By Polly Horn, Curator of the Myers Inn Museum

(Draper) Armstrong. They had six children: Emma Louise in 1842, Lawrence A. in 1844, Fanny in 1846, Mary M. in 1848, Lida B. In 1853 and Harry D. In 1860

Emma Louise married Joseph Vance Roberts. In 1860 he boarded with Allen McLain a local merchant for whom Joseph clerked. Another boarder was Emma’s grandfather retired farmer David Armstrong. Emma and Joseph married in May 1863. They had Laura M. 1864-1884 and Mary in about 1869. In 1870 they were living in Ostrander where Vance was a retail merchant. Emma died in 1872. Do you know what became of their daughters?

Lawrence Armstrong Myers was born in 1844 and helped his father as a farmer on their farm a mile south of Sunbury. When the Civil War began, he wanted to volunteer at the age of 17 and was so adamant his family convinced him to go into the regular army rather than the volunteer corps being recruited from this area. He enlisted for three years in Company D, Fifteenth U.S. Infantry Regiment. He lied about his age saying he was 18, had gray eyes, brown hair, dark complection and was 5 feet 8 inches tall. He started in Wheeling, marched to Tennessee and was in battles at Shiloh, Perryville and Stones River but when they crossed Elk River he contracted chronic rheumatism and was sent to a hospital at Lookout Mountain. Chronic rheumatism is caused by poor nutrition, and damp, cold living conditions at a time when the body is still growing so it was a common disease among the young soldiers. Lawrence’s enlistment expired while he was in the hospital and he was discharged so his father brought him home to Sunbury. A few days later he died. When the Grand Army of the Republic Post 252 was organized in Sunbury in1882, it was named the Lawrence A. Myers Post.¹

Fanny Myers married Edwin G. Avery in 1869. They moved to Independence, Kansas, after Charles was born in 1877. They are there on the 1880 census with sons Rowland age 10 and Charles 3 and a daughter Anna Louise 4. Rowland and his sister Anna Louise are living together in Delaware in 1900. Edwin and Rowland, a teamster, are living with Edwin’s sister Hannah in Delaware in 1910. Hannah died in 1914, Edwin in 1912. Both of them and Rowland are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware. Looks as though Fanny and son Charles died in Kansas.

Mary married Henry Augustus Welch. They had Frank Philip in 1868 and Henry A. in 1869 Walter born in 1873 died in 1874. Mary died two years later in 1876. Frank Philip was living with Mary’s parents in 1880. He married James Nina a.k.a. Jane Filler, daughter of William Simons Filler of Delaware. Their son William Filler Welch was born in Delaware in 1893 and went to Augusta Military Academy in Fort Defiance, Virginia. As a reserve in the US Navy, he was called to active duty October 7, 1917, serving as an electrician at Naval Radio Stations in New York and New Jersey. He died in the Navy of pneumonia October 10, 1918 in New Brunswick N. J.²

Amy Louise (in 1902) and Ann Elizabeth (1904) were born in Mexico where Frank was manager of an electric plant until he died in 1930. Amy (17) and Anna (15) were living with Hester A. Filler (73) and James F. Welch (41), a farmer in Liberty Township in 1920. Amy married a Heydorn and was an art teacher in Antelope Valley High School, Lancaster County, CA in 1957. Ann Elizabeth Welch died in 1977 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware, with her brother and parents. Still looking for descendants of any of these three.

Thomas and Amy’s daughter Eliza Brown a.k.a. Lida married Frank C. Smith of Delaware in 1878. Their son, Robert Blee Smith was born 1878 in Cleveland, was in college in 1900 Delaware census. He married Hazel Beckfield of Colorado and became an ear nose and throat doctor in Columbus until his death in 1925. They had a son, Robert Smith born about 1907 but he has not been found.

Lida’s daughter Ann Louise born in 1883 was in high school in 1900 and Harriet M. was in lower grades in Delaware. Anna Louise Smith died in Delaware at the age of 75.

Harriet M. was born May 21 1887 in Delaware, in 1912 she marred an artist, a painter, a colorist, and a camouflage instructor Harold Ledyard Towle in Manhattan, NY. Son Barnaby Ledyard Towle was born in 1916 and daughter Virginia Ledyard Towle was born in 1919. During WWI, Towle was a camouflage instructor in the 71st Infantry Regiment of the New York State National Guard. In that capacity, he provided camouflage training for troops who were preparing to fight on the battlefields in Europe. He also taught a course about camouflage at the Columbia University Teachers College. Before the war ended, he himself shipped off to France as a machine-gunner and camoufleur at the front. Harold enlisted in the New York National Guard in 1919. In 1920, the Towle household in Manhattan had an actor, an editor and a teacher boarding with them as well as Harriet’s mother, Lida, and a German immigrant. Harold and Harriet divorced.

