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Click the link below for his daughter, Mildred Myers Schlosser. Her bio also has information about George W. Myers. [Note: The family surname is often misspelled Meyers/Meiers/Miers on some early historical references in Kentucky, Indiana and Missouri.]
To date, no tombstone has been found, although a 1931 newspaper obituary indicates George is buried in this cemetery. The CC Cemetery Sexton found George is buried in the cemetery, but no location was given. At the time of his burial, he was a 'county case', so may have been buried in the pauper's section. The 1930's were...
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Click the link below for his daughter, Mildred Myers Schlosser. Her bio also has information about George W. Myers. [Note: The family surname is often misspelled Meyers/Meiers/Miers on some early historical references in Kentucky, Indiana and Missouri.]
To date, no tombstone has been found, although a 1931 newspaper obituary indicates George is buried in this cemetery. The CC Cemetery Sexton found George is buried in the cemetery, but no location was given. At the time of his burial, he was a 'county case', so may have been buried in the pauper's section. The 1930's were the years of the Great Depression. Many people lost everything and were struggling to survive. In addition, George's death certificate indicates he had a stroke in 1922; he was probably unable to work and had little income from then until his death.
An obituary (missing a piece) has recently been found in Massachusetts in a scrapbook compiled by George's daughter, Mildred Myers Schlosser. The newspaper obit is shown at the right in two pieces--the 2nd a closeup of part of the 1st article; it shows George was buried in the Custer County Cemetery. His wife, Mary Elberta (nee Bowman) Myers, was later interred there in 1946, along with his daughter Mildred Myers Schlosser and other members of his wife's family (Bowman).
The photo (right) of a buffalo shot by George W. Myers, pictured in July of 1881, has an interesting story attached. The animal was being photographed by noted glass plate photographer L. A. Huffman, once the military photographer at Fort Keogh, Montana, who also had a photography studio in Miles City for many years. He and George were out riding and Huffman was trying to take a photo of the buffalo when it charged him. George W. Myers shot the animal to protect Huffman. The photo is courtesy of the family of Mortimer Grant, George Myers'grandson.
George Washington Myers was the 8th of ten children of Judge Ephraim Myers and Nancy (Williams) Myers of Andrew County, MO. His grandfather was Robert Myers, born est. 1765 in Virginia, who left for Kentucky and later went to Indiana in the early 1800's. George was married on 6 Sep 1877 in Andrew County MO to Mary Elberta "Bertie" Bowman, sister to Daniel Hutchison Bowman (Memorial #88163296). George was a friend and classmate of Montana's 1st and 4th Governor, Joseph K. Toole, born the same year as George and who also called Savannah, Andrew County, MO home. George attended law school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, then came west to start a law office, as well as cattle and sheep-raising partnerships at various times with his brothers, Alfred, Benjamin F., Addison and Wilbur [aka Marsh] and his sister, Maria [m. Solomon Heren]. All of whom played significant parts in Montana's early history--esp. the oldest brother Alfred, who became the "Cattle King of Montana" in the 80's. The brothers had land all over Montana, from Park County to the eastern border.
1870: Census, George is still at home in Andrew Co. MO
1874: Admitted to the bar in Andrew County
1877: Married in Missouri
1879: May, headed for Montana
1880: Enumerated in Montana in the 'Lower Yellowstone and White Beaver" in what is now Gallatin County, Montana. His occupation was 'Stockgrower' and he appears on that census with a man named Martin, who was a business partner of George's older brother Alfred.
In 1896, George was appointed by the administration of President Grover Cleveland to be the Registrar of the land office in Miles City. As such, his grandson, John Schlosser, remembers he took care of renting and selling and managing government land in the west. Custer County was nearly one-half of the state of Montana in those days, before being broken up into smaller counties.
Vol 3 of Tom Stout's "Montana, Its story and biography..." (1921), Page 1422, has a bio, undoubtedly partially written by George himself, that gives some further information:
"George W. Myers. The fabric of the men and women who have made the many colored tapestry of our state history is woven more often than not from good old Revolutionary stock. Of such sturdy and dependable stuff is George W. Myers, the registrar of the United States land office at Miles City.
[I have tried to verify the next information, but have been unable to do so. Until verified, this may not be entirely accurate--stories passed down verbally over the generations are not always factual.] The great-grandfather, William Paul, of Maryland, died of wounds received in the Revolutionary war. Another, Robert Myers, enlisted from Kent County, Maryland, though very young, and served during the Revolutionary war. Later having married Polly Paul, daughter of William Paul and Keturah Eaglyn, he moved over the "Wilderness Trail" to Kentucky. Their eight stalwart sons and two daughters became well-known and respected citizens of Indiana, Missouri, California and Kansas.
Ephraim Myers [George's father], their eighth son, through his own efforts acquired a collegiate training, was admitted to the bar and in early manhood moved
from Kentucky to Illinois [Error: Indiana], thence to Missouri. Very active in politics, he represented his district several times in the Assembly and was a member of that body when General Price and Governor Jackson
endeavored to take Missouri out of the Union. This act he vehemently opposed, although General Price had been his life-long friend.
His [Ephraim's] wife, Nancy Williams, was a direct descendant from Colonel Williams. They had five sons and
five daughters, of whom Alfred, Ben F. and Maria [married Herren], with their children, are also identified with the history of Montana. Ephraim Myers died at the age of eighty-six, and his funeral was the epitome of the life of an active and well beloved man. It was under the auspices of the Masons, in which he had reached the highest degree, and over two miles long, and in it could be seen every condition of life, every shade of color and every religious belief represented in that state.
