Pike Township Family Stories
JACK AND LORETTA MEYERS FAMILY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 257
By Loretta Brenneman MeyersJack Meyers and Loretta Meyers have both lived in Pike township their entire lives. They were married at the Methodist church in Nichols and reside at R.R. #2 Box 127, three miles northeast of Nichols, on what was known as the Geirse farm.
In 1894 Henry Geirse and Sophia Geirse and their family moved to this farm from El Reno, Oklahoma, in a covered wagon. Most of the farming ground then was timber, and they gradually cleared it and sold cord wood to make a living. In 1925 the old house that was on the farm was torn down and as much lumber as possible was reused to build the house that is on the farm today. It was built by Charley Geirse, Adolph Geirse and George Geirse.
Charley Geirse lived on this farm almost fifty years and married Laura Chapman, who is a cousin to Jack’s father, Clinton Meyers. A sister of the Geirse brothers, Annie Geirse, married Gus Meyers, a brother to Clinton’s father, Henry. As far as we know, the only other people to have lived on this farm were the Ed Walkers, now from Kentucky, and the Robert DeRiemackers of rural Nichols.
Jack Meyers is the son of Clinton Meyers and Uneta Flater Meyers of West Liberty. His grandparents were Henry Meyers and Lizzie Deahr Meyers and Guy Flater and Florence Stephens Flater. He started school at Union No. 7, rural West Liberty, and was the lone student in his class most of the years until seventh grade, when he went to Nichols Public school. He graduated, after which he served six months with the Army Reserves. The remainder of his life work has been farming. He is on the Board of Directors of the Muscatine County Mutual Insurance Association. Jack has one sister, Patti Hamann of Forest Park, Illinois.
Loretta Meyers is the daughter of Paul Brenneman and Adeline Rathjen Brenneman of rural Nichols. She was the granddaughter of Jesse Brenneman and Elsie Houser Brenneman and Albert Rathjen and Alvina Schiesser Rathjen. She first attended school at the Buffalo Bluff school and then at Nichols, where she graduated. She was employed as a bookkeeper with the Singer Sewing Machine company until her marriage. Loretta is a Sunday school teacher, and the family attends the Cedar Valley United Methodist church, rural West Liberty. She has three sisters, Wanda Campbell of Marion, Iowa, Lola Buesing of Davenport, Iowa, and Virginia Swartzendruber of Lone Tree.
Jack and Loretta are the parents of four children:
Jon Scott Meyers attended school at Nichols through the sixth grade, then went to West Liberty and graduated from there. He married the former Lanett Nebergall, daughter of Bryan Nebergall of rural West Liberty at the Methodist church in West Liberty. Lanett and Jon are engaged in farming and live at R.R. #2 Box 167, West Liberty. Lanett is the receptionist at the West Liberty State bank.
Jay Patrick also attended Nichols school through sixth grade, going on the West Liberty where he graduated. He married Wendy Swenka, daughter of John Swenka and Jean Swenka of Iowa City, at St. Mary’s Catholic church in Iowa City. They are also engaged in farming and live at R.R. #2 Box 195, West Liberty. Wendy is employed as a secretary at the Hills Bank and Trust.
One New Year’s eve, Jennifer Lyn Meyers arrived. She, too, attended school at Nichols through sixth grade and attended the West Liberty school.
Finally, the youngest, Jared Andrew Meyers was born and attended the Nichols school.
May this small bit of information be of some interest to those who read this and the generations to follow.
Return to Family Stories Index Return to Muscatine Co. IAGenWeb, Index Page
Page created December 16, 2010 by Lynn McCleary