|
|
|
Thomas "Ira" Gribble |
Thomas "Ira" Gribble was born in 1877 near
Uniontown, Fayette County, PA, the son of James
and Susan (Murdock) Gribble.
Ira married Elizabeth "Lizzie" T. Hector (1878-1960) in about 1906 and lived in Haddenville circa 1909. (Her maiden name might have been "Nector.")
They had at least eight children -- Homer L. Gribble, Frances E. Hertzog Hennesy, Rebecca Gribble, William E. Gribble, Hildred "Hilda" Freeman, Alice Gribble, Georgianna Santemyre and Thomas Ira Gribble Jr.
The federal census of 1910 shows Ira and Lizzie making their home along the New Salem Road near Haddenville in Menallen Township, Fayette County, with Ira laboring on his own dairy farm. Living next door was Ira's brother Edward and family, also working on their own farm.
By 1920, the Gribbles had moved to a farm "left of the National Road" in Redstone Township, Fayette County, as recorded by the census taker. Ira's occupation that year was as a surveyor for the "M.R.R." (railroad?), and eldest son Homer was a motorman in a local coal mine. The census of 1930 lists Ira, Lizzie and family living in Rowes Run, Redstone Township, and including widowed daughter Frances Hertzog and her young daughter in their home. That year, Ira was a laborer in the railroad shop of a steam rail road.
In July 1930, Ira, Lizzie, daughters Georgianna and Frances, and Frances' four children, attended a McCormick Addition picnic at Areford Park in Hopwood. Said the Uniontown Daily News Standard, "Every one who has ever been a resident of the section is invited to attend and each year brings the renewal of friendships between former neighbors." Lizzie was elected to the executive committee of the reunion association. The following month, the group held an annual corn roast on the Charles Smith farm on the old Pittsburgh road.
Ira passed away in 1932. Details are not yet known.
Elizabeth outlived him by almost three decades. She died in 1960. They rest together for eternity.
~ Daughter Frances (Gribble) Hertzog ~
Daughter Frances E. Gribble (1901- ? ) married coal miner Harry Hertzog (1897- ? ) in about 1918. They had four children -- Minerva Hertzog, Harry E. Hertzog, Bessie Hertzog and Irene Hertzog, born between the years 1919 and 1925.
By 1930, at the age of 29, Frances was widowed, and she and her four children made their residence with her father and mother in Redstone Township. Frances supported her family by working as a payroll clerk at a local coal mine. Near tragedy struck in February 1930 when son Harry, age nine, was "struck by a hit-and-run automobile as he was walking along the National Pike near his home, just east of Brownsville," reported the Uniontown Morning Herald. He "suffered injuries to his face and bruises. The lad was rushed to the Brownsville General Hospital, where his condition is not serious."
By 1977, she was married to (?) Hennesy and living in Bobtown, Greene County, PA.
~ Son Homer L. Gribble ~
Son Homer L. Gribble (1899-1977) married Sarah K. Gribble ( ? -1966). They made their home on Jefferson Avenue in West Brownsville, Fayette County. Their four children were Martha Bulstra (?), Barbara Vance, Elizabeth Hough and John L. Gribble.
Homer was a longtime engineer for the Monessen Southwestern Railroad of the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation. He also was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the California Hill Gun Club.
Sarah passed away in 1966.
Homer outlived her by 11 years. He died at the age of 75 at Brownsville General Hospital on Nov. 11, 1977. Burial was at Lafayette Memorial Cemetery. At his death, Homer was survived by 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
~ Daughter Rebecca Gribble ~
Daughter Rebecca Gribble (1904- ? )
~ Son William E. Gribble ~
Son William E. Gribble (1906- ? ) married Dorothy Reagan (1913- ? ) in about 1928, when he was age 22, and she 15. They had seven children -- William E. Gribble Jr., Homer Gribble, Donna Ockmann, Joanna Boyd, Nancy Yeardie, Patty Higinbotham and Susan Winters.
In 1930, they made their residence with William's parents in Grindstone, Redstone Township, and William's occupation that year was as a pipe fitter for the steam railroad. In 1950, he continued his occupation with the railroad, and they lived in Brownsville. William made his home in Brownsville circa 1977.
Son William E. Gribble Jr. (1929-2009) married Constance Jean (?). They had one daughter, Alison Stilwell. The Gribbles lived in Brownsville, where William worked for the Monongahela Railroad and was a union member of the United Transportation Union (UTU0 and Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen (BFL&E). William passed away at the age of 80, in Uniontown Hospital, on Aug. 5, 2009. Burial was in Lafayette Memorial Park in Brier Hill, near Uniontown.
Daughter Joanna Gribble (1932- ? ) was born on Oct. 9, 1932 in Brownsville. At the age of 17, on March 3, 1950, she married 24-year-old Harry Boyd Jr. (1925- ? ), the son of Harry P. and Audomay (Martin) Boyd Sr. of Elliottsville, Fayette County. At the time of marriage, Harry was a post office worker.
~ Daughter Hildred "HIlda" (Gribble) Freeman ~
Daughter Hildred "Hilda" Gribble (1908- ? ) married (?) Freeman, and made her home in Grindstone, Fayette County.
~ Daughter Alice Gribble ~
Daughter Alice Gribble (1913- ? )
~ Daughter Georgianna (Gribble) Santemyre ~
Daughter Georgianna Gribble (1917- ? ) wed (?) Santemyre. Their residence circa 1977 was at Homestead near Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA.
~ Son Thomas Ira Gribble Jr. ~
Son Thomas Ira Gribble Jr. (1919-1999) married Anna Mae Burke ( ? - ? ). They resided in Hibbs, near Brownsville, and had three children -- Dale Gribble, Timothy Gribble and Rindy McDowell. Reported the Uniontown Herald-Standard, Thomas "was a member of the First Christian Church of Republic, a World War II veteran, having served with the Air Force in the Pacific. He was a life member of VFW Post 167, Charleroi, and a retired salesman for Mon Valley Provision. Thomas died in Brownsville General Hospital at the age of 80 on Dec. 20, 1999. He was laid to rest at Lafayette Memorial Park.
Copyright © 2007, 2009, 2012 Mark A. Miner