Herman Nathan Myers was born in Bayern (Bavaria), Germany on January 18, 1847 to Sigmund and Fanny Myers. As a child Herman immigrated to Bath County, Virginia with his family and later moved to Lynchburg. In 1867 he and his brothers, Sigo and Fred, moved to Savannah.
In Savannah Myers was to become a prominent businessman. He began as a large handler of wool under the firm name of H. Myers and Brothers. Having an interest in tobacco, he also began a cigar manufacturer company. He was president of El Modelo Cigar Manufacturing Company, which later merged with Cuban -American Cigar Manufacturing Company of Tampa and Havana. Later he organized and was president of the Savannah Grocery Company, a wholesale business.
Myers also became involved with banking. He was one of the organizers of the National Bank of Savannah in 1885. The bank would be the tallest building in the city at the time. He was president until his death. In 1886, he served the Oglethorpe Savings and Trust Company as vice-president and President in 1904.
Myers was one of the promoters and organizers of the South Bound Railroad Company, of which he was vice- president until the sale of the property to the Seaboard Air Line Railway Company. He also held positions as an officer in the Savannah and Tybee Railroad and the Tybee Hotel Company. In addition to the Savannah interest he was a member of a syndicate which purchased the Macon Street Railway and Lighting system and became president of the reorganized corporation.
His political career began in 1885 when he was elected Alderman for the City of Savannah. He served as Council Member until 1895. He ran for Mayor of Savannah in 1985 and won the election becoming the first Jewish mayor of Savannah. In 1897 he ran for reelection but lost to Peter Meldrim. The 1899 election brought him back as Mayor. He than continued to win in 1901, 1903 and 1905.
As mayor, Myers oversaw the start of the public library system in Savannah. In 1903 it began in Hodgson Hall of the Georgia Historical Society. He led the building of the Union Station for receiving passengers visiting the city. His crowning achievement has to be the erection of the City Hall building. It replaced the old City Exchange building housing the city government .Myers was the last mayor to hold office in the Exchange and the first in the new City Hall. It was built at near $300,000 with no increase in taxes.
After his 1905 term, Myers was forced to withdraw from municipal affairs due to poor health. In 1908 he traveled to his birthplace in Germany in an effort to rest and restore his health. He returned to Savannah feeling better and his friends tried to persuade him to run for mayor again. He refused the offer. In January of 1909 his health again declined. On March 24, 1909 Herman Myers died at his residence in the DeSoto Hotel.
The Myers Fountain was donated to the City of Savannah by Herman Myers in 1897. It was originally in Forsyth Park. It was damaged and went to storage. Later it was moved to Troup Square and redesigned to be a dog fountain by blacksmith Ivan Bailey. In the present time it is used for the annual interfaith Blessing of the Pets during the Feast of St Francis on October 4.