J. E. Meyers
J. Edward Meyers was an American insurance salesman, philanthropist, and politician and the 27th mayor of Minneapolis.
Early life and education
Meyers was born on December 22, 1862, in Dayton, Ohio. He was educated in local schools in Dayton and moved to Minnesota in 1882, living for a time in Duluth, St. Paul, and finally moving to Minneapolis in 1888. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School.Career
After moving to Minneapolis in 1888, Meyers began a career in the insurance business with Aetna. In 1918, Meyers ran for mayor on a patriotic platform supporting America's soldiers in World War I dubbed the "Loyalty Party." He defeated socialist incumbent Thomas Van Lear and served for a single term, working particularly hard to ensure returning military veterans were able to find housing and jobs. He did not run for re-election but later became involved in the city's board of education and board of estimate.Meyers served as the Minnesota manager of Aetna for 28 years. From 1925 to 1931, he was a member of the board of education and from 1931 to 1935, he was a member of the estimate board. He proposed a state song for Minnesota and advocated for the restoration of Minnehaha Falls by cementing its creek bed.