By 1925 Harriet was married to Juan Carlos Martinez a naturalized citizen from Argentina and their daughter Osefa was born in New York. Harold’s children lived in the Martinez household. The family moved to San Antonio, Texas, and Lida was living with them. In 1940 they lived in Beverly Hills, CA where Juan sold real estate, Harriet kept house for Virginia Towle and Osefa Martinez and 84 year old Lida Smith. Juan died in 1955 and Harriet died in San Diego in 1978. Both are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Harriet’s son Barnaby Ledyard Towle graduated with honors from University of Texas in chemical engineering in 1939 then got another degree in petroleum engineering in 1941. He was named Commanding Officer of Johnsville Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, PA. During WWII he served in the Atlantic area as an engineer officer. He married Muriel Ayres of Colorado and they lived in Hayward, California when in 1951, Lt. Commander Towle was on staff with the Commander Fleet Air Wing 6 (air-sea rescue) in Japan. Later they ran a title agency in Hayward. He died in 2007. Harriet’s daughter Virginia Ledyard Towle was born in 1919 in New York and went to University of California in 1940. She died in March 1980 as Virginia Strange.

Harry D. was born on the farm in Berkshire Township and moved with his parents to North Street in Delaware before the 1870 census. He learned to clerk in a grocery in 1880 and had a shoe store in 1900. He was living with his parents when his father died in 1894 and on West William Street with his mother when she died in 1900. Harry moved to Lincoln Avenue by 1905. Possibly he went to Snohomish, Washington to sell real estate in 1910. He is a roomer in Benjamin Benton’s hotel on Wetmore Street, Everett, Washington in 1930. He died in 1934 and is buried with Frank and Lida Smith in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware.

As time gets closer for the July 2^nd Parade, we are seeking descendants of the town co-founders Lawrence and William Myers. William’s children scattered. Lawrence’s middle child Thomas Philip stayed in Delaware County. He married Amy Armstrong, daughter of David and Sarah

(Draper) Armstrong. They had six children: Emma Louise in 1842, Lawrence A. in 1844, Fanny in 1846, Mary M. in 1848, Lida B. In 1853 and Harry D. In 1860

Emma Louise married Joseph Vance Roberts. In 1860 he boarded with Allen McLain a local merchant for whom Joseph clerked. Another boarder was Emma’s grandfather retired farmer David Armstrong. Emma and Joseph married in May 1863. They had Laura M. 1864-1884 and Mary in about 1869. In 1870 they were living in Ostrander where Vance was a retail merchant. Emma died in 1872. Do you know what became of their daughters?

Lawrence Armstrong Myers was born in 1844 and helped his father as a farmer on their farm a mile south of Sunbury. When the Civil War began, he wanted to volunteer at the age of 17 and was so adamant his family convinced him to go into the regular army rather than the volunteer corps being recruited from this area. He enlisted for three years in Company D, Fifteenth U.S. Infantry Regiment. He lied about his age saying he was 18, had gray eyes, brown hair, dark complection and was 5 feet 8 inches tall. He started in Wheeling, marched to Tennessee and was in battles at Shiloh, Perryville and Stones River but when they crossed Elk River he contracted chronic rheumatism and was sent to a hospital at Lookout Mountain. Chronic rheumatism is caused by poor nutrition, and damp, cold living conditions at a time when the body is still growing so it was a common disease among the young soldiers. Lawrence’s enlistment expired while he was in the hospital and he was discharged so his father brought him home to Sunbury. A few days later he died. When the Grand Army of the Republic Post 252 was organized in Sunbury in1882, it was named the Lawrence A. Myers Post.

Fanny Myers married Edwin G. Avery in 1869. They moved to Independence, Kansas, after Charles was born in 1877. They are there on the 1880 census with sons Rowland age 10 and Charles 3 and a daughter Anna Louise 4. Rowland and his sister Anna Louise are living together in Delaware in 1900. Edwin and Rowland, a teamster, are living with Edwin’s sister Hannah in Delaware in 1910. Hannah died in 1914, Edwin in 1912. Both of them and Rowland are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware. Looks as though Fanny and son Charles died in Kansas.

Mary married Henry Augustus Welch. They had Frank Philip in 1868 and Henry A. in 1869 Walter born in 1873 died in 1874. Mary died two years later in 1876. Frank Philip was living with Mary’s parents in 1880. He married James Nina a.k.a. Jane Filler, daughter of William Simons Filler of Delaware. Their son William Filler Welch was born in Delaware in 1893 and went to Augusta Military Academy in Fort Defiance, Virginia. As a reserve in the US Navy, he was called to active duty October 7, 1917, serving as an electrician at Naval Radio Stations in New York and New Jersey. He died in the Navy of pneumonia October 10, 1918 in New Brunswick N. J.

Amy Louise (in 1902) and Ann Elizabeth (1904) were born in Mexico where Frank was manager of an electric plant until he died in 1930. Amy (17) and Anna (15) were living with Hester A. Filler (73) and James F. Welch (41), a farmer in Liberty Township in 1920. Amy married a Heydorn and was an art teacher in Antelope Valley High School, Lancaster County, CA in 1957. Ann Elizabeth Welch died in 1977 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware, with her brother and parents. Still looking for descendants of any of these three.

