Myers Family History

Corydon Myers, son of Waterman and Sarah Myers, and wife Rachel Wilson

By Betty Damron Nees, Great, Great Granddaughter: Email donald199@centurytel.net

            Corydon and Rachel Myers were an early Buchanan County, Madison Township, Iowa pioneer couple arriving in 1854. Corydon was residing in Iowa in Dubuque County when he filed his Buchanan County land applications in 1854. He obtains two adjacent 40 acre land patents in 1855 in what was later organized in 1857 as Madison Township.

             Corydon was born in Tompkins Co. NY and is son of Waterman and Sarah Myers.  Wife, Rachel Wilson, was born about 1832 in New York.  Rachel's parents are unknown.  Between 1840 and 1850 the Waterman Myers family moved to Crawford Co. PA. Corydon and Rachel were married about 1853 most likely in Crawford Co. PA.

             The homestead application for Corydon shows his application, number 20,121, for the 40 acre homestead dated May 14, 1854.  This was about a year and a half after the first area settlement in fall 1852.  Corydon also applied about the same time for assignment of bounty land for 40 acres adjacent to his homestead under Warrant No. 89967 for 40 acres.  The full 80 acre farm formed the north half of the SE Quarter of Section 23. Today this 80 acres lays about half a mile south-east of Lamont, which was earlier known as Ward's Corner and first known as Erie.  

            Corydon, Rachel and family farmed in Buchanan County for some years, probably for upwards of 15 years.  They are listed in 1860 Federal Census (Buchanan County, Madison Township, Erie post office), showing 3 children, Lavern Wilson, Adelbert, and George Mandell.  Then by 1870 they have moved to Washington County. 

Corydon Myers, son of Waterman and Sarah Myers, and wife Rachel Wilson

Iowa Pioneer Family with a Tragic Ending

By Betty Damron Nees-Great, Great Granddaughter

Early Buchanan County Pioneers. Corydon and Rachel Myers were an early Buchanan County, Iowa pioneer couple arriving in 1854.  According to History of Buchanan County Iowa and Its People, vol. 1 (1914), by authors Harry Church and Katharyn Joella Chappel, the Madison Township area was “first settled in the fall of 1852” (p. 264).  Just a short number of years before, “in 1842 Buchanan County was a land ruled by Indian tribes.” The Iowa GenWeb internet site tells this story as they provide a brief history of the county.

 Background. Corydon was born about 1832 in Tompkins County, New York, to Waterman and Sarah Myers.  Rachel Wilson was born about 1832 in New York.  Rachel's parents are unknown.  Between 1840 and 1850 the Waterman Myers family moved to Crawford Co. PA.  In the 1850 PA, Crawford Co., Mead Township Federal Census, Corydon was 19 and in his father's home.  Corydon and Rachel were married about 1853 most likely in Crawford Co. PA.

 Moved to Iowa. Corydon was residing in Iowa in Dubuque County when he filed his Buchanan County land applications in 1854.   Corydon must have arrived sometime earlier and located his land.  His Dubuque County residence just before moving to Buchanan County is well documented on his homestead applications and land patent, which have been reviewed. He obtains two adjacent 40 acre land patents in 1855 in Buchanan County in what was later organized in 1857 as Madison Township.

 Interesting Fact. After moving to Buchanan County, for some reason their first child Lavern Wilson Myers was born later in 1854, on November 12, some 150 miles east in Kane County, Illinois.  As confusing as it appears now, peeking back into limited Myers history, this birth of their first child in Kane County is well documented.   Lavern Wilson Myers' grandson Merlin Hanchett wrote his grandfather's history in the book, Rawlins County, Kansas, vol. 2, p.586 (1988).  He says, "Lavern W. Myers was born in rural Kane Co., IL near Chicago, 12 Nov. 1854, the first child of Coradon Myers and Rachel Wilson."  Still no other data about the family’s stay in Kane County has been found, just this birth.  Note the spelling of Coradon in his story.  Now with more digital data readily available Corydon has been proved the correct spelling from documents like his homestead application and land patent.

 Author’s Note: So when did Rachel Myers travel to Kane County and who else went?  This is a valid question.  I assumed Rachel was with Corydon when he applied for his land applications, yet because this was a first child she traveled to Kane County Illinois to be with family or close friends who had migrated west at the same time or closely to this time as this couple did.  As a norm I have found that much migration was done as groups or in a number of smaller groups, and they were moving mainly in the same direction, west.   Then she traveled back to Buchanan County where they lived for some time.  I am amazed just how much and how far these pioneers moved, in a period which we think as static, almost frozen.

