YorksPast

Edwin B. Myers and his wife Anna Iaegar Myers purchased a farm in Springettsbury Township, York County on June 24th 1901; they named it Meadowbrook.  They made extensive modifications to the farmhouse, creating their Meadowbrook Mansion in the Georgian Revival style.  This mansion presently stands as Christmas Tree Hill along Whiteford Road.  Many remember it as the Meadowbrook Inn & Tavern or as the Avalong Farms Mansion.

After the initial farm purchase, Edwin Myers went about expanding the acreage of Meadowbrook Estate; that will be the subject of another part in this series.  This post deals with Edwin’s family; which is important in understanding his many businesses.  Other posts in this series or related posts include:

• What will be the Fate of the Cow Weathervane?
• Meadowbrook Estate in Springettsbury Township, Part 2; Edwin Myers’ 458-Acre Estate nearly stretched to Tilden
• Historic Courthouse Columns built into Meadowbrook Mansion
• Meadowbrook Tavern Menu loaded with neat stuff

 

This series of posts on Edwin Myers and Meadowbrook Estate primary utilizes records from the York County Archives (Estate Records), the York County Recorder of Deeds (Land Records), the York County Heritage Trust, Ancestry.com (Census Records), Prospect Hill Cemetery Records (Where many of these Myers are buried), Prowell’s 1907 York County History and Donehoo’s 1928 Pennsylvania State History.

I checked the ten-year census records starting in the year 1850; Edwin’s parents, Eli & Henrietta, are living in York, PA:

• Eli Myers [1811-1880] … Edwin’s father
• Henrietta (Eichelberger) Myers [1817-1891] … Edwin’s mother
• Franklin E. Myers [1840-1867] … Edwin’s brother
• Thomas S. Myers [1842-1887] … Edwin’s brother
• Edwin B. Myers [1844-1916]
• Eliza J. Myers [1848-     ] … Edwin’s sister

Edwin B. Myers first wife is Isabelle Frey.  Edwin & Isabelle marry in 1864; they had six children prior to the death of Isabelle in 1875:

• Edwin B. Myers [1844-1916]
• Isabelle (Frey) Myers [1846-1875] … Edwin’s first wife
• Walter Frey Myers [1865-1940] … Edwin’s son
• Frank E. Myers [1867-1915] … Edwin’s son
• George E. Myers [1869-1875] … Edwin’s son
• Thomas A. Myers [1873-1923] … Edwin’s son
• Henrietta Myers [1874-1874] … Edwin’s daughter
• Edwin Myers [1875-1876] … Edwin’s son

When widower Edwin B. Myers married his second wife Anna Parker Iaeger on December 7th 1880, three of his sons (Walter, Frank and Thomas) survived from his first marriage.  These three sons would eventually become involved in their father’s various businesses.  I point this out because I’ve seen it both ways; i.e. some accounts assumed that Edwin was in business with his brothers, Frank and Thomas, which can’t be the case by examining when his brothers died.

Edwin and Anna Myers had four children; three living to adulthood.  When Edwin and Anna Myers purchase Meadowbrook in 1901, the ages of their children are as follows:

• Edwin B. Myers [1844-1916] Age of 58 in 1901
• Anna (Iaeger) Myers [1854-1933] Age of 47 in 1901
• Louise Iaeger Myers [1881-1881] died in infancy
• Ellis Iaeger Myers [1883-1961] Age of 18 in 1901
• Pauline Verginia Myers [1885-1969] Age of 16 in 1901
• Chester Graham Myers [1887-1960] Age of 14 in 1901

When Edwin & Anna Myers purchase Meadowbrook, they had three teenage children and Edwin has three adult sons from his first marriage.  Even though they created a stylish mansion, Meadowbrook remained a summer residence for the family.  I wondered what their residence looked like in the city.

After purchasing Meadowbrook, Edwin & Anna Myers purchase a York City residence at 327 East Market Street.  Anna retained that residence up until the time of her death in 1933.  The picture shows what 327 East Market Street looks like today; it is just about across the street from the Y.W.C.A.

Edwin B. Myers attended the York County Academy.  He organized several small-scale tobacco and cigar manufacturing businesses immediately following completion of his schooling.  At the age of 29, Edwin convinced several others to join him on a grander scale in 1873, with the establishment of Myers, Adams & Company.

Myers, Adams & Company bought and sold leaf tobacco; i.e. a wholesale leaf tobacco business.  Edwin Myers was president of this company from its inception in 1873 until his death in 1916.  The other principles in the company included: Samuel I. Adams, Oscar Reinach and John C. Eimerbrink.  The business was located on the southwest corner of North Beaver and North Streets; a rail spur ran to their tobacco warehouse.

Celestino Costello & Company was organized concurrently for the manufacture of cigars.  The company operated as a division of Myers, Adams & Company. Celestino Costello & Company made the popular Round-Up Cigars.  Their cigar factory was located at 209 North Beaver Street; across the alley from the York County Academy.

E. Myers & Company was established by Edwin Myers with his sons, Walter F., Frank E. and Thomas A. Myers, to manufacture cigar boxes.  The factory was located on the southwest corner of South Howard and East Mason Alleys.

T. A. Myers & Company was established by Thomas A. Myers with his father Edwin and brothers Walter F. and Frank E. Myers, as printers and engravers.  This business primarily produced cigar bands and cigar box labels, however they advertised as general printers and engravers.  The business was located in the same building as E. Myers & Company on the southwest corner of South Howard and East Mason Alleys.

Thus at the time Edwin B. Myers purchased Meadowbrook, he was heavily involved in four cigar related businesses, plus was Vice President of York Valley Lime Company.  In addition, Edwin was on the Board of Directors of the City Bank of York and York Telephone.  Edwin having been a founding board member of the York Telephone Company.

The next post in this series on the Meadowbrook Estate in Springettsbury Township will explore Edwin Myers’ expansion of the acreage surrounding his stylish summer estate.

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