Thomas and Amy’s daughter Eliza Brown a.k.a. Lida married Frank C. Smith of Delaware in 1878. Their son, Robert Blee Smith⁴ was born 1878 in Cleveland, was in college in 1900 Delaware census. He married Hazel Beckfield of Colorado and became an ear nose and throat doctor in Columbus until his death in 1925. They had a son, Robert Smith born about 1907 but he has not been found.

Lida’s daughter Ann Louise born in 1883 was in high school in 1900 and Harriet M. was in lower grades in Delaware. Anna Louise Smith died in Delaware at the age of 75.

Harriet M. was born May 21 1887 in Delaware, in 1912 she marred an artist, a painter, a colorist, and a camouflage instructor Harold Ledyard Towle⁵ in Manhattan, NY. Son Barnaby Ledyard Towle was born in 1916 and daughter Virginia Ledyard Towle was born in 1919. During WWI, Towle was a camouflage instructor in the 71st Infantry Regiment of the New York State National Guard. In that capacity, he provided camouflage training for troops who were preparing to fight on the battlefields in Europe. He also taught a course about camouflage at the Columbia University Teachers College. Before the war ended, he himself shipped off to France as a machine-gunner and camoufleur at the front. Harold enlisted in the New York National Guard in 1919. In 1920, the Towle household in Manhattan had an actor, an editor and a teacher boarding with them as well as Harriet’s mother, Lida, and a German immigrant. Harold and Harriet divorced.

By 1925 Harriet was married to Juan Carlos Martinez a naturalized citizen from Argentina and their daughter Osefa was born in New York. Harold’s children lived in the Martinez household. The family moved to San Antonio, Texas, and Lida was living with them. In 1940 they lived in Beverly Hills, CA where Juan sold real estate, Harriet kept house for Virginia Towle and Osefa Martinez and 84 year old Lida Smith. Juan died in 1955 and Harriet died in San Diego in 1978. Both are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Harriet’s son Barnaby Ledyard Towle graduated with honors from University of Texas in chemical engineering in 1939 then got another degree in petroleum engineering in 1941. He was named Commanding Officer of Johnsville Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, PA. During WWII he served in the Atlantic area as an engineer officer. He married Muriel Ayres of Colorado and they lived in Hayward, California when in 1951, Lt. Commander Towle was on staff with the Commander Fleet Air Wing 6 (air-sea rescue) in Japan. Later they ran a title agency in Hayward. He died in 2007. Harriet’s daughter Virginia Ledyard Towle was born in 1919 in New York and went to University of California in 1940. She died in March 1980 as Virginia Strange.

Harry D. was born on the farm in Berkshire Township and moved with his parents to North Street in Delaware before the 1870 census. He learned to clerk in a grocery in 1880 and had a shoe store in 1900. He was living with his parents when his father died in 1894 and on West William Street with his mother when she died in 1900. Harry moved to Lincoln Avenue by 1905. Possibly he went to Snohomish, Washington to sell real estate in 1910. He is a roomer in Benjamin Benton’s hotel on Wetmore Street, Everett, Washington in 1930. He died in 1934 and is buried with Frank and Lida Smith in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware.
 

. . . . And Now You Know

       CivilWar/GAR/Posts.htm

2.  Ohio Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, World War 1917-18 pg 2167

4.   Dr. Robert Blee Smith was born in Delaware, Ohio on October 18th, 1878. He graduated
      from Starling Medical College in 1901. He was an eye, ear, nose, and throat specialist. He
      married Hazel J. Beckfield in 1903 in Denver, Colorado. He died June 14th, 1925. He is buried
      in Green Lawn Cemetery.   His obituary appeared in The Ohio State Journal on June 15th,
      1925, on page 2.

5.  Harold Ledyard Towle was a commercial artist, portrait painter and color consultant to industry.
    He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on August 30, 1890, and served as a camouflage expert and artist
    with the rank of Captain during World War I. In the 1920s, Towle was chairman of DuPont's
    Duco Color Advisory Service, his duties covering both the styling and color of products. As
    Duco lacquers were heavily marketed to the automobile industry, Towle developed a number of
    important contacts in Detroit and became an early advocate of streamlined design, particularly for
    automobiles. From 1930 to 1934, Towle worked as an art director for Campbell-Ewald in Detroit
    specializing in billboard advertising. He designed the original "Chessie" poster for the
    Chesapeake & Ohio Railway's famous "Sleep like a Kitten" campaign. Towle joined the
    Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company as director of the Division of Creative Design and Color in 
    December 1934, where he spent the bulk of his creative career working with both glass and paint.
    He wrote and lectured extensively on the use of color in design. Towle died at his retirement
   home in Merry Point, Va., in November 1973.