Cecelia (Gorsuch) Zearfoss
(1899-1967)
Martha
"Cecelia" (Gorsuch) Zearfoss was
born in January 1899 at Maple Summit, Fayette County, PA, the youngest daughter
of Richard M. and Martha (Minerd) Gorsuch.
Her husband Frank, seen here, and her brother Floyd
Gorsuch, were among many Minerd-Miner-Minor cousins to die in
coal, coke and steel accidents.
As a teenager, Cecelia gave birth to a son, Wilbur S. "Bert" Buzzard Jr. The boy later was adopted by his stepfather, and took the name "Bert Zearfoss."
In 1916, Cecelia served as secretary of the local Maple Summit Church.
Cecelia married Frank Zearfoss (1898-1937), the son of Ellwood Zearfoss. They had a son, Robert Zearfoss.
The Zearfosses
apparently enjoyed family gatherings and are known to have attended the
1920 Minerd Reunion at Ohiopyle, Fayette County, PA. They are seen here
together at the 1920 event, standing on the steps of the old Ferncliff Hotel.
(To see a full-image of the entire group photo, click
here.) In 1927, Frank was a guest speaker
at the clan's reunion, held at Confluence Park in Confluence, Somerset County. He also was
named to a committee to organize the 1928 reunion at Confluence and the 1930
gathering at Shady Grove Park in Uniontown, PA.
Frank worked on and off over the years as a
brakeman on the railroad. Fatefully, he also labored as a coal miner. In about 1931, they resided at Stoystown, Somerset
County.
Tragedy rocked the family in the waning days of September 1937 when Frank was killed at work in a coal mine accident. He was "crushed to death ... in a rock fall at the Royal Quemahoning mine [of near Stoystown]," said the Somerset Daily American. "He was pronounced dead by a physician upon being removed from the fall." Little else about the accident is known.
Frank was buried at a Lutheran church cemetery in New Centerville, Somerset County.
Cecelia outlived her husband by three decades.
During World War II, son Bert served in Europe with the U.S. Armed Forces. News about him was published in a hometown newsletter, The Messenger, edited by a cousin, Ferne (Minerd) Work. A Messenger article in November 1944 reported that:
Bert Zearfoss, of Somerset, ... has had a thrilling experience that we feel you all would enjoy hearing about. Bert has been with the ground forces of the AAF for several years and during this time he has the thrilling experience of living on the grounds of Mussolini's castle for a time. He saw the Il Duce's sister coming and going from the magnificent rendezvous of the former dictator of Italy.
Seen here,
Cecelia is seated at right with
her mother on the left holding a great-great granddaughter, Kim Neave, circa
1959.
Cecelia passed away in 1967.
Cecelia was buried beside her husband at New
Centerville, after a separation of 30 years. Their grave plot not far from her mother's.
Daughter in law Helen Zearfoss authored a number of historical articles for the Somerset Daily American newspaper during the 1990s.
Copyright © 2000, 2002, 2006 Mark A. Miner