Born on November 22, 1871 in Johnson County, Texas, Samuel Dale Myres was the son of David Rittenhouse and Mary Jane Dale Myres. The oldest of six children, Myres opened the S. D. Myres Saddle Company in Sweetwater, Texas, in 1898. He was involved in many civic organizations including serving as president of the Sweetwater Commercial Club, serving on the local school board from 1914-1915, and being the mayor of Sweetwater from 1908-1911. In 1920, Myres moved his company to El Paso, Texas. The company became famous for its superior craftsmanship and Myres mingled with many famous western actors and personalities of his day. Myres's marriage to Drusa Rogers produced three children-S. D. Jr., William James, and Melrose, and his second marriage to Eva Forkner resulted in no offspring. In 1953, Myres passed away and was buried in El Paso.
The Handbook of Texas has published a more in-depth online biography of Samuel Dale Myres at http://www.tsha.untexas.edu/handbook/online/search.html
From the guide to the S. D. Myres Saddle Company Records, S 744. 1., 1898-1969 and undated, (Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University)
