THE KILLING OF JOHN C. MYERS

Narrator: J.W. (Billy) Myers of Cowgill, Missouri

Mr. Myers is a grandson of John C. Myers and a son of Sam Myers. This is a story which he says has come down concerning the death of John C. Myers.

John C. Myers, his wife Leah Brinnell Myers and their young family came by wagon from Pennsylvania to the Mirabile community in 1841. There they lived the very simple life of pioneers. Mr. Myers was a Democrat and was sheriff of Caldwell County 1856-60. He was re-elected for two more years. However, the Civil War was in the air and being a firm believer in Secession he refused to take the oath of fidelity to the Federal Government.

This act was widely known. Moreover he was prominent in the Secessionist activities. He once rode at top speed June 10 1861 to warn the Secessionists who were gathering in Woodson Ardinger's store (their headquarters) at Kingston that the Federal Troops were marching from Hamilton to Kingston.

He went South and entered service. In the fall 1862 he came back. The fedual order was that all Ex-Confederate soldiers should surrender to the Federal authorities in the county. He told his family that he feared to do this lest the Unionists kill him under some excuse; and he preferred to take chances in avoiding capture.

On November 4th 1862 he went to the home of an old friend in Rockford Township, where he lived before he went to Kingston as sheriff. This man was Henry Whitenack. He urged Myers to surrender but Myers would not. Some enemy must have seen him for after nightfall the ever wakeful militia came to the house and called Myers out. They began firing and then he ran - falling mortally wounded. The family had a surmise about the identity of the members of the force. (See a variation in this story in the Caldwell-Livingston History.) Mr. Myers is buried in the Hines Graveyard, which was probably open to "Rebels."