The Myers Family History

John MYERS was born 1739, and died April 11, 1821. He married:

1. Ann THOMPSON, daughter of Abraham THOMPSON and Anne, and widow of James WALTON, 1763 in Gosforth. She died 1785.

2. Catherina FOX January 25, 1786 in Cambridge. She had a fortune of more than 10,000. She died 1796.

3. Hannah GILLIAT 1797 in Whitehaven, Cumberland. She died 1802.

4. Alice THOROLD May 21, 1803 in Bradford, Yorkshire, daughter of Jessop THOROLD and widow of Anthony WRIGHTSON. She died April 1821.

 

A man who, from a low beginning, amassed a large fortune. After 3 years at St Bees school, he taught at Gosforth, and later said prayers at Haile and Ponsonby. He was ordained to the curacy of the two parishes in 1763, and on Oct 8, 1770 he entered himself at St Johns College, Cambridge as "a ten year man". He went to Lincolnshire, PC of Edenham c1780. Vicar of Swinstead 1771-1820 and was also rector of Somerby with Humby 1771-1789 until he presented himself to the living of Wyberton, (1789-1821) which was bought for him by Stanley Marshall of Calderbridge and later of Friestone Lincs.
He was of Dunningwell and acquired Shipley Hall, Yorkshire by his marriage to his fourth wife Alice , widow of Anthony Wrightson of Shipley Hall.
He became D.L. and J.P. for Yorkshire. In his convivial hours, when the number of his wives were mentioned, he used to jocularly say "If I survive I will have five". Death, however, prevented his fulfilling his wish as he survived his fourth wife by only a few days. He was living in Cumberland when his fourth wife died and went to Yorkshire for the funeral. He was taken ill on the way and died as soon as he reached Shipley Hall. (Source; C. Roy Huddleston, Millom Families Part II, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society. Vol XCIII 1993).

 

Gentleman's Magazine 1809: On the 4th of December a school was opened at Rally green in the county of Cumberland solely instituted and supported by the Revd Mr Myers of Shipley Hall, rector of Edenham in Lincolnshire for the instruction of twenty girls in succession for ever in all the necessary and useful branches of female education, whose parents (sober and industrious labourers) belong to the united parishes of Millom and Thwaites.

 

From the history of Castle Bytham:
John Myers (Curate from 1768 - 1774) The last named gentleman was for many years domestic chaplain at Grimsthorpe Castle rector of Wyberton vicar of Swineshead and for nearly fifty years in the commission of the peace for the county of Lincoln. He died at Shipley Hall near Braceford on the 11 th of April 1821, aged 83. A memorandum placed in my hands by the Rev J Birch Reynardson, in which Mr Myers name appears, was made by one of Mr Reynardson's ancestors at the time and is well worth preserving among the clerical anecdotes of Lincolnshire in the last century. It shows that however the country clergy might spend the last six days of the week, the first was anything but a day of rest for them. I give the memorandum verbatim: 1st November 1772 Sunday - Mr Myers and his curate from Edenham went first to Creeton; they read prayers; Myers preached and administered the Sacrament. The curate went on read prayers and preached at Little Bytham, Myers followed and administered the Sacrament. Then the curate, named Marshall, rode on to Holywell and read prayers and before the Second Lesson, Myers came into church and preached and administered the Sacrament. The curate left the church and proceeded to do duty at Swayfield and thence to do the same at Edenham. Myers from Holywell went to perform morning service at Swinstead and dine with Lord Brownlow Bertie - as Myers said. (Note) Was a quarter past 12 before the curate came to Holywell, 'tho the appointed time was half past eleven. 7th August 1774 - Myers served Edenham, Grimsthorpe Chapel, Creeton, Swinstead, Swayfield, Castle Bytham. The feast day 4 o'clock: Mr Marshall - Little Bytham Holywell Morton and Hacconby.