My great-grandfather Charlie Myers was born in July, 1884 into a happy family on a 150-acre Ohio farm his father, William, had bought the year prior.
His given name was John Carl, but he was called Charlie throughout his life. His older sibling, Addie Caroline, was described as an angelic child blessed with a remarkably beautiful singing voice, and the two were very close.
Charlie learned to sing harmony with his lovely sister, and their home was filled with music. They were active in a Loudonville area church. A second boy, Harry, was born in 1886.
Life turned quite dramatically for this family in 1889 when a surprise visit from a businessman of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, brought an unusual offer. He wanted to negotiate the trade of his builders’ supply shop in Pittsburgh for the 150 acres on which the family resided.
A deal was struck, and the couple and three young children boarded the Pennsylvania Railroad to their new home. Charlie’s mother, Laura, pregnant with her fourth child, had just buried her mother and would be leaving her grieving father and siblings for this new city.
The thriving builders supply business on Dallas and Hamilton Avenues in Pittsburgh sold cement, stone, plaster and everything needed to build houses.
Young Charlie grew to love and respect work horses as he watched teams complete hard work for his father. Later in life, Charlie spoke often of a beautiful, strong pair of geldings his father could rely on for even the most complicated assignments.
A baby girl, Margaret, was born during this prosperous time, and the children enjoyed spending time with paternal grandparents on Avery Street. This grandfather, who Charlie was named after, had been born in Alsace-Lorraine, Germany, in 1812, spent 14 weeks sailing to America in 1830 and Charlie spoke of him with reverence.
Charlie recalled attending the 50th wedding anniversary of his paternal grandparents, who asked Charlie, 6, and Addie, 8, to sing as part of the celebration. Charlie remembered singing “Sweet Hour of Prayer” and “I Need Thee Every Hour” on this momentous occasion.
The young family would spend summers back in Ohio on their mother Laura’s childhood farm, which their father bought as his business grew, constructing a cottage in the woods as a summer home. Charlie spoke of fun with cousins, and recalled helping fill barrels with apples to be shipped to Pittsburgh for winter enjoyment.
When baby Margaret was 7 months old, she died of cholera. Ten months later, Laura, described as a strong but very thin woman, learned of her father’s death just two days prior to giving birth to Franklin. She surely must have carried regret that she was unable to attend his funeral.
