Joseph A. Meyers was a stonecutter

Stonecutter

A Stonecutter is a person who carries on the trade of stonecutting or stonemasonry.Stonecutter or Stonecutters may also refer to:* Stonecutter, one of twelve magical Swords in the Books of the Swords series...

 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...

 who served one term as a Populist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Wisconsin State Assembly

The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....

 from Milwaukee.

Background

Meyers was born in the city of Milwaukee, September 13, 1860; received a common school education, and became a stonecutter. He lived in Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...

 in 1880; in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

 briefly in 1881; and in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

 for part of 1883-1884, before returning to his native city. Milwaukee's city Board of Public Works

Public works

Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...

 appointed him superintendent of new public schools on October 3, 1886.

Legislative service

Meyers was elected to the Assembly for Milwaukee's Sixth Assembly District (the sixth and thirteenth wards of the City of Milwaukee) in 1886 on the Populist ticket, receiving 2,252 votes against 1,217 votes for Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 Paul Vogt; incumbent John Lagrand

John Lagrand

John Lagrand was a Republican member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee for one term , representing the Sixth Assembly district of Milwaukee County ....

 (a Republican) was not on the ballot. Meyers was assigned to the standing committee

Standing Committee

In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...

 on Federal Relations. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1888, being succeeded by Republican Christopher Raesser

Christopher Raesser

Christopher S. Raesser was a commission merchant and a Republican member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee....

.