LEXINGTON'S OLDEST MAN DIED THIS AFTERNOON, at the home of his daughter, Mrs Howell Rowlands. He had been bedfast about three years - Was a Strong Abolitionist and at one time a Conductor of Underground Railroad. Burial was in Lexington Cemetery.
He was the son of John and Elizabeth (Wilcox) Myers. On Sept. 16, 1840, Mr. Myers was married to Miss Martha A. Mahan and they were the parents of 10 children. His wife was daughter of Rev. John Mahan, an able and useful minister in the Presbyterian Church.
In autumn of 1844 John came to Illinois with William Mahan and Family, driving an Ox Team. They reached Lexington October 11. At that time Mr.Myers remained here only 8 days and then started back for Sardinia, Ohio, a distance of 400 miles, on foot. He made the journey, walking all the way in 8 and 1/2 days. He was certainly a good pedestrian in his young days.
In September of 1846 he came with his family to Lexington in a Prairie Schooner. This time he drove horses instead of oxen. Soon after his arrival here he bought 80 acres of land. After settling in his new home he united with the M. E. Church. He did this mainly because of his intense Abolition Principles. At that time the Methodist Church north was very pronounced in its opposition to human slavery. For a number of years Mr. Myers was a conductor on the Underground Railroad and his home was a refuge for runaway slaves. On one occasion, when some of the pro-slavery neighbors were a little suspicious, one came to his house and stayed quite late, and all that evening a black man was hidden under the bed. The neighbor after a long wait, to the relief of Mr. Myers, took departure, then the fugitive slave was taken to a more secure haven. The man who was hidden unter the bed that anxious night was in need of footwear and J.C.Mahan, L.P.Scrogin and Mr. Myers paid nine dollars for a pair of boots for him.
During the Civil War large numbers of the loyal people in this neighborhood belonged to the Union League, and Mr. Myers was no exception, but was a ardent member, serving as president a portion of the time. Mr Myers was ever pleased to do his duty as a plain American Citizen. He cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison for president in 1840, and cast a ballot in every presidential election since - the last time for Taft in 1908.
Mr. Myers' faithful wife died June 8, 1902, after nearly 62 years of wedded happiness, for Mr. and Mrs. Myers were devoted to each other. Mr. Myers was a church member for 72 years and had been a constant subscriber to the New York Christian Advocate for 28 years. He was also a member of the American Bible Society for over 40 years. He owned a farm of 160 acres 3 miles northeast of Lexington, also a comfortable cottage in the city where he had lived for many years.
NOTE: John Willoughby "Jackson" Myers was called Jackson W. by his family and friends and that is why his nickname, Jackson W. Myers is on his Gravestone.
Thanks to Elizabeth Franklin for this Information about John.
He was the son of John and Elizabeth (Wilcox) Myers. On Sept. 16, 1840, Mr. Myers was married to Miss Martha A. Mahan and they were the parents of 10 children. His wife was daughter of Rev. John Mahan, an able and useful minister in the Presbyterian Church.
In autumn of 1844 John came to Illinois with William Mahan and Family, driving an Ox Team. They reached Lexington October 11. At that time Mr.Myers remained here only 8 days and then started back for Sardinia, Ohio, a distance of 400 miles, on foot. He made the journey, walking all the way in 8 and 1/2 days. He was certainly a good pedestrian in his young days.
In September of 1846 he came with his family to Lexington in a Prairie Schooner. This time he drove horses instead of oxen. Soon after his arrival here he bought 80 acres of land. After settling in his new home he united with the M. E. Church. He did this mainly because of his intense Abolition Principles. At that time the Methodist Church north was very pronounced in its opposition to human slavery. For a number of years Mr. Myers was a conductor on the Underground Railroad and his home was a refuge for runaway slaves. On one occasion, when some of the pro-slavery neighbors were a little suspicious, one came to his house and stayed quite late, and all that evening a black man was hidden under the bed. The neighbor after a long wait, to the relief of Mr. Myers, took departure, then the fugitive slave was taken to a more secure haven. The man who was hidden unter the bed that anxious night was in need of footwear and J.C.Mahan, L.P.Scrogin and Mr. Myers paid nine dollars for a pair of boots for him.
During the Civil War large numbers of the loyal people in this neighborhood belonged to the Union League, and Mr. Myers was no exception, but was a ardent member, serving as president a portion of the time. Mr Myers was ever pleased to do his duty as a plain American Citizen. He cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison for president in 1840, and cast a ballot in every presidential election since - the last time for Taft in 1908.
Mr. Myers' faithful wife died June 8, 1902, after nearly 62 years of wedded happiness, for Mr. and Mrs. Myers were devoted to each other. Mr. Myers was a church member for 72 years and had been a constant subscriber to the New York Christian Advocate for 28 years. He was also a member of the American Bible Society for over 40 years. He owned a farm of 160 acres 3 miles northeast of Lexington, also a comfortable cottage in the city where he had lived for many years.
NOTE: John Willoughby "Jackson" Myers was called Jackson W. by his family and friends and that is why his nickname, Jackson W. Myers is on his Gravestone.
Thanks to Elizabeth Franklin for this Information about John.
