Patriarch and Patriot
With Martha Bennet (1763-1851)
My fourth great-grandparents, beginning of the Myers lineage that includes my mother.
Early Life
Philip Myers was born on 3 Nov. 1759, and baptized 28 Nov. in St. Stephen Catholic Church in Mainz, Germany.
Philip’s precise birth date and place, and some details of his immigration, are found, in his own words, in his application for a Revolutionary War pension, dated 1832. He recounted that he immigrated with his parents in 1766, when he was six years old. The family landed in Philadelphia, and soon moved to Frederick County, Maryland colony. There, a community of Germans was rebuilding in the vicinity of Creagerstown, following a devastating raid during the French and Indian War.
Revolutionary War
By his sworn account, Philip served three two-month tours with the Maryland militia. During the first tour, he was assigned to guard Hessian prisoners of war, making use of his native German language. On the second tour, he saw combat in the Battle of Germantown 4 Oct 1777. Lastly, near the end of the war, he helped guard the current site of Washington DC, then guarded Tory prisoners in Frederick Town.
Pennsylvania
In 1785, Philip Myers moved from Maryland to a rapidly growing frontier community known as the Wyoming Valley, in Luzerne County, PA. His brother Lawrence received a land grant as an army officer, and became a respected community leader. As only a militiaman, Philip did not get a veteran’s land grant. However, like his brother, he married a daughter of one of the area’s true pioneers, and through hard work and good luck, developed a thriving farm and a travelers’ inn. The illustration above was published in the 19th century depicting the original home and inn of Philip Myers. It is unknown whether it was drawn while the building stood, or from memory or descriptions.
On 15 July 1787, Philip Myers and Martha Bennet were married. She was born 15 Jan 1763 in Rhode Island colony. As mentioned, she was the daughter of Thomas Bennet, one of the original forty pioneers for whom “Forty Fort” was named. In Martha’s early life she witnessed the Yankee-Pennamite wars, Indian raids, and the bloody Battle of Wyoming on 3 Jul 1778. As a local “elder,” after Philip’s death, Martha’s anecdotes (at times exaggerated) found their way into several published histories of the area.
Philip and Martha raised ten children to adulthood. The eldest son William and third son Lawrence (my third great-grandfather) moved west to Ohio, where they founded a new town, Sunbury, that thrives to this day. Others remained in Luzerne County and became community leaders.
Philip’s youngest daughter, Harriet, married her cousin Madison Myers, of Frederick County, Maryland. Together, they inherited the Philip Myers farm near Forty Fort, which stayed in the family for several generations. Philip and Martha, along with dozens of family members, were buried at Forty Fort cemetery.
In June 1972, northeastern Pennsylvania was struck by Hurricane Agnes. The resulting flood destroyed a large section of Forty Fort cemetery. Hundreds of the earliest graves were swept away, including those of Philip Myers and his immediate family.
Cenotaphs (monuments without graves) were placed in a newer part of the cemetery.
