BIO: Reuben MYERS, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 382-384. __________________________________________________________________ REUBEN MYERS, Shirleysburg, Pa., was born in Juniata county, Pa., December 3, 1833, son of Michael and Catherine (Holzapple) Myers. His grandfather, Samuel Myers, was a native of Lebanon county, and a farmer. His wife's family name was Rush. Their children were: John R.; Samuel; David; Michael; Susan (Mrs. Jacob Eby); Hannah, married first to Mr. Bushey, afterwards to William Pannebaker; Catherine (Mrs. John G. Gluck); and Sarah (Mrs. Samuel Lutz). All are deceased, as are also the grandfather and grandmother. They were members of the Dunkard church. Adam Holzapple, Mr. Myers' maternal grandfather, was also a native of Lebanon county, and was a shoemaker. He married Catherine Mertz; their family included nine children: Abraham; Samuel; Henry; Leonard; Frederick; Elizabeth (Mrs. David Meyers); Catherine (Mrs. Michael Myers); Sarah (Mrs. John Book); and Susan (Mrs. George Strayer). All are now deceased, as are also Adam Holzapple and his wife. They were members of the Mennonite church. Michael and Catherine Myers were both born in Juniata county; he kept steadily to his occupation of farming. Besides being for one year supervisor, Mr. Myers was elected to other township offices. His marriage took place in 1826. The family consisted of thirteen children; two are deceased: Jeremiah, died at the age of thirty-five years; and Clara Belle (Mrs. Ephraim Wright), died in 1875, aged twenty-four years. The remaining eleven are all married, and all in good health. They are: Mary (Mrs. Benjamin Rhoades); Enoch; Ephraim; Reuben; Sarah (Mrs. Joseph M. Allen); David; Dr. Rudolph; Seth; Catherine (Mrs. William Lukens); John; and Michael. The elder Michael Myers died in February, 1891, at the age of eighty- three; Mrs. Myers died aged sixty-seven years. They belonged to the Dunkard church, in which the father was for many years a deacon. The education of Reuben Myers was begun in the common schools of Huntingdon county. At the age of twenty, he attended the select school at Shirleysburg, where he completed his course of study. He then assisted his father in cultivating his farm until he, Reuben, reached the age of twenty-five. For about four years he was engaged in carpentry. He also taught school for eight winter terms. In 1866 Mr. Myers began the business of agriculture for himself, in Shirley township, Huntingdon county. At this he continued for eight years, and then, in 1874, removed to Shirleysburg, and was employed by Gibney & Morrison to peddle woolen goods, for two years. During 1875-76 Mr. Myers was in the coach business, in partnership with William Drake, whose interest he bought out in 1877, and has ever since carried on the business by himself. In 1896 he went into the sale of general merchandise, at the corner of Main and Shirley streets. His establishment is one of the largest in the town. Besides filling the office of assessor of Shirleysburg for a year, Mr. Myers was, in 1867, chosen as judge of elections, and served one year; in 1870, was elected auditor for one year; has served several years as assessor of Shirley township; in 1876, was elected school director, in Shirleysburg, for three years, and was again chosen to the school board in 1893, for another three years' term. Reuben Myers was married in October, 1862, to Louisa J., daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Isenberg. They have had eight children, of whom four are deceased: A. Bruce, died in 1868, aged six years; Lettie, died January 31, 1884, aged twelve; Clarence, died at the age of one year and three months; and Ellen, died April 30, 1887, aged nine years and three months. The surviving children are: Michael Ralph, married to Mina, daughter of William Bashore, resides in Pleasant Hill, O., where he is in the coach business; Reuben Roy, married to Nellie, daughter of Calvin and Agnes (Baker) Heater, and is in business with his father; Samuel D.; and Orville, married to Ellen, daughter of Charles and Asenath (Bashore) Burkholder. Mrs. Myers is a member of the Baptist church. The grandparents of Mrs. Myers, on the father's side, were natives of Alexandria, Huntingdon county. Her maternal grandparents were born in Mifflin county; the grandfather's occupation is cabinet-making. Of their seven children, two are deceased: Mahlon; and John. The survivors are: Daniel, residing in Illinois; Mary (Mrs. Davison); Margaret, widow of John Gingrich; Elias; and Elizabeth, widow of Samuel Isenberg. Mrs. Myers' father was born in Virginia. After being some years in the cabinet-making business, he began farming, and followed that vocation for about twenty years. He was twice married. His first wife was Miss Hildebrand, by whom he had three children: Eliza (Mrs. Joseph Work); Susan (Mrs. Sellers Rauch); and George W., a fruit grower and farmer of Newmarket, Md. Mrs. Isenberg died and he married as his second wife Miss Elizabeth McCalop. Three of their children are deceased: Maria; Howard; and Ellen. The surviving children are: Louisa, wife of Reuben Myers; Milton; Marion; Jerome; Mary; Alfred H.; Dolly; and Elizabeth. Mr. Isenberg died in 1891, aged eighty; his wife survives, residing in Huntingdon county, and is in good healthy at the age of seventy.