 1940 respectively.
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J. G. L. and Launa Myers in front of their home in Bloomingdale, Indiana (Date Unknown)
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| Dr. J.G.L. and Launa Myers and children. Front row: J.G.L., Marie, Maguerite, Launa. Back row: Beulah, Paul, Wilma, Harlow, Marjorie, Leonard |
Interestingly, J. G. L. and Launa were married in Osage County, Kansas. Launa was born in 1858 in Indiana to Austin Moor Sanderson (1836-1915) and Elizabeth Catey Edman (1836-1905). Austin Sanderson served as a Private in the infantry in Indiana during the Civil War in the 12th regiment from 1861-1862. He was disabled and discharged due to a back injury. Austin was a carpenter and moved his family from Indiana to Kansas in 1884. As of this writing, it is unclear how J.G.L. and Launa met, but they were married where her family was settled in Kansas and made their home together in Bloomingdale, IN.
Not only was Dr. J.G.L. a respected physician, he was a successful tomato farmer and owned livestock as evidenced by the following two newspaper articles.
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| Daily News-Democrat, Huntington, Indiana, March 20, 1911 |
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| The Indianapolis Journal, November 9, 1902 |
J.G.L. was an active prohibitionist acting as an Indiana State Committeeman supporting prohibition and was a member of the Indiana Christian Temperance Union. He served for a time as editor of the Indiana Phalanx, a periodical focused on supporting prohibition. During his lifetime, many of his writings appeared as Letters to the Editor of various Indiana newspapers on the topics of politics and prohibition. Here are a few examples:
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| The Indianapolis Star, August 8, 1928 |
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| The Indianapolis News, December 2, 1915 |
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| The Indianapolis Star, July 12, 1930 |
Magretha Elisabeth Marie Myers, one of four sisters and three brothers, was born to J.G.L. and Launa Myers in 1887.
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| Myers family sisters, 1920, Left to right: Marguerite, Marjorie, Wilma, Marie. Picture location: Marjorie Myers' house in Bloomingdale, IN. |
She married John Richard Hobson Sr. (1860 - 1934), a farmer, in 1912 and together they had two boys: Derek's grandfather Paul Myers Hobson (1926 - 2014) and John Richard Hobson Jr. (1918-1997).
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| Marie Myers Hobson and son John Richard Hobson Jr, 1918 |
Marie died in 1939 at the age of 52 from breast cancer when Paul was only 13 years old. Paul's father had already preceeded her in death in 1934. After her death, Paul went to live with his Uncle Paul Myers and wife Clara in Bloomingdale, Indiana.
The Myers' emigration ancestry pie chart is the following:
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| Myers Emigrating Ancestor Pie Chart |
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