William Marion Myers, b. 15 April, 1852 in Enterprize, MS. Son of Maracus Lafayette Myers, and wife Martha Smith. Submitted by Martha Stevenson Owen Date: Oct 1999 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** === William Marion Myers, a Bienville Parish resident and farmer. My Great Grandfather. Marion Myers ran the ferry at St. Maurice La. for a period of time. There was a yellow Fever epidemic during the time in St. Maurice. He then homesteaded land in Bienville Parish La. His grand daughter Sybil describes him as being short and very muscular, his wife being somewhat taller than he was. However, at any sort of physical undertaking he was almost always the last to quit. Sybil said that she never remembered him saying that he was tired. From pictures, and family information we know that Marion was short for a man. Around 5'6" tall. When they had log rollings back then, Marion could pull down the biggest man there. He told grandson Bill Womack about going on turkey drives with his father, Mark Myers. The farmers in a neighborhood would gather their turkey flocks together and drive them to market. When camp was set up at night, the turkeys would roost in the trees. The farmers rose just before daylight, then gathered them together as they came down from their roosts. They kept them under control with long switches, with which they could reach out and tap them back into the flock. It was a fairly common thing then, but would certainly be a funny sight to us now. Grand Dad Myers raised all the horses they ever had from a mare named Maud. He had 60 acres of land at the old homeplace in Alberta, La. Also had 80 acres in two different palces. Later he gave Clarence 40 acres and Patsy 40 acres. Lular sold 40 acres to Clarence that was hers. Marion and Martha Ann homesteaded before they bought, and called the old homestead "the old dump place". He filed for homestead in Bienville Parish, Arcadia, La. From the partial records of the Ridge Church, in Castor, La., we know that Marion and Martha joined by letter in Oct. 1912. He was very active in church affairs. He was often on the committees designated to go and speak with erring members, so he must have been something of a diplomat. He was elected as a deacon, helped to select and prepare a new place for baptisms, was chosen as a messenger to conference, and other important Church affairs. When Marion was a deacon of The Ridge Church, he set the day for a memorial to be held each year. It was set for the third Saturday, before the fourth Sunday, each April. It is still being held at present time in 1999. Everyone gathers at the Church and Cemetery, having dinner on the ground, and grave yard cleaning. Around 1906/10 Marion came to Shreveport and applied as a Choctow Indian. His daughter, Patsy Myers Howington, states that he signed a big book in the possession of Alexandra P. Powell. Sibil was the first person to tell me this in 1973. She stated that "Grandpa tried to enroll as a Indian back then." Patsy, her daughter, Tressie Siddon, and other family members saw the "Indian" papers in Martha Ann's trunk. Lular Myers Womack had the trunk after the death of Martha Ann. After Lular died in 1961, the trunks dissappeared. I have not been able to find any records on Marion as a Choctaw Indian at this time. Patsy Myers Howington stated that "our" Indian blood came through Marion's mother, Martha Smith. Have recently learned that Alexander P. Powell was arrested ca. 1916 for fraud on impersonating a Gov. official. He died before serving any time in jail. (1999) ___________________________________________________________ 1900 BIENVILLE PARISH CENSUS W.M. Myers 47 w-m APR. 1853 m.23yrs. b.MS. f-b-MS. m-b-MS. can- read can-write farm 11.7 acres M.A. 47 w-f OCT. 1853 m.23yrs. b.La. f-b-TN. m-b-IL can- read can-write mother of 8 - 5 still living. C.L. 16 w-m Sept. 1883 S. son b.La. farm laborer yes yes yes W.E. 14 w-m Jan 1886 S. son b.La. farm laborer yes yes yes I.D. 11 w-m Apr 1889 S. son b. La. farm laborer yes yes yes A.P. 8 w-f Jan. 1892 S. dtr. b. La. yes yes yes _____________________________________________________________ 26 July 1994: William Marion Myers death certificate states that his wife was Carolina Myers (?) It also states that his mother was Caroline Smith, born in Miss., could someone have put the wrong name as his wife? Or put his mother's name in the blank where his wife's name is supposed to go? We know that Martha Ann Williams was his wife, and they are buried side by side at the Ridge Church Cem. in Castor, La. Bienville Parish. Marion Myers d. 30 Oct. 1935 in Winnsboro, La. Franklin Parish.