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.
CHARTS AND PICS
( CONT .)
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

After High School like most men he joined the Military to fight
name was Charles William Meyers, and his mothers name was Levina Ashley.
in World War II. He joined the US Navy and became a Radioman.
His father moved the family to Detroit when he was two years old, for his
He served on the USS Leyte which was an aircraft carrier. He was
father had a new job at the Detroit GM Plant. This was a vital roll in my
also part of the 1 million man group at Quadjeline to invade japan for
grandfathers upbringing because during the great depression the automobile
the vengeance of Pearl Harbor. Although as devastating as it was, the
plants were the only thing that was surviving and still providing jobs. His
Atom bombs allowed most of the people you see everyday to even be
mother was a stay at home mom, typical nuclear family from back then. Both
alive. My grandfather told me a story of a near death Experience he
of his parents were of German Decent. Grandpa says, “I grew up like I was
had on board the USS Leyte. On a foggy night he was walking across
one of the little rascals.” He claimed he and his friends at the age of 8 would be
the flight deck and claims he couldn’t see his hand in front of his face,
playing stickball and rolling dice in the streets and alleys of downtown Detroit.
he couldn’t recall what it was but there was a reason he had to go
Something you absolutely would not see in this day and age anywhere, not even
across the flight deck for something. While walking slow and taking
Boone! The manager of the old Woolworth Store called the police on him and
his time he all of a sudden finds himself falling off the side of the ship
his friends for gambling in front of the store at the age of 10. At the age of 14
without warning and reaches out and barely grabs ahold of a cargo net
he had his own newspaper route. He bought a .22 long rifle with the money he
hanging off the side of the flight deck. He pulls himself up and then
made of his routes, and now that gun is in mint condition and he has given it to
crawls to the nearest hatch he could find. Thank god for cargo nets!
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.
(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.

. 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
Even Today I can point out a sign and he can rattle off a bunch of “dits”
Commission to aid in the reopening of the JFK assassination,
and “dahs” like he was a machine. He says he was known as one of the
he declined this [prestigious opportunity due to that he had a
fastest Morse Code transmitters in the Navy, which I'm assuming is why he
family to support that was more important to him than the
was chosen to train the new recruits. After the Korean War he came home
bureaucracy of doing the JFK investigation. Over his lifetime
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
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
Nancy would buy a house and fix it up and sell it. Moving all those kids
his third book, two of which are all about his cases and
sounds like it would be a hassle but he says that it wasn't that hard at all, he
experiences as a forensic expert.
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
N A N CY M EY ERS (SM IT H )
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

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
mother became severely ill and left my grandmother in charge of taking care of
them warm, of course they wouldn’t last all night but it still
the housewife responsibilities and the care of the other children. Taking on all
gave comfort in falling asleep in hoping that they would stay
of these responsibilities on her own, while her mom was sick and her father was
asleep longer before waking up to the coldness. When her
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
father would come home and bring his harvest, they would go
up through the Great Depression as many many people were. As a young girl
to town and exchange and barter with baskets of sugar beets for
she and her brother would be seen walking along the railroad tracks looking for
whatever they may need. She got a job as a waitress at Tassies
coal that might have fallen from passing trains. Being in a city with no woods
Tavern, an authentic Italian family-owned restaurant in
around and no money to buy wood that’s brought in, coal was their only form
Detroit. Then one day in walked a dashing Michigan State
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.
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 great grandmother 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” Gerorge Tindall, 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).