 The Myers family. Corydon Myers was a hard working, successful pioneer and farmer.  He also worked as a laborer later in life.  Rachel must have been a helpful, hard working and encouraging wife raising seven children, then dies at an early age.  Later the Myers family is described as strong Christians with good ethics and strong work values.

 Land applications and Patents.  The homestead application for Corydon shows his application, number 20,121, for the 40 acre homestead dated May 14, 1854.  This was about a year and a half after the first area settlement in fall 1852.   His land patent certificate No. 20,121 was issued May 5, 1855 for the NE Quarter of the SE Quarter of Section 23, Township 90-N, Range 7-W of the 5th PM Meridian.  Two pages of his application and his patent place Corydon's residence as Dubuque County, Iowa at the time of his application.

 Corydon also applied about the same time for assignment of bounty land for 40 acres adjacent to his homestead.  An assignment of bounty land signs over a soldier’s bounty land rights to someone else.  I have not reviewed this particular application; however, the resulting bounty land patent is clear enough Corydon’s patent states it was issued under "Warrant No. 89967 for 40 acres, issued in favor of John McClelland Ensign in Captain Cochran's Company Pennsylvania Rifles War 1812."  This was assigned to Corydon Myers and Patent No. 89967 was issued on April 9, 1855 for the NW Quarter of the SE Quarter of Section 23, Township 90-N, Range 7-W.  This bounty land was the 40 acre tract directly west of his homestead.  The full 80 acre farm formed the north half of the SE Quarter of Section 23. 

 The simple facts stated on the bounty land patent shows a few things about John McClelland.  John lived in Pennsylvania prior to his volunteering for the War of 1812 and at the time of assignment most likely was still living in Pennsylvania close to the Myers family.  John would have been 18 or older during the war making him about 59 or 60 in 1853 when Corydon probably had the bounty land certificate signed over to him.  Corydon could have had this document in his hand before coming to Buchanan County or mailed to him in Dubuque County were he first resided and where the local Federal Land Office was located.  

 Note of Interest:  I have reviewed a similar bounty land application which was used for buying land in Kansas.  This bounty land application similarly was for the War of 1812 and its warrant was signed over to the land applicant on the back side.  Something similar would have been done for Corydon.  And Corydon’s assignment for this certificate would have been turned into the land office at time of application.  I conclude that John McClelland was a family friend in Crawford County, PA where the assignment could have been signed over to Corydon.

 Living in Buchanan County.  Corydon, Rachel and family farmed in Buchanan County for some years, probably over 16 years.  They are listed in 1860 Federal Census (Buchanan County, Madison Township, Erie post office), showing 3 children, Lavern Wilson, Adelbert, and George Mandell.  Then by 1870 they have moved to Washington County. 

 Washington and Keokuk Counties.  In the 1870 Iowa census the Myers are living in Washington County, Franklin Township, Washington post office.  They have 2 more children, Oliver and Letta.  Then in the 1880 Iowa Census Corydon is living in Keokuk County, Clear Creek Township, Iowa with a new wife Almira D. and with another child, Sadie R.  Something has happened and the census provides insight. 

 Tragedies in Keokuk County.  On this 1880 census there had been another child Jennie May listed, and then she was crossed out.  A terrible accident has mortified this family.  The reason for her being crossed out is described in Jennie May's obituary.  In the accident 2 year old Jennie May was playing with matches, she caught fire and died of burns on September 25, 1879.  Yet a second tragedy has happened, first wife Rachel is gone.  She probably died during childbirth of Jennie May or shortly afterwards.  Corydon had now remarried and new wife Almira D is shown on the census.  Most likely distraught Almira provides the family details as if Jennie May is still living.  This is nine months later.  Then Almira corrects herself.  This is something she can not hide and it shows through in this mistake.  The census shows Almira was born in Vermont about 1836.  

Writing in his book The Myers and Perry Families, (self published, 1986), author Merlin Hanchett provides the documents describing the Jennie May tragedy.  These were “found in the family Bible of Lavern Wilson Myers.”  I quote two documents and let them speak.

Poem

“In memory of May Myers, who died Sept. 25, 1879. 

 By Mrs. S. C. Bennett of Dutch Creek.”

 Baby May

                                                  Lowly they have laid her,

                                                  This bright sunshiny day.

                                                   Sadly do we mourn

                                                    For darling little May.

                                                  She was too fair a flower

                                                   In this cold world to stay,

                                                   But she is an angel now,

                                                   Sweet little May.

                                                   Fond hearts with grief are breaking,

                                                   Hearts that have been gay,

                                                   Eyes are red with weeping,

                                                  For darling baby May.

