HoehmTown Happenings

William Henry Myers: A Remarkable Life

As we conclude “Black History Month” we turn our attention to a man who lived a remarkable life, journeying from slavery in the South to a new life in Nyack where he became a stalwart of the community. Unfortunately, William Henry Myers, whose story should be known by every Rockland County resident,  has been largely forgotten by most.

As a fitting tribute to close out Black History month, let’s take a look back at a great man, who as historian Carl Nordstrom once wrote, “in the tradition of Frederick Douglass, made himself from slave to man.” Myers may have begun his life as a slave, but he went on to become a civil rights pioneer in his own right, a warrior who served and was wounded in the Civil War fighting for the Union, and a groundbreaking and honorable public servant. His story is one of incredible determination, courage, resiliency, and triumph.

William Henry Myers was born into slavery on a cotton plantation in Virginia on August 17, 1848. Not much is known of his early life, which was spent working on a southern plantation as a slave.  Records show that in 1860, he was sold from his plantation in Virginia to another in Louisiana, where he labored for three years. On June 2, 1863, at the age of fifteen, Myers somehow managed to escape. On the run, Myers sought out General Daniel Ullman (coincidentally, another Rocklander) who was drilling colored Union troops in the nearby area. Myers made his way to their encampment and enlisted, becoming a private and a drummer. He would serve for three years, ultimately at the rank of 1st Sergeant of Company K of the 5th Regiment of the U.S. Colored Troops. During his service, Myers was wounded and captured by the Texas Rangers. Once again, Myers was somehow able to escape from his captors. He returned to his regiment where he continued to fight through the end of the war.

After the Civil War ended, Myers was discharged at the age of seventeen and was appointed as Justice of the Peace for Tallula, Mississippi. Myers was later elected to the same position and wrote that he “hoped to reconcile antagonisms so that harmony, order, peace and goodwill might be the result.” Unfortunately, the initial post-war civil rights progress in the South ended quickly, as the rise of the Klu Klux Klan forced Myers and many other freed slaves to flee to the North. Sometime after 1870, for reasons unknown, Myers and his uncle came to Rockland County and settled in Nyack. It is speculated that he may have been drawn to Rockland because Frederick Douglass had come here in 1872 to speak in Nyack and was well received, suggesting the area would be welcoming to a former slave. The fact that the regimental commander of the  unit Myers served in,  General Daniel Ulman, was from Nyack was perhaps another factor in choosing to relocate here. Regardless of the reasons, Myers settled in Nyack and embarked on yet another chapter in his life.

The 1875 United States Census lists Myers as being a house servant to a white family in Nyack, a town experiencing exponential growth in the 1870s and 1880s. Myers became a stalwart member of the Nyack-based St. Phillip AME Zion Church, eventually leading the efforts to build a new church. As an elder and leader in the congregation, Myers was recognized in 1909 at a celebration commemorating the 49th anniversary of the church. Myers was quoted in a local newspaper article explaining the need to flee from his political position in the south. Myers stated, “Having been the victim of Southern outrage myself, having been driven from the polls with a seven-shooter held too close to my head for comfort, for no other offense than giving tickets (ballots) to poor, ignorant negroes and explaining to them, I am anxious to testify as to what made me and thousands more lose all interest in politics while in the South.”

Fortunately, Myers did not lose interest in politics altogether. Upon his arrival in Nyack, he became an active member and participant in the local Republican party. According to local historian Carl Nordstrom, politics in 19th century Rockland was dominated by Democrats, who were part of the establishment of the county and not in sync with the newly arrived freed slaves. The Democrats catered to the wealthy and more established residents, while the Republican Party was less established but more welcoming to the African American community. The Republican party at the time would form political clubs for African Americans as a gateway into voting and organized political activity. In 1880, with the assistance of members of the Republican party, the Nyack Black Grand Army of the Republic Silliman Post # 172 was founded. William Henry Myers was elected as the first commander. In addition, he joined one of the newly formed Republican clubs and became a well-respected leader. With his reputation now firmly established, William Henry Myers had put himself in a position to make history in Rockland County.

In 1888, Myers was nominated for the office of Constable of Orangetown. He ran for the position on the Republican line as the first African American to run for elected office in Rockland County. Unfortunately, his campaign fell short, and Myers came in third place in the voting. He garnered 379 votes, falling behind two other candidates who received, 427 and 567 votes respectively. The fact that Myers had run for office was a sign that much had changed, but his defeat also indicated that we still had a long way to go. One local newspaper, “City and Country,” in its March 17th edition, attributed the Republican party’s poor showing in that election to having Myers on the ballot. Regrettably, Myers was the only African American in the 19th century to run for elective office in Rockland County, and it would be well into the 20th Century before an African American would be officially elected.

Myers remained involved with various political and community groups but never again ran for office. He died on December 17, 1917, at the age of 69, and was buried in Mount Moor in West Nyack. The life of this remarkable man is simply incredible. William Henry Myers deserves far more recognition given all that he overcame and the many leadership roles he achieved. Born a slave, Myers escaped to become a soldier fighting to free others and was promoted to the First Sergeant in his Company. He was appointed and elected as Justice of the Peace in the South and rose to become a leader in his church and the larger community in Rockland County.

But sometime after his death, Myers’s legacy became largely forgotten. It is my hope that by sharing his story as part of our annual recognition of Black History Month, William Henry Myers will be forever remembered as he deserves to be.