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Meyers’ family history. By: Thomas McKiernan. Intro .
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Meyers’ family history By: Thomas McKiernan
Intro • My grandparents were Charles Russel Meyers and Nancy Smith (meyers). They both grew up in Detroit and went through the historical and cultural changes presented during World War II and The Great Depression. Both of these event played a significant role on the upbringing of America. Many events took place during these periods of time that made America what it is today.
the Great depression • In October 1929 the stock market crashed, wiping out 40 percent of the paper values of common stock. Even after the stock market collapse, however, politicians and industry leaders continued to issue optimistic predictions for the nation's economy. But the Depression deepened, confidence evaporated and many lost their life savings. By 1933 the value of stock on the New York Stock Exchange was less than a fifth of what it had been at its peak in 1929. Business houses closed their doors, factories shut down and banks failed. Farm income fell some 50 percent. By 1932 approximately one out of every four Americans was unemployed.
wwII World War II killed more people, involved more nations, and cost more money than any other war in history. Altogether, 70 million people served in the armed forces during the war and 17 million combatants died. Civilian deaths were ever greater. At least 19 million Soviet civilians, 10 million Chinese, and 6 million European Jews lost their lives during the war. World War II cost the United States a million casualties and nearly 400,000 deaths. In both domestic and foreign affairs, its consequences were far-reaching. It ended the Depression, brought millions of married women into the workforce, initiated sweeping changes in the lives of the nation's minority groups, and dramatically expanded government's presence in American life.
Charles Russell Meyers a.k.a. grandpa • Grandpa was born on Sep 9th, 1926 in Columbus, Ohio. His fathers name was Charles William Meyers, and his mothers name was Levina Ashley. His father moved the family to Detroit when he was two years old, for his father had a new job at the Detroit GM Plant. This was a vital roll in my grandfathers upbringing because during the great depression the automobile plants were the only thing that was surviving and still providing jobs. His mother was a stay at home mom, typical nuclear family from back then. Both of his parents were of German Decent. Grandpa says, “I grew up like I was one of the little rascals.” He claimed he and his friends at the age of 8 would be playing stickball and rolling dice in the streets and alleys of downtown Detroit. Something you absolutely would not see in this day and age anywhere, not even Boone! The manager of the old Woolworth Store called the police on him and his friends for gambling in front of the store at the age of 10. At the age of 14 he had his own newspaper route. He bought a .22 long rifle with the money he made of his routes, and now that gun is in mint condition and he has given it to me. At the age of 15 or 16, his father whipped him because he found out that he and his buddies were jumping on trains and riding them around Michigan then hitch-hiking or catching another train back to Detroit. • After High School like most men he joined the Military to fight in World War II. He joined the US Navy and became a Radioman. He served on the USS Leyte which was an aircraft carrier. He was also part of the 1 million man group at Quadjeline to invade japan for the vengeance of Pearl Harbor. Although as devastating as it was, the Atom bombs allowed most of the people you see everyday to even be alive. My grandfather told me a story of a near death Experience he had on board the USS Leyte. On a foggy night he was walking across the flight deck and claims he couldn’t see his hand in front of his face, he couldn’t recall what it was but there was a reason he had to go across the flight deck for something. While walking slow and taking his time he all of a sudden finds himself falling off the side of the ship without warning and reaches out and barely grabs ahold of a cargo net hanging off the side of the flight deck. He pulls himself up and then crawls to the nearest hatch he could find. Thank god for cargo nets!
(cont.) • After WWII he was Honorably Discharged and went back home to Michigan. He then joined the Michigan State Police, and not long after that met my Grandmother (Nancy Smith) and married her in a short time. Then he was called back to the Navy for the Korean War, not to fight but to train other prospective Radiomen in the efficiency of Morse Code. Even Today I can point out a sign and he can rattle off a bunch of “dits” and “dahs” like he was a machine. He says he was known as one of the fastest Morse Code transmitters in the Navy, which I'm assuming is why he was chosen to train the new recruits. After the Korean War he came home and had 4 children all within a year or two apart. Kathy, Kim, Kurt, and Kelly. After being on the road for awhile he became a Forensic Scientist at the Michigan state crime lab. This finished out his last 10 years of working there before he retired after 25 years of service. During this time he and Nancy would buy a house and fix it up and sell it. Moving all those kids sounds like it would be a hassle but he says that it wasn't that hard at all, he gives all the credit to Grandma of course for she was the one doing a lot of the fixing up anyhow and also taking care of the kids • . He then took a job as the head director at the Florida Crime lab. At this time he was already known as one if not THE top criminologist and forensic scientist/expert in the Nation. In 76’ He was offered a spot on the Warren Commission to aid in the reopening of the JFK assassination, he declined this [prestigious opportunity due to that he had a family to support that was more important to him than the bureaucracy of doing the JFK investigation. Over his lifetime he testified in over 1000 big cases as a Forensic Expert and field agent. He is now 86 years old living in the mountains of North Carolina, he has a summer home in Florida, and just finished his third book, two of which are all about his cases and experiences as a forensic expert.
