Joseph Pyers
Among the farmers of Holmes County who have by their own industry, assisted by their worthy wives, made a success of their chosen occupation, may be classed Joseph Pyers. He is a native of this county, born in Hardy Township, August 20, 1828, a son of James and Hester (Buckmaster) Pyers. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, and settled in 1826 in Hardy Twonship on a rented farm of 100 acres, which he bought five years later. He died in 1840, aged forty-four years. The widowed mother is still living at the advanced age of over eight-four years. They had a family of seven children: Joshua, Joseph, Sarah, Jane, Ruth, John and Harrison, two of whom are now deceased.
Joseph Pyers was reared in his native county, which has always been his home. In 1854 he bought 100 acres of his present homestead; in 1870, forty acres; in 1882, 100 acres; and in 1889, twenty-eight acres, having now one of the best farms in the township; and in addition to this, he now owns sixty acres in another part of the township. Starting in life a poor boy (being but twelve years old when his father died), he was compelled to rely on his own exertions, and being the second of the family had to assist in the maintenance of the younger children. He remained on the homestead with his mother until the younger children were old enough to take care of themselves, and then, on 1852, was married to Jane, daughter of William and Esther (McKibbens) Robertson, former of whom was an early settle of Holmes County. Her father died at the age of eight-two years; her mother is still living at the age of seventy-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Pyers have had a family of seven children: James H., born December 30, 1853; John Wesley, November 7, 1855; William Smith, September 15, 1858; Meriby, March 21, 1861; Amos M., September 23, 1863; Joshua Adolphus, December 2, 1866; and Elmer Franklin, December 22, 1874. Mr. Pyers is a Republican; Mrs. Pyers is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889