John R. Myers, deceased, was an early pioneer of the West, and made an unusual success of stock raising and farming in Butler county. He was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1834, and was the last survivor of six children born to Peter and Catherine (Byerly) Myers, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Maryland. He died at Augusta, Kans., January 19, 1916, and is buried in Elmwood cemetery, Augusta, Kans. John Myers received his early education in the common schools of his native State, and remained at home until he reached his majority. In 1855, he went to Iowa, locating near MassilIon, Cedar county. This was an early day in that section of Iowa, and Mr. Myers experienced much Iowa pioneer life. He was engaged in farming there for twenty-six years, and in 1881, came to Butler county,

and located on section 3, range 4, township 28, where he bought 640 acres of land, which his heirs still own. This is mostly good bottom land, located just below the confluence of the Walnut and Whitewater rivers. Here he followed stock raising and general farming, and became one of the prosperous and substantial citizens of Butler county. He made substantial improvements on his place in the way of buildings, fencing, etc. He put out a big orchard, and was one of the extensive alfalfa growers of the county, having over a hundred acres of that crop. In 1908 he removed to Augusta where he resided until his death.

Mr. Myers was united in marriage, May 4, 1862, to Miss Clara McLeod of Cedar county, Iowa. She was a daughter of J. R. McLeod, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., who removed from Philadelphia to Delaware county, Ohio, and in 1855, went to Iowa, settling in Cedar county. To Mr. and Mrs. Myers have been born five children: C. L., a conductor on the Missouri Pacific railroad, and resides in Wichita; Hunter G., was a railroad postal clerk on the Rock Island railroad, and was killed in an accident at Caldwell, Kans., in 1903, a runaway engine colliding with his train; Howard U., a railway mail clerk between Blackwell, Okla., and Hutchinson, Kans., residing at the latter city; George E., a manual training teacher, New York City. He is a graduate of the Augusta high school and of the Ottawa University, class of 1896. After graduating, he taught in Bacon University of Oklahoma for two years, and then took a two years' course in the University of Chicago. He then went to Colorado Springs and, after teaching for a time, entered Clark University at Worcester, Mass., where he was graduated. He then accepted the principalship of the McKinley Manual Training School, and after holding that position for five years, took charge of the Pittsburg Manual Training School, Pittsburg, Kans., and after an extended tour in Europe, accepted the superintendency of the manual training department of Columbia College, New York City. The youngest child born to Mr. and Mrs. Myers is McLeod, who is a successful farmer of Walnut township.

Mr. Myers was one of Butler county's most substantial citizens, who, by industry and foresight, accumulated a competence, and won a high place in the estimation of his fellow citizens, who knew him best. He was a member of the Baptist church for over sixty-three years, and took an active interest in all Christian work.

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