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Daniel Meinder was born in 1797 in Berks County, PA, the son