LEXINGTON'S OLDEST MAN DIED THIS AFTERNOON, at the home of his daughter, Mrs Howell Rowlands. He had been bedfast about three years - Was a Strong Abolitionist and at one time a Conductor of Underground Railroad. Burial was in Lexington Cemetery.
He was the son of John and Elizabeth (Wilcox) Myers. On Sept. 16, 1840, Mr. Myers was married to Miss Martha A. Mahan and they were the parents of 10 children. His wife was daughter of Rev. John Mahan, an able and useful minister in the Presbyterian Church.
In autumn of 1844 John came to Illinois with William Mahan and Family, driving an Ox Team. They reached Lexington October 11. At that time Mr.Myers remained here only 8 days and then started back for Sardinia, Ohio, a distance of 400 miles, on foot. He made the journey, walking all the way in 8 and 1/2 days. He was certainly a good pedestrian in his young days.
In September of 1846 he came with his family to Lexington in a Prairie Schooner. This time he drove horses instead of oxen. Soon after his arrival here he bought 80 acres of land. After settling in his new home he united with the M. E. Church. He did this mainly because of his intense Abolition Principles. At that time the Methodist Church north was very pronounced in its opposition to human slavery. For a number of years Mr. Myers was a conductor on the Underground Railroad and his home was a refuge for runaway slaves. On one occasion, when some of the pro-slavery neighbors were a little suspicious, one came to his house and stayed quite late, and all that evening a black man was hidden under the bed. The neighbor after a long wait, to the relief of Mr. Myers, took departure, then the fugitive slave was taken to a more secure haven. The man who was hidden unter the bed that anxious night was in need of footwear and J.C.Mahan, L.P.Scrogin and Mr. Myers paid nine dollars for a pair of boots for him.
During the Civil War large numbers of the loyal people in this neighborhood belonged to the Union League, and Mr. Myers was no exception, but was a ardent member, serving as president a portion of the time. Mr Myers was ever pleased to do his duty as a plain American Citizen. He cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison for president in 1840, and cast a ballot in every presidential election since - the last time for Taft in 1908.
Mr. Myers' faithful wife died June 8, 1902, after nearly 62 years of wedded happiness, for Mr. and Mrs. Myers were devoted to each other. Mr. Myers was a church member for 72 years and had been a constant subscriber to the New York Christian Advocate for 28 years. He was also a member of the American Bible Society for over 40 years. He owned a farm of 160 acres 3 miles northeast of Lexington, also a comfortable cottage in the city where he had lived for many years.
NOTE: John Willoughby "Jackson" Myers was called Jackson W. by his family and friends and that is why his nickname, Jackson W. Myers is on his Gravestone.
Thanks to Elizabeth Franklin for this Information about John.
He was the son of John and Elizabeth (Wilcox) Myers. On Sept. 16, 1840, Mr. Myers was married to Miss Martha A. Mahan and they were the parents of 10 children. His wife was daughter of Rev. John Mahan, an able and useful minister in the Presbyterian Church.
In autumn of 1844 John came to Illinois with William Mahan and Family, driving an Ox Team. They reached Lexington October 11. At that time Mr.Myers remained here only 8 days and then started back for Sardinia, Ohio, a distance of 400 miles, on foot. He made the journey, walking all the way in 8 and 1/2 days. He was certainly a good pedestrian in his young days.
In September of 1846 he came with his family to Lexington in a Prairie Schooner. This time he drove horses instead of oxen. Soon after his arrival here he bought 80 acres of land. After settling in his new home he united with the M. E. Church. He did this mainly because of his intense Abolition Principles. At that time the Methodist Church north was very pronounced in its opposition to human slavery. For a number of years Mr. Myers was a conductor on the Underground Railroad and his home was a refuge for runaway slaves. On one occasion, when some of the pro-slavery neighbors were a little suspicious, one came to his house and stayed quite late, and all that evening a black man was hidden under the bed. The neighbor after a long wait, to the relief of Mr. Myers, took departure, then the fugitive slave was taken to a more secure haven. The man who was hidden unter the bed that anxious night was in need of footwear and J.C.Mahan, L.P.Scrogin and Mr. Myers paid nine dollars for a pair of boots for him.
During the Civil War large numbers of the loyal people in this neighborhood belonged to the Union League, and Mr. Myers was no exception, but was a ardent member, serving as president a portion of the time. Mr Myers was ever pleased to do his duty as a plain American Citizen. He cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison for president in 1840, and cast a ballot in every presidential election since - the last time for Taft in 1908.
Mr. Myers' faithful wife died June 8, 1902, after nearly 62 years of wedded happiness, for Mr. and Mrs. Myers were devoted to each other. Mr. Myers was a church member for 72 years and had been a constant subscriber to the New York Christian Advocate for 28 years. He was also a member of the American Bible Society for over 40 years. He owned a farm of 160 acres 3 miles northeast of Lexington, also a comfortable cottage in the city where he had lived for many years.
NOTE: John Willoughby "Jackson" Myers was called Jackson W. by his family and friends and that is why his nickname, Jackson W. Myers is on his Gravestone.
Thanks to Elizabeth Franklin for this Information about John.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
