Josephine (Gorsuch)
Burkholder
(1875- ? )
Josephine (Gorsuch) Burkholder was born on Sept. 17, 1875 at Bidwell, Fayette County, PA the daughter of Richard M. and Sarah (Knight) Gorsuch. When she was about two years old her, mother died, and her father married Martha Minerd. Josie always considered her step-mother more as her real mother.
In 1898, Josie resided at McKees Rocks, near Pittsburgh, PA. That year, in June, she married William Burkholder (1848-1922), son of Daniel and Catharine (Cramer) Burkholder. William was nearly three decades older than his wife. They had two children, Marion C. Burkholder and Jessie Burkholder.
William H. Welfley's
book, the History of Bedford
and Somerset Counties, said that William "received
his prepatory education in the common schools..., subsequently entering Scio
University, Scio, Ohio. After completing his course of study he taught for two
terms in the schools of Lower Turkeyfoot township..." A rare old postcard
photograph of Scio College is seen here. (An interesting irony is that a large,
distant branch of our cousins resided near Scio, and several also attended
the college.)
As
a teacher, William taught some of his wife's family, including young Letitia
(Harbaugh) Stoner. He once signed a 'Reward of Merit' card for Letitia,
which survives today and can be seen here.
After leaving teaching, which likely did not pay much salary, William "then engaged in farming, at the same time following his carpenter's trade," said the Bedford and Somerset history, published in 1906. "He has now, for two years, been in mercantile business in Draketown. Politically he is a Republican."
The Burkholders first resided at Confluence, Somerset County, PA. In March 1912, they relocated to Florida, settling in Bartow, Polk County. In Bartow, they resided on 12 Lemon Street. It's not known why they made the move, but the local chamber of commerce is known to have aggressively promoted the benefits of year-round farming and "winter vegetable gardens."
At
left: old Bartow postcard touting winter vegetable farming.
Josie often corresponded with her stepmother and subscribed to the "home paper," probably the Connellsville Daily Courier.
On March 24, 1922, William died in Bartow, after a decade of residence there. He was buried in the Wildwood Cemetery, with his obituary carried in the Polk County (FL) Record and the Meyersdale (PA) Republican.
Josie outlived her husband by many decades.
She returned to her old home occasionally to visit her Gorsuch, Minerd and
Harbaugh relatives. In August 1924, she was one of 82 who attended the annual Minerd-Miner
Reunion held at Lincoln's grove, near the
Western Maryland Railroad Station in Confluence. In an article about the
reunion, the Meyersdale Republican reported: "A very successful and pleasant reunion of
the Minard family was held ... Among those present were Mrs. Josie Burkholder of Bartow, Florida, and Mrs.
E.A. Taft of Glenwood Springs,
Colorado. Both ladies left for their respective homes on Sunday. A fine picnic
dinner was partaken of at 12:30 p.m., after L.L. Mountain invoked a blessing."
In August 1957, Josie is known to have traveled north to celebrate her beloved step-mother's 100th birthday. During the trip, Josie attended the annual Harbaugh Reunion, and received the award for the "Farthest Traveled."
Josie's fate after that is unknown.
There were many connections between the Burkholder and Minerd-Miner-Minor families over the years. William's cousin and 'foster' sister, Mary Magdalene Whipkey, later married David Harbaugh. William's nephew Daniel McKinley Burkholder married Kathryn Miner, daughter of William H. and Sara Jane (Basinger) Miner. William's niece Rebecca Burkholder married Otis 'Freed' Minerd, son of Lawson and Lutitia (Steyer) Minerd. Another relative, Ida Burkholder, married James 'Frank' Younkin.
Copyright © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 Mark A. Miner