BIO: J. Norris & Thomas E. Myers, Cumberland County, PA

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http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                              CHAPTER XLI.

                         BOROUGH OF NEWVILLE. 

  J. NORRIS and THOMAS E. MYERS, merchants, Newville, are grandchildren 
of John Myers, an old and respected citizen of Georgetown, D. C., who 
died there in 1853.  He, John Myers, had seven children:  John H., a 
prominent citizen of Lexington, Va., where he died; Charles, a merchant 
of Georgetown, where he lived all his lifetime; Thomas, the father of 
our subjects; Edward and William E., who were in business as partners 
in Georgetown for several years (the former died recently in Brooklyn, 
N. Y., and the latter, some years ago at sea, while on a health trip); 
Louisa (deceased in 1873), was the wife of Joseph Libbey, a prominent 
and wealthy merchant of Georgetown, and Catharine S., unmarried, lives 
in Georgetown.  Thomas Myers was born in 1813; in 1835 he entered the 
Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church; in 1843 and 
1844, was stationed on the Carlisle Circuit and lived in Mechanicsburg, 
where he is well remembered.  In March, 1885, he preached by special 
request, before the Conference, his semi-centennial sermon, in the 
Eutaw Street Church, Baltimore, Md.  He has, for the past three years, 
been stationed at Woodberry, Md., and is now agent of the Maryland 
Bible Society, at Baltimore, Md.  His remarkable tact and business 
ability have caused his being sent on several occasions to struggling 
parishes to build new churches and parsonages, in which he has always 
succeeded.  Now, in his seventy-fourth year, he is as hale and vigorous 
as many men of twenty years his junior.  His deceased children are 
Lottie, a young lady, who died in 1876, and two other children who died 
in infancy.  The living are J. Norris, Mary L., Thomas E. and James R.  
Mary L. is the wife of John J. Frick, teller in First National Bank, 
York, Penn.  James R. is married to Laura V. Murray, and is in 
commission business in Baltimore, Md.  J. Norris was born in Lewistown, 
Penn., November 17, 1842.  He at-

453 	BOROUGH OF NEWVILLE.

tended the grammar school at St. John's College, Annapolis, Md., and 
completed his education in Newton University, Baltimore.  In 1858, he 
went into the hardware store of Duer, Norris & Co., in that city, which 
he left, in 1866, to engage in business under the firm name of Ullrich 
& Myers, giving up, several years after, on account of his health and 
engaging as a commercial traveler.  In 1879, with his brother, Thomas 
E., he came to Newville, this county, and established the firm of Myers 
& Bro., which was dissolved in 1882, when he returned to Baltimore.  
While confidential clerk for a large importing house, his health was 
impaired by overwork, and by his physician's advice he removed to the 
country, and in February, 1886, the firm of Myers & Bro. Was revived by 
his purchase of the interest of his brother's partner.  In 1876 he was 
married to Laura V., daughter of William M. Starr, of Baltimore, a man 
of brilliant attainments, who has occupied many positions of honor and 
trust.  He was a son of the wealthy Wesley Starr, who built the Starr 
Methodist Protestant Church in that city and endowed its parsonage.  
Mr. and Mrs. Myers have three children:  William Starr, John Norris and 
Thomas Miller.  Mr. Myers is welcomed back to Newville by all who know 
him.  He and his wife are communicants of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church and command universal respect.  Thomas E. Myers, our other 
subject, was born in Cumberland, Md., in 1850, and was educated mainly 
in Baltimore.  In 1866 he went into his brother's store there, and 
remained until 1872, when he became book-keeper in the largest retail 
hardware store in Baltimore, remaining until 1878.  In 1879 he came to 
Newville, as stated above, and on the dissolution of the firm, in 1882, 
formed a partnership with John M. McCandlish, which was dissolved the 
following year in consequence of the failing health of his partner, who 
went West.  He then formed a partnership with James S. Brattan, under 
style of Myers & Brattan, which continued until the purchase of his 
partner's interest by his brother, J. Norris.  He was married, in 1882, 
to Miss Emma J., daughter of Rev. Thomas M. Reese, one of the oldest 
members and a leading one of the Central Pennsylvania Methodist 
Episcopal Conference, who died in March, 1882.  To this union two 
children have been born:  Lottie Reese and Elizabeth Parrish.  He and 
his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and, as an 
upright Christian business man, he bears an enviable reputation.