Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 347-348; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Joseph C. Myers, has met with more than ordinary success as one
of the most skillful and wide-awake farmers and stock-raisers of this
county, and, while yet in the prime of life, has been enabled to retire
practically from business. He has a beautiful home in Canton, occupying
one of the finest residence properties of the city, pleasantly located
on North Main Street.
Mr. Myers was born September 3, 1844, in Franklin County, Pa.,
He was the fifth child in a family of thirteen children born to Henry
and Maria (Eshelman) Myers, natives of the Keystone State. In 1848 they
settled among the pioneers of this county on a farm in Canton. They
resided there one year, then settled permanently in Farmington, where
the father gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. He is still
living on his homestead there, and is now in his seventy-eight year,
having been born November 2, 1813, His wife was born September 11,
1817, a daughter of John Eshelman, who was a native of Germany. The
Myers family was also of German descent.
Joseph C. Myers of whom this sketch is written, was about four
years old when his parents brought him to this county. He gleaned a
good education in the Farmington schools, and as early as nine years of
age, began to help his father on the farm. When he was sixteen years
old, he began to assist in operating a threshing machine, which was
hired by the farmers in the township. This was too hard work for a
youth of his years, and it impaired his health, which has never been as
good as it was before. He remained with his parents until he reached
his twenty-first year, when he began farming on his own account. He
bought stock, which he fed and sold, and occasionally he sent hogs to
the Chicago market. He continued thus actively engaged in the stock
business for seventeen years, and during the past four years of that
period, dealt extensively in fine horses, matching and selling them and
he has won the highest prizes on any man in Fulton County for
well-matched and well-bred teams, and has sold a span of horses for
$625.
Mr. Myers still owns his farm of two hundred and seventy acres
of choice land, situated on the line, part of which lies in Canton, and
part in Farmington Township, which he rents on shares. It is amply
supplied with neat and well-ordered buildings, and with the finest of
farming machinery. He still pays much attention to the breeding of fine
Poland-China hogs, though he has retired from general farming. In 1888
he left his homestead, and coming to Canton, purchased a large and fine
residence, with its beautiful surroundings, known as the Harry Balton
place, where he is enjoying all the luxuries and comforts that make
life worth living. In his career as a farmer and stock-raiser, he has
displayed more than ordinary capacity, as he began life with but little
means, and even had to go in debt for his first plow, but he has
conquered all the difficulties that lay in his path, has risen above
adversity, and is one of the moneyed men of the city of Canton today.
He is generous and public-spirited as a citizen, is upright as a man,
and in his domestic relations is all that a kind husband and good
father should be, while his neighbors ever find him friendly and
obliging. In politics he is rather conservative, voting in National and
State matters with the Democrats.
Mr. and Mrs. Myers began their pleasant wedded life in the month
of January, 1871, and to them have come two daughters, Blanche L., and
Mabel Ione, who is attending school in Canton. Prior to her marriage,
Mrs. Myers was Mary J. Switzer, of Farmington Township. She was born
and reared in this county, and is a daughter of Jesse and Abarilla
Switzer, who were early pioneers of the county, coming here in 1836.