                                                  In fancy now we hear her

                                                   In accents sweet that say:

                                                  “Papa, Mama, come and meet

                                                    Your darling little May.

                                                        All who knew her, loved her,

                                                       She had a winning way

                                                       Of saying things so pretty,

                                                         Loving little May.

                                                   The Savior early called her,

                                                  She hastened to obey.

                                                  Now she’s supremely happy,

                                                   Darling baby May.

Letter of Gratitude:

“We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to our fiends and neighbors in Keota, for their sympathy and kindness to us during this great calamity that befell us in loosing our darling little May, by such a dreadful death.  Especially are our thanks due to Dr. Price for his tender and unremitting care.  God mercifully grant that no such calamity may ever come upon any of you.

Oct. 1, 1879    Corydon Myers, Almira B. Myers”

 Lastly the obituary tells us the little baby May is the “two-year old daughter of C. Myers.”  The obituary does not mention second wife Almira.   These help substantiate that both Sadie R. and Jennie May are first wife Rachel’s children.   

Did our Corydon Myers die in New York?  No written or family stories have been found showing what happened to him and Almira.  It’s possible that Corydon Myers died a few years later, 1882, in New York State, which would be another tragedy since he would have been about 50 years old.    No solid proof has been found.  He and Almira just vanish from our recorded family history which makes this story end without being finished.

 Here’s a possibility.  Corydon was born in New York.  A recent internet search revealed a few lone data points from Portville, Cattaraugus County, N.Y.  In 1882 three years after baby May dies we find that there was a Corydon and Almira Myers in residence in Portville N. Y. 

Here is the limited data.

1. Chestnut Hill Cemetery records from the Olean Public Library, Olean, New York show a Corydon Myers, died 1882, buried in section B, lot 10, NW Quarter; Almira Myers Owner.  US GenWeb Archives (usgwarchives.org) has a similar record.

2. Cattaraugus County, New York Will Testators records transcribed by USGenWeb Archives, show: Corydon Myers, place of residence Portville, coded “NY-5-8-396” or New York, County No. 5, Volume No. 8, page No. 396. 

These two data points show that a Corydon Myers married to Almira Myers died and was buried in Portville, was buried in a local cemetery, and left a will.  I have not been able to research these facts.  Just being on a list which shows residence of Portville doesn’t mean he was a resident living there permanently, yet he has a will filed in the county. 

I have given you my story of Corydon Myers.  I am left with an unanswered ending.  If Corydon died in 1882 in NY, he and Almira Myers had two more underage children at the time of this death, Letta age 14 and Sadie age 10.  History of these children and some of their married life is passed on.  Yet this couple who were parents and grandparents just dropped out the story.  I owe much thanks to Corydon’s Great Grandson Merlin Hanchett for all that he wrote.  He attributes much of his family stories to his mother Lorena Myers Hanchett, youngest daughter of Lavern Wilson Myers.  Still he wrote nothing finishing the life of Corydon and second wife Almira Myers when he published his book The Myers and Perry Families, 1984.

 New Buchanan County Ownership.  I end this story with one more piece of information for Buchanan County, Iowa.  An 1886 Buchanan County map shows Corydon Myers' property had been sold and was then owned by S. W. Palmer.  Today this 80 acres lays about half a mile south-east of Lamont, which was earlier known as Ward's Corner and first known as Erie.  

I will gladly share my family information. 

Betty Nees  donald199@centurytel.net

Waterman and Sarah Myers through

Corydon and Rachel Wilson Myers Fact Logs

E-mail Betty L. Nees at: donald199@centurytel.net  

Updated 2009.12.27

 

CHAPTER \h \r 1Waterman Myers c. 1806 to before 1900 Fact Log.

 

c. 1805 Waterman Myers is reported to have been born in Ithaca, Tompkins Co., NY.

+Sarah (Sally) Wife was born c.1811 maybe in Ithaca, NY.  Sarah’s maiden name is unknown. They married c.1827 in NY.  Waterman and Sarah Myers parents are unknown.

 

c. 1828 Caroline Myers was born in Tompkins Co., NY.

                She was in her father’s 1830 and 1840 NY census.

                She is named in his 1850 PA census as 22 and born in NY.

She may have married first Buck, then Farwell and then John T. Pope according to her census information.

 

c. 1830 Maria Myers was born in Groton, Tompkins Co. NY.

                She was in her father’s 1830 and 1840 NY census.

                She is named in his 1850 PA census as 20 and born in NY.

 

1830 Federal Census NY, Tompkins Co., Groton

Waterman Myers	20-30 M
Wife Sarah	20-30 F
Caroline & Maria	2-Under 5 F