The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1909-04-03

return from the north. he leased
the old Touring mill at Meyers
Falls from the Hudson Bay Com
pany, and, after the treaty be-
tween Great Britain and the
United States, by which the lat
ter government took over the
large Hudson Bay holdings, Mr..
Meyers claimed the lands at the
falls, which bear his name, and
acquired title to them from the
government. He rebuilt the mill
and for many years it was the
only immediate source of the
bread supply for the Colville
region. He also acquired one of
the only two titles to land in Ste
vens county under the old Ore
gon Donation act. After settling
his fortunes in the west he made
haste to rejoin Mrs. Meyers and
their two little sons whom he
left in Canada, and this delight
full reunion took place at Walla
Walla in 1867, from whence they
Immediately came to the Colville
valley, which has since been
their home.
The enterprise Of the subject
of this sketch has always been
in keeping with the necessity of
the times. Besides his grist mill,
a sawmill was installed to fur
nish lumber to the people of the
new and growing country. He
also conducted Il well stocked
general store, and when the town
of Colville was laid out he added
half the land to the plat and ex-
pended large sums in the con-
struction Of buildings for the ac-
commodation of tn e people.
When the railway was extended
to the north he laid out and
founded Meyers Falls, and later,
when these towns had grown
into cities, he placed the power
of the falls in the river at the dis
posal Of the enterprise which now
furnishes electric light and power
to their many people.
Mr.. Meyers was early to de-
clare his loyalty to his adopted
government, and in order that
there might be no mistake as to
his political attitude he allied
himself with the republican
cause. In this decision he was
by no means partisan, but ex-
ercised his right of franchise
with a view to absolute freedom
of conscience. He has several
times served the public in an
official capacity, having twice
been elected county commits
sioner, which trust he is said to
have fulfilled with even greater
care and caution in protection of
the rights of the people than he
exercised in his own business
affairs which he conducted with
a proper regard for honesty and
economy.
He was not a sectarian in re-
ligion, though he was firm in his
belief in the Christian faith. He
was not attached to any creed,
but believed that the truest,
broadest and most-to-be-com-
mended faith was that which
teaches to give our best endeavors
toward aiding, elevating and ben
citing our fellow men; and in all
his private and public life he was
consistent with his convictions.
His inner life was a shining
example Of fidelity to God and to
his family, and he has frequently
been heard to say that he made
it a lifelong practice to never
close his eyes in sleep at night
without feeling the full assurance
that he was then at peace with,
not only the Divine Author of his
being, but with every member of
his household.
He was, at the time of his
death, president the Stevens
County Pioneer Association, a
fitting tribute to the high esteem
in which he was held by those