George W. Myers, the eighth child of Judge Ephraim Myers and Nancy Williams, was born on his father's plantation near St. Joseph, Missouri, March 1, 1851. He was admitted to the bar in 1874 in Missouri, and for a time practiced in Andrew County, but in May, 1879, being convinced that in the territory of Montana he could find the opening for which as an ambitious young man he was looking, he came to Bozeman, Montana, from Ogden, Utah, by stage. It had been his intention to engage in the practice of law in Bozeman, but discovering upon his arrival that there was a better opening for a stockman than a professional man, for a year he bought and sold stock in partnership with a Mr. Martin. Later his brother [Alfred] joined him and the firm of Myers Brothers was organized and Mr. Myers came to Miles City as the representative of the firm.
Upon his arrival at Miles City Mr. Myers called upon the acting commissary at Fort Keogh, as his firm had been awarded the contract for keeping this fourteen company post supplied with cattle for beef. General [Nelson A.] Miles was then in command at Fort Keogh, and a few months later completed the conquest of the Indians in this region.
At the time Mr. Myers reached Miles City, June 28, 1880, the place was a log and tent town of a few thousand people. His "pioneer" herd of cattle was run on Pumpkin Creek and Tongue River, in a county absolutely innocent of fence and almost of people for many years. The firm of Myers Brothers handled thousands of cattle, and besides those required for the military post, shipped many herds East. They were the first to ship Montana
cattle over the Northern Pacific Railroad. The first two train loads were driven from the Shields River ranches across Montana to the railroad at Mandan, Dakota, and ferried across the river. They were grazed along the way and reached the railroad as fat as corn fed animals. They were shipped to the commission firm of Adams Burke.
While giving considerable attention to his cattle interests Mr. Myers very soon opened a law office in Miles City, and has since been engaged in general practice. In capital crimes he always was for the defense and took part in the trial of a score of murder cases. He was chief counsel for the defense of Joe Hurst, charged and convicted of the killing of Sheriff-elect Kavanaugh, and although his efforts toward modification of the jury findings were unremitting and the case was carried to the highest authority, nothing was accomplished and Hurst paid the penalty. Associated with Mr. Myers in the case was C. R. Middleton.
One of the most noted civil cases Mr. Myers fought
through the courts was that entitled "Bender vs. Northern Pacific Railroad Company." The company held a patent for five years to the land Bender claimed. He fought them on and off for twenty years, and under the rulings of the Court of Appeals in the Nelson case he believed he could win a title in the suit, and it was brought by Mr. Myers. Bender was defeated in the local court, but in the higher court the railroad company submitted voluntary and arranged a compromise with Bender, relinquished title to the land, paid him damages and retired without prejudice.
Another hard-fought case which Mr. Myers defended was that of "Montana vs. Bailey." Bailey was charged with murder, was convicted and his counsel fought the case for two years, and the date for his execution was twice set, but upon the discovery of new evidence the court granted another trial to be held in Dawson County. A
jury could not be found competent to try the case, and it was transferred to Miles City and an acquittal was secured.
Still another case was that of the State of Montana against Harpster and others, which Mr. Myers fought alone and secured an acquittal for his client from the charge of stealing freight from the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. At the crucial point the failure of the state to identify beyond question a manila rope served to convince the jury that the defendant was not guilty.
Mr. Myers began to take an active part in Montana politics from the time he crossed the Yellowstone River, which was regarded of such value that during Cleveland's administration he was appointed registrar of the Miles City land office, then the largest and the most important in the United States. It comprised the vast scope of territory extending east of Helena to the Dakotas, and from Canada to Wyoming. Mr. Myers held the office during the administration of President Cleveland
and was reappointed to the same office by President Wilson, beginning his second term in May, 1915, and still holding this very important position with the Government. Now the territory of this local office is much smaller, but the office is the largest in the United States in point of business, exceeding others by about 800 entries a year.
In this region thousands of soldiers of the great war are seeking homes. Several oil fields are becoming productive, and as a result the work of the register of the land office is really burdensome. None but he and his close associates know what it means to handle expeditiously and effectively the 800 to 1,200 signatures received daily.
Mr. Myers is one of the most capable men serving the Government in this capacity, as he, as one of the old settlers of the state, knows conditions and values and not only attends to the duties of his office but gives expert advice to those seeking to found homes. There are few more enthusiastic supporters of the democratic principles than he, and he has attended almost every state convention of Montana since he arrived, and was alternate to the Chicago convention which nominated
William Jennings Bryan for President. He was at the national convention of his party held at Kansas City, Missouri, but only as a spectator.
George W. Myers was united in marriage September 6, 1877, with Miss Mary E. Bowman, a daughter of Frank [Benjamin Franklin Bowman, 1831-1916) and Barbara Frances (Wood) Bowman, both descendants of Colonial families and fighters in the Revolutionary war.
Mr. and Mrs. Myers have two daughters. Mildred G. [George] is the wife of Harry F. Schlosser, of Knowlton, Montana. They have three sons, Weyand Myers Schlosser, Fredericks G. Schlosser and John Bowman Schlosser. Alma May has been final proof clerk for several years in the local United States land office. Alfred, a son, died in infancy. Mr. Myers is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Elk Lodges."
George was the father of early Miles City Carnegie Public Library children's librarian, Mildred Myers Schlosser, wife of Harry Schlosser. His other daughter was Alma 'May' Myers Grant. George's only son (Alfred) died as a 1-month-old infant in Oct 1881. The baby was buried in an old cemetery, then reburied in CC Cem sometime in the 1920's or 30's, per family notes. No marker exists now.
George's grandson, John Schlosser, son of Mildred Myers Schlosser, remembered going with his grandfather on Sundays and George would read the newspaper funnies to him! John stayed with his grandfather during 2 or 3 grades for part of the year because his mother was teaching in the one room schoolhouse and would remain out there [near Knowlton MT] during the winter months.
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