BIOGRAPHY: George J. MYERS, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 101-3
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George J. MYERS

GEORGE J. MYERS, who has carved out for himself a useful and successful career, 
is a son of John B. and Catherine (Myers) Myers, and was born in Williamsport, 
Pennsylvania, March 4, 1820. His father, who was born November 8, 1791, was a 
native of Russia, and his mother was born in Germany, November 1, 1793. They 
were married before coming to this country. In 1817 they emigrated to America 
and located near Williamsport, where they rented a farm, which they continued to 
cultivate until 1822, when they removed by means of wagons to this county, 
locating in the woods in Allegheny township, where they had all the difficulties 
of a new settlement to overcome. Here by untiring energy and industry Mr. Myers 
succeeded in clearing a farm on which he resided until 1837. He then removed to 
Pennsylvania Furnace, on Spruce creek, on the line of Centre and Huntingdon 
counties, Pennsylvania. He resided here for six years and again returned to 
Cambria county, where he purchased a farm near Loretto.
     He died in 1875, his wife having died June 19, 1854. They were both devout 
members of the Roman Catholic church. They had seven children: Peter, an inmate 
of the soldiers' home, in Kansas; A. J., who lives near Sioux city, Iowa; John 
B., of Pender, Nebraska; Mary, the wife of Martin Fleck; Catherine, the wife of 
R. E. Smith, of Keokuk, Iowa; George J., and Matilda, the wife of F. D. Saupp, 
of Altoona, Pennsylvania.
     George J. Myers, whose boyhood days were spent near Williamsport, never had 
the advantages of common school education.  He remained with his parents until 
he was twelve years old, and during these years his father taught him to read 
and write in the German language.  He had a retentive memory, and being a 
constant reader and a close observer of human events, he has through his own 
efforts obtained a good practical education.  When but twelve years old he 
worked on the old Portage railroad as errand boy, serving in this capacity six 
months, and in the following spring went to Johnstown, this county, where he 
worked on the old Pennsylvania canal from March, 1833, until June, 1837.  In the 
latter year he went to Philadelphia and secured an appointment on the police 
force of that city, and although young and small, proved himself a courageous 
and efficient officer.
     In November of 1837 he retired from the police force and went to Spruce 
creek to work as furnace-man for John Lemon, the blower at Pennsylvania furnace.  
He remained here for six years and then took charge of Mitchell's furnace in 
Upper Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and in two years was able to clear $10,000, 
which he lost during the next two years on account of the Walker Tariff law of 
1846.  He was now penniless and from a financial standpoint had to begin life 
anew.  He walked to his home in Blair county and soon secured work at the 
Elizabeth furnace; here he commenced to write English under Martin Bell, who was 
superintendent, and remained there fifteen months. For the next three years he 
was foundryman of the Ashville furnace of this county, owned by Hugh McNeal, of 
Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania.  About this time he built and operated three coke 
ovens the first in this county, using the coke produced in the furnace he was 
operating.
     In March, 1851, he located on his present farm in Gallitzin township, which 
at that time was a dense forest.  By the 25th of the following September he had 
cleared a small tract of land and had built and moved into a small shanty.  By 
dint of hard work and indefatigable energy, he has cleared and improved one 
hundred and fifty acres, and now owns one of the most desirable farms in the 
county.
     In religious faith he and his entire family are devout and consistent 
members of the Roman Catholic church.  In politics Mr. Myers was an old-line 
whig, but on the disruption of that party and the organization of the Republican 
party, he became a republican, and in 1856 attended the first Republican County 
convention held in Cambria county.   His voice was heard from the hustings in 
the memorable campaign of 1840, when the log cabin and the political slogan of 
"Tippecanoe and Tyler too," enthused the masses, and made it one of the most 
noted campaigns in the history of political parties.  He has always taken a very 
prominent part in the politics of his township as the following record will 
show:  For three years he was county poor director; for twenty-five years, 
served as justice of the peace of Gallitzin township; was assessor of his 
township for seventeen years, road supervisor for six years, collected the 
school tax for his township for seven years; served on school board twelve 
years; as township auditor for twenty-nine consecutive years, and has acted as 
school treasurer of his township from 1876 to the present time.  This evidences 
in a marked degree the confidence reposed in him by the people who know him 
best.  At one period he filled five offices in his township.
     In 1847 he married Miss Mary, a daughter of Joseph Urban and Elizabeth 
(Koons) Urban, of this county. Their marriage has been blessed in the birth of 
eight children, three daughters and five sons: Mary E., the wife of T. Thomas 
Stephens, of Gallitzin, Pennsylvania; John A., a conductor on a work train on 
the Pennsylvania railroad; D. Gallitzin, a hotel man at Ashville, this county; 
James F., now located in Altoona; Joseph P., who operates the coal bank on the 
farm; Thomas H., who lives at home, acts as justice of the peace and auditor; 
Catharine, now deceased, was the wife of George L. Allwauger, and died August 9, 
1895, leaving four children; and Clara A., born in 1852, and died in infancy.
     Mr. Myers knows well the lesson of industry and economy, and by unyielding 
perseverance has become one of the most prosperous farmers of the county. He is 
affable and congenial and has deservedly won the confidence and esteem of his 
fellow-citizens.