Welcome to
Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
|
|
|
|
Oliver
Perry Myers The
following is a brief sketch of one who, by close attention to business, has
achieved marked success in the world's affairs and risen to an honorable
position among the enterprising professional men of Jasper County with which his
interests have long been identified. Oliver
Perry Myers, well-known attorney of Newton, was born in Washington County, Iowa,
July 30, 1856. The Myers family
comes of German stock. The parents were John and Mary (Ward) Myers, the father
having been born in Indiana and he devoted his life to agricultural pursuits. He
came to Iowa in 1856, locating in Washington County, where he lived until 1880,
then moved to Neosho, Missouri, where he continued to reside until his death, in
1895, at the age of seventy-seven years. He was successful as a businessman and prominent in public
life, taking an abiding interest in the affairs of his community at all times.
He was the Democratic nominee for the Legislature from Washington County
at one time, but declined the nomination. His
wife was a native of Indiana, her parents coming from New Jersey.
Her death occurred in 1866 when comparatively young in years. Grandfather
Myers was a native of Virginia. Being
an anti-slavery man, he never owned a slave. Ten
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Myers, three of whom are living, namely:
Joseph W. of Brighton, Iowa; Mrs. Rebecca J. Armstrong, also of Brighton,
this state; and Oliver P., of this review.
The father, John Myers, married again later in life. Oliver
P. Myers was born on the home farm in a log cabin, and there he grew to
maturity, knowing the meaning of hard work in developing a farm from the wild
prairie. He received his primary
education in the country schools there, going directly from the rural schools
into the sub-freshman class at the State University, at Iowa City, and, making,
a splendid record for scholarship there, he was graduated from that institution
in 1880. He taught school, worked on the farm and read law at Iowa City,
beginning the study of law in earnest in 1882, and he was admitted to the bar in
1883 at Newton, Jasper County, having come to Newton a short time before.
He formed a law partnership with A. M. Harrah on January 1, 1884, which
continued until 1891, in which year Mr. Myers went to South Dakota, where he
lived until January 10, 1889, making his home at Huron.
He taught school, becoming one of the leading educators of that part of
the state, and he was County superintendent of schools for a period of four
years, the law in that state permitting only four successive years.
He returned to Newton, Iowa, in 1889 and re-formed a partnership with Mr.
Harrah, which continued with their former success until 1905, when Mr. Harrah
went to California, since when Mr. Myers has been alone.
He has built up a large and lucrative clientele, which has continued to
grow from year to year until he ranks today among the leading legal lights of
central Iowa, being regarded as a learned, painstaking, cautious and vigilant
advocate, and a logical and earnest pleader at the bar, so that he has for years
figured prominently in important litigations in the local courts.
Long prominent in public affairs, he was nominated for district judge for
the sixth judicial district, but was defeated, though carrying his home County
for one judgeship. He keeps fully abreast of the times in all matters pertaining
to his profession and to public affairs, is widely read and an untiring worker
in his professional duties. Mr.
Myers was married on May 1, 1897, to Leah McFarlane, a lady of talent and many
estimable traits, and the daughter of Samuel M. and Elle (Stewart) McFarlane.
She was born in Michigan, and her parents were both born in Great
Britain, the mother in London and the father in Ireland. They emigrated to
America when young, first locating in Michigan, then moved to South Dakota,
where Mr. and Mrs. Myers were married. This
union has been blessed by the birth of three children, Kenneth, Ruth and
Dorothy. Mr.
Myers is regarded by those who know him best as an honest man of the highest
type, honest in every relation of life, his daily routine of business, in social
relations, in public affairs, and it is safe to say that no citizen stands
higher in the esteem of the people of Jasper County. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 640. |
|
|
