Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/715

 VIRGIXIA HIOGRArJlV

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his profession, his useful life, however, end- ing nine years later in 1829. He married Louisa Marx, of Richmond, Virginia; chil- dren : Moses, of whom further ; \Mrginia H., who married William McIMair. captain of United States and Confederate States navies; Joseph, who died unmarried.

(III) Moses (2) Myers, son of Samuel and Louisa (Marx) Myers, was born in Norfolk, April 27, 1817. and died March 13, 1881. He was engaged in foreign trade in Norfolk, and was one of the successful mer- chants of his city until the outbreak of war between the slates, when he enlisted in the Confederate army, serving as first lieuten- ant of cavalry. Later he resigned because of ill health and retired to a country estate in Virginia. He married Julianna Grammar Barton, daughtef of Richard W. Barton and his first wife. Alcinda Gibson (see Barton line). Children: Barton, of whom further; Louisa; Georgiana and William Barton. The latter two died unmarried. Louisa married John C. Taylor, there being no chil- dren by this marriage. She has since his death joined her stepson, H. B. Taylor, a missionary doctor of the Protestant Epis- copal church in charge of St. James' Hos- pital, Anking, China.

(IV) Barton Myers, eldest son of Moses (2) and Julianna Grammar (Barton) ]\Iyers, was born in Norfolk, Virginia, March 29, 1853. He became interested in 1876 in a commission business and later in foreign trade at Norfolk, continuing until 1890, then retiring from mercantile life to devote his time to his investments and to the aflfairs of the companies with whose management he had been entrusted. In 1881 he became president of the Shipj)ers' Cotton Compress Company, and in the same year president of the Norfolk Knitting and Cotton Manu- facturing Company. In 1887 president of the Southwestern Virginia Mineral Land Company, and treasurer of the Norfolk Land and Improvement Company. In 1890 presi- dent of the New Norfolk Company, engaged in the development of suburban lands, of the Norfolk Water Front Development Com- pany ; and of the Lambert's Point Water Front Company, and the treasurership of the Lambert's Point Investment Company. In 1903 Mr. Myers became treasurer of the Lafayette Residence Park Company, and in 1906 of the Ghent Residence Corporation.

In the history of the Jamestown Exposi-

tion, which gave far-reaching advertisement lo the resources of Virginia and south and was of inestimable value, Mr. Myers' name ajipears as one of the leaders of that under- taking. That exposition, small in size in comparison with previous efforts along this line in the United States but yielding nothing in beauty and general pleasing effect, appro- priately celebrated the three hundredth anniversary of the nation's birth. On Au- gust 20, 1902, Mr. Myers was elected direc- tor and a member of the executive commit- tee of the Jamestown Exposition Company. On January 19, 1904, he was elected auditor, and on June 2y, 1905, head of the depart- ment of ways and means, and. in addition thereto, on April 24. 1906, head- of the de- partment of exploitation. Thus there fell to his performance the duties of two of the divisions of the exposition, ways and means and exploitation, and of the office of auditor, three positions that involved labor of the most strenuous nature, particularly during the period of construction. To efforts of such men the Jamestown exposition's suc- cess was due, and its results, more visible at this time than at any time before, are a source of gratification and pleasure to those whose labor extended over a period of five years.

Since December 19, 1877, Mr. Myers has been vice-consul for Great Britain at the port of Norfolk ; on December 24, of the same year, w^as appointed to the same posi- tion for the Brazilian government ; and on April 29. 1878, was appointed vice-consul, and in 1914 consul, for the Netherlands, fill- ing all three positions at this time. His connection with municipal affairs began with his election to the presidency of the Norfolk common council. July i. 1881. of which he was a member until July i. 1886, when he was elected mayor as the candidate of the Democratic party. In April, 1894, he was elected president of the Democratic Association, an organization formed to op- pose certain abuses in the Democratic party and to secure the strictest honesty in primary and general elections. The Democratic Asso- ciation, composed of some of the best of the city's citizenship, opposed the Democratic machine, and played an important part in one of the most heated political campaigns ever witnessed in Norfolk. ]\Ir. Myers was elected in April. 1914, president of the Nor- folk Chamber of Commerce, and in June,