CHIEF THOMAS ALFORD MYERS
FORMER FIRE CHIEF TO BE BURIED AFTER 50 YEARS' SERVICE
Thomas Myers' Career
Paralleled History Of
Dallas Department
With twenty uniformed men accompanying the body from his home to the church and with members of the department serving as pallbearers, Dallas' fire department will pay tribute to the memory of Retired Chief Thomas A. Myers at funeral rites for him Thursday.
Services will be held at 4 p.m. at the Full Gospel Church, Peak and Garland, with the Rev. Floyd L. Hawkins officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, where Tannehill Masonic Lodge will conduct rites at the grave.
Chief Myers, whose commanding figure and booming voice became synonymous with fire fighting during the nearly fifty years that he served the department, died at 9 a.m. Wednesday at his home, 5709 Columbia. He retired on pension in 1927 and later was for two years adviser to the department. One of the first fire department leaders in the Southwest really to emphasize the importance of fire prevention, Chief Myers developed a system of inspection of business houses, kept part of his men advising owners about hazards, and obtained pamphlets on fire prevention and distributed them in schools.
Pallbearers will be Fire Chief Sidney E. Hansen, Fire Marshal L. M. Funk, District Chief H. H. Craig, Capt. O. E. Banks, Lieut., M. G. Allen and Fireman W. L. Scott.
OLDEST CITY EMPLOYEE
When he retired, chief Myers was the oldest employee of the city in point of continuous service. He was chief emeritus when he died.
Born Sept. 20, 1860 at Byhalia, Miss., Chief Myers moved when he was 6 years old with his family to Texas, settling on a farm east of Dallas, twelve years later moving into the city. When he became 18 years old he joined the old volunteer fire department of which W. C. (Bud) Connor was chief. On June 25, 1885, when the volunteer department was organized into a paid department he was promoted to assistant engineer of No. 2, Commerce near Hawkins. Six months later, he was transferred to Engine Company No. 1, Commerce and Lamar, where the Dallas News Building now stands. In 1889, he was transferred to Hose Company No. 1, located on what now is the Technical High School property.
PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN
After serving there one year as driver, he was promoted to captain of a company under Chief Thomas Wilkinson. A year later, in 1891, he was elected assistant chief of the department during the administration of Mayor Frank P. Holland, but in 1895, he was defeated for this position by John W. Ryan, later chief of police. He was offered the choice of captaincies in the department and took the leadership of Engine Company No. 2
Six months later, he was transferred to Engine Company No. 4, Commerce near Akard, the present site of the Hotel Adolphus. He was captain of that company until May 15, 1902 when he was again appointed assistant chief by Commissioner Bennett Hill. He served under Chief H. F. Magee until April 17, 1919 when he was named chief during the administration of Mayor Frank W. Wozencraft. Col. L. E. Magee was Police and Fire Commissioner when he was appointed chief.
INJURED THREE TIMES
Three times was Chief Myers injured. the first was in 1884, when one of his horses knocked him down and trampled on him, laying him up for three months. While answering an alarm in 1916, he figured in a collision with a streetcar and was out of commission sixty days. Thirty days after returning to work he was fighting a fire in the old gas plant at Hoard and Freeman and fell into a trench. Another man who was groping in the dark looking for him fell on top of him, breaking several of Chief Myers' ribs.
Chief Myers' firs experience was with the old hand-hauled reels. He saw the advent of the wagon reel, then the horse-drawn hose wagon and witnessed the development of fire-fighting equipment into its modern stage. Risking his life in saving others from death was a routine matter with him.
Surviving Chief Myers are his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Huey Williams, and two sisters, Mrs. Fred Eiting and Mrs. Ella Harris.
Dallas Morning News
Transcribed by Carol Moore
June 18, 1936
Dallas, Texas
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
D. cert: parents, Absalom Myers and Mattie Nesbitt. Spouse: Annie M. Myers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thanks very much to Tom White for the photos he has taken in Oakland Cemetery and shared here.
