Henry Duane Myers

                                                                                                  Obituary notice of Henry D Myers
                                                                                                    Dropping Dead While at Work
                                                                      Published in the Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle, 24 January 1887

This community was startled on Saturday morning by learning that one of its old and well-known citizens, Mr. Henry D. Myers, had dropped dead while superintending the gathering of ice on the river.  he had done on the river about half past six and was talking to Mr. Abram Smith when he suddenly fell, and without a word ceased to breathe.  He was at once carried to his home, medical assistance was called, and every effort was made to resuscitate him, but in vain.  Life had fled.  The cause of death was heart disease, to which it is said he had been subject.

Mr. Myers was born in this city in 1816, and was therefore in his seventy-first year.  He has always lived here, and although he never held any public office, except that of Trustee of the village, he was known to everybody and highly respected by all.  He is said to have begun the grocery business before he became of age, and continued it for nearly forty years, all the time at the same stand, on the north side of Main street, just east of the Poughkeepsie hotel.  As a business man he had a high reputation for strict austerity and he was successful at gathering a moderate fortune.

For many years he has been employed as a surveyor in and about this city, and we presume more property lines have been run and marked out by him that by any other man here. 

About twenty-five years ago he went into the ice business, and since retiring from his grocery this has been his principal occupation.  As stated above, he was giving directions for the harvesting of the crop of ice when death overtook him.

Mr. Myers has filled several positions of trust in this city.  He was the leader in establishing a Universalist Church here and has always had almost entire control of its finances.  When the old society was compelled to sell the church in Cannon street, now St. Mary's Catholic, he invested the proceeds and in his hands they so accumulated that in due time he was able to purchase the present church in Lafayette Place and revive the organization on a firm basis  He was also a Trustee of the Savings Bank and a Director of the Fallkill National Bank, and Vice President of both institutions.  He leaves a wife, son and daughter.

N.B.  Henry D Myers was the surveyor for the 372 acre of land of purchased by George A Bech in 1880 which became the district of Fairview.

(Source: Marist College Land History: Henry Duane Myers Obituary)

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