Nancy Meyers (smith) aka grandma • My grandmother was born on Feb 2nd, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan. Her father, Melvin Gilbert Smith, was a 3rd generation sugar beet farmer from Canada. Her mother, Roselle Miller, was an English Mennonite from Indiana. My grandmother was the second eldest of 6 children. At he age of 15 her mother became severely ill and left my grandmother in charge of taking care of the housewife responsibilities and the care of the other children. Taking on all of these responsibilities on her own, while her mom was sick and her father was on the farm, and through the Great Depression all at once. This all really opened up my eyes to how strong she really was. They were very poor growing up through the Great Depression as many many people were. As a young girl she and her brother would be seen walking along the railroad tracks looking for coal that might have fallen from passing trains. Being in a city with no woods around and no money to buy wood that’s brought in, coal was their only form of heat through the cold Detroit winters. They had no hot water, she would heat water over the stove to bathe with. She would do this for the family single handedly. • With no heat in the “bedrooms”, my grandmother would place rocks on the stovetop throughout the days and then place these “hot rocks” in the sheets of her siblings beds to keep them warm, of course they wouldn’t last all night but it still gave comfort in falling asleep in hoping that they would stay asleep longer before waking up to the coldness. When her father would come home and bring his harvest, they would go to town and exchange and barter with baskets of sugar beets for whatever they may need. She got a job as a waitress at Tassies Tavern, an authentic Italian family-owned restaurant in Detroit. Then one day in walked a dashing Michigan State Police officer by the name of Charles and swept her off her feet and from then on…history. She was also a stay at home mom and avid gardener and cook. Very Family oriented and “nuclear.”
The plate • My Grandmas Grandmother was a servant to the Queen of England, Queen Victoria. She was the monarch of the UK and Ireland from 1837 until her death in 1901. When my great great greatgrandmother was to get married, Queen Victoria gave her a plate as a weeding gift. This plate has been handed down to the eldest daughter ever since, it now belongs to my mother who will be the 6th generation to have possession of it. I now learn that since my mother has no daughters, that I will be given the honor of holding onto it when she passes, and I will carry on the artifact and give it to my eldest daughter. I am thrilled that I get to become a part of something that’s over 100 years old.
The end • My Grandparents were married for 55 years. In my eyes they are role models not only for me but for the entire world to use. My grandmother died on April 7th, 2007. It was Easter Sunday, the day of Resurrection, she will be missed dearly by all. R.I.P. Nancy Meyers
Secondary sources • Tindall, George. “America: A Narrative History” GerorgeTindall, David Emory Shi, Brief 8th edition 2010. Norton and company, NY. • Knapp, Donna Evans. “From the Soup Lines to World War II.” Xlibris Corp. 2011. USA • Nash, Gerald D. “The Great Depression and World War II: Organizing America, 1933-1945.” University of New Mexico, Vincent P. Carosso. St. Martins Press, NY, USA 1979. • Hillstrom, Kevin. “The Great “Depression and the New Deal.” Omnigraphics, Detroit, USA. 2009. • Cooper, Michael. “Dust To Eat: Drought and Depression in the 1930’s” Clarion Books, NY, USA, 2004.
Primary Sources • McKiernan, Kim. (Mother) interview by Thomas McKiernan on March 31, 2012. • Meyers, Charles. (Grandfather) Interview by Thomas McKiernan on April 1st, 2012. • “Google images” Last accesed April 28, 2012 www.google.com/search...... (Great Depression, WWII, Queen Victoria).