FORMER FIRE CHIEF TO BE BURIED AFTER 50 YEARS' SERVICE
Thomas Myers' Career
Paralleled History Of
Dallas Department
With twenty uniformed men accompanying the body from his home to the church and with members of the department serving as pallbearers, Dallas' fire department will pay tribute to the memory of Retired Chief Thomas A. Myers at funeral rites for him Thursday.
Services will be held at 4 p.m. at the Full Gospel Church, Peak and Garland, with the Rev. Floyd L. Hawkins officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, where Tannehill Masonic Lodge will conduct rites at the grave.
Chief Myers, whose commanding figure and booming voice became synonymous with fire fighting during the nearly fifty years that he served the department, died at 9 a.m. Wednesday at his home, 5709 Columbia. He retired on pension in 1927 and later was for two years adviser to the department. One of the first fire department leaders in the Southwest really to emphasize the importance of fire prevention, Chief Myers developed a system of inspection of business houses, kept part of his men advising owners about hazards, and obtained pamphlets on fire prevention and distributed them in schools.
Pallbearers will be Fire Chief Sidney E. Hansen, Fire Marshal L. M. Funk, District Chief H. H. Craig, Capt. O. E. Banks, Lieut., M. G. Allen and Fireman W. L. Scott.
OLDEST CITY EMPLOYEE
When he retired, chief Myers was the oldest employee of the city in point of continuous service. He was chief emeritus when he died.
Born Sept. 20, 1860 at Byhalia, Miss., Chief Myers moved when he was 6 years old with his family to Texas, settling on a farm east of Dallas, twelve years later moving into the city. When he became 18 years old he joined the old volunteer fire department of which W. C. (Bud) Connor was chief. On June 25, 1885, when the volunteer department was organized into a paid department he was promoted to assistant engineer of No. 2, Commerce near Hawkins. Six months later, he was transferred to Engine Company No. 1, Commerce and Lamar, where the Dallas News Building now stands. In 1889, he was transferred to Hose Company No. 1, located on what now is the Technical High School property.
PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN
After serving there one year as driver, he was promoted to captain of a company under Chief Thomas Wilkinson. A year later, in 1891, he was elected assistant chief of the department during the administration of Mayor Frank P. Holland, but in 1895, he was defeated for this position by John W. Ryan, later chief of police. He was offered the choice of captaincies in the department and took the leadership of Engine Company No. 2
Six months later, he was transferred to Engine Company No. 4, Commerce near Akard, the present site of the Hotel Adolphus. He was captain of that company until May 15, 1902 when he was again appointed assistant chief by Commissioner Bennett Hill. He served under Chief H. F. Magee until April 17, 1919 when he was named chief during the administration of Mayor Frank W. Wozencraft. Col. L. E. Magee was Police and Fire Commissioner when he was appointed chief.
INJURED THREE TIMES
Three times was Chief Myers injured. the first was in 1884, when one of his horses knocked him down and trampled on him, laying him up for three months. While answering an alarm in 1916, he figured in a collision with a streetcar and was out of commission sixty days. Thirty days after returning to work he was fighting a fire in the old gas plant at Hoard and Freeman and fell into a trench. Another man who was groping in the dark looking for him fell on top of him, breaking several of Chief Myers' ribs.
Chief Myers' firs experience was with the old hand-hauled reels. He saw the advent of the wagon reel, then the horse-drawn hose wagon and witnessed the development of fire-fighting equipment into its modern stage. Risking his life in saving others from death was a routine matter with him.
Surviving Chief Myers are his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Huey Williams, and two sisters, Mrs. Fred Eiting and Mrs. Ella Harris.
Dallas Morning News
Transcribed by Carol Moore
June 18, 1936
Dallas, Texas
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
D. cert: parents, Absalom Myers and Mattie Nesbitt. Spouse: Annie M. Myers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thanks very much to Tom White for the photos he has taken in Oakland Cemetery and shared here.
CHIEF THOMAS ALFORD MYERS
FORMER FIRE CHIEF TO BE BURIED AFTER 50 YEARS' SERVICE
Thomas Myers' Career
Paralleled History Of
Dallas Department
With twenty uniformed men accompanying the body from his home to the church and with members of the department serving as pallbearers, Dallas' fire department will pay tribute to the memory of Retired Chief Thomas A. Myers at funeral rites for him Thursday.
Services will be held at 4 p.m. at the Full Gospel Church, Peak and Garland, with the Rev. Floyd L. Hawkins officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, where Tannehill Masonic Lodge will conduct rites at the grave.
Chief Myers, whose commanding figure and booming voice became synonymous with fire fighting during the nearly fifty years that he served the department, died at 9 a.m. Wednesday at his home, 5709 Columbia. He retired on pension in 1927 and later was for two years adviser to the department. One of the first fire department leaders in the Southwest really to emphasize the importance of fire prevention, Chief Myers developed a system of inspection of business houses, kept part of his men advising owners about hazards, and obtained pamphlets on fire prevention and distributed them in schools.
Pallbearers will be Fire Chief Sidney E. Hansen, Fire Marshal L. M. Funk, District Chief H. H. Craig, Capt. O. E. Banks, Lieut., M. G. Allen and Fireman W. L. Scott.
OLDEST CITY EMPLOYEE
When he retired, chief Myers was the oldest employee of the city in point of continuous service. He was chief emeritus when he died.
Born Sept. 20, 1860 at Byhalia, Miss., Chief Myers moved when he was 6 years old with his family to Texas, settling on a farm east of Dallas, twelve years later moving into the city. When he became 18 years old he joined the old volunteer fire department of which W. C. (Bud) Connor was chief. On June 25, 1885, when the volunteer department was organized into a paid department he was promoted to assistant engineer of No. 2, Commerce near Hawkins. Six months later, he was transferred to Engine Company No. 1, Commerce and Lamar, where the Dallas News Building now stands. In 1889, he was transferred to Hose Company No. 1, located on what now is the Technical High School property.
PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN
After serving there one year as driver, he was promoted to captain of a company under Chief Thomas Wilkinson. A year later, in 1891, he was elected assistant chief of the department during the administration of Mayor Frank P. Holland, but in 1895, he was defeated for this position by John W. Ryan, later chief of police. He was offered the choice of captaincies in the department and took the leadership of Engine Company No. 2
Six months later, he was transferred to Engine Company No. 4, Commerce near Akard, the present site of the Hotel Adolphus. He was captain of that company until May 15, 1902 when he was again appointed assistant chief by Commissioner Bennett Hill. He served under Chief H. F. Magee until April 17, 1919 when he was named chief during the administration of Mayor Frank W. Wozencraft. Col. L. E. Magee was Police and Fire Commissioner when he was appointed chief.
INJURED THREE TIMES
Three times was Chief Myers injured. the first was in 1884, when one of his horses knocked him down and trampled on him, laying him up for three months. While answering an alarm in 1916, he figured in a collision with a streetcar and was out of commission sixty days. Thirty days after returning to work he was fighting a fire in the old gas plant at Hoard and Freeman and fell into a trench. Another man who was groping in the dark looking for him fell on top of him, breaking several of Chief Myers' ribs.
Chief Myers' firs experience was with the old hand-hauled reels. He saw the advent of the wagon reel, then the horse-drawn hose wagon and witnessed the development of fire-fighting equipment into its modern stage. Risking his life in saving others from death was a routine matter with him.
Surviving Chief Myers are his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Huey Williams, and two sisters, Mrs. Fred Eiting and Mrs. Ella Harris.
Dallas Morning News
Transcribed by Carol Moore
June 18, 1936
Dallas, Texas
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
D. cert: parents, Absalom Myers and Mattie Nesbitt. Spouse: Annie M. Myers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thanks very much to Tom White for the photos he has taken in Oakland Cemetery and shared here.
FORMER FIRE CHIEF TO BE BURIED AFTER 50 YEARS' SERVICE
Thomas Myers' Career
Paralleled History Of
Dallas Department
With twenty uniformed men accompanying the body from his home to the church and with members of the department serving as pallbearers, Dallas' fire department will pay tribute to the memory of Retired Chief Thomas A. Myers at funeral rites for him Thursday.
Services will be held at 4 p.m. at the Full Gospel Church, Peak and Garland, with the Rev. Floyd L. Hawkins officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, where Tannehill Masonic Lodge will conduct rites at the grave.
Chief Myers, whose commanding figure and booming voice became synonymous with fire fighting during the nearly fifty years that he served the department, died at 9 a.m. Wednesday at his home, 5709 Columbia. He retired on pension in 1927 and later was for two years adviser to the department. One of the first fire department leaders in the Southwest really to emphasize the importance of fire prevention, Chief Myers developed a system of inspection of business houses, kept part of his men advising owners about hazards, and obtained pamphlets on fire prevention and distributed them in schools.
Pallbearers will be Fire Chief Sidney E. Hansen, Fire Marshal L. M. Funk, District Chief H. H. Craig, Capt. O. E. Banks, Lieut., M. G. Allen and Fireman W. L. Scott.
OLDEST CITY EMPLOYEE
When he retired, chief Myers was the oldest employee of the city in point of continuous service. He was chief emeritus when he died.
Born Sept. 20, 1860 at Byhalia, Miss., Chief Myers moved when he was 6 years old with his family to Texas, settling on a farm east of Dallas, twelve years later moving into the city. When he became 18 years old he joined the old volunteer fire department of which W. C. (Bud) Connor was chief. On June 25, 1885, when the volunteer department was organized into a paid department he was promoted to assistant engineer of No. 2, Commerce near Hawkins. Six months later, he was transferred to Engine Company No. 1, Commerce and Lamar, where the Dallas News Building now stands. In 1889, he was transferred to Hose Company No. 1, located on what now is the Technical High School property.
PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN
After serving there one year as driver, he was promoted to captain of a company under Chief Thomas Wilkinson. A year later, in 1891, he was elected assistant chief of the department during the administration of Mayor Frank P. Holland, but in 1895, he was defeated for this position by John W. Ryan, later chief of police. He was offered the choice of captaincies in the department and took the leadership of Engine Company No. 2
Six months later, he was transferred to Engine Company No. 4, Commerce near Akard, the present site of the Hotel Adolphus. He was captain of that company until May 15, 1902 when he was again appointed assistant chief by Commissioner Bennett Hill. He served under Chief H. F. Magee until April 17, 1919 when he was named chief during the administration of Mayor Frank W. Wozencraft. Col. L. E. Magee was Police and Fire Commissioner when he was appointed chief.
INJURED THREE TIMES
Three times was Chief Myers injured. the first was in 1884, when one of his horses knocked him down and trampled on him, laying him up for three months. While answering an alarm in 1916, he figured in a collision with a streetcar and was out of commission sixty days. Thirty days after returning to work he was fighting a fire in the old gas plant at Hoard and Freeman and fell into a trench. Another man who was groping in the dark looking for him fell on top of him, breaking several of Chief Myers' ribs.
Chief Myers' firs experience was with the old hand-hauled reels. He saw the advent of the wagon reel, then the horse-drawn hose wagon and witnessed the development of fire-fighting equipment into its modern stage. Risking his life in saving others from death was a routine matter with him.
Surviving Chief Myers are his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Huey Williams, and two sisters, Mrs. Fred Eiting and Mrs. Ella Harris.
Dallas Morning News
Transcribed by Carol Moore
June 18, 1936
Dallas, Texas
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
D. cert: parents, Absalom Myers and Mattie Nesbitt. Spouse: Annie M. Myers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thanks very much to Tom White for the photos he has taken in Oakland Cemetery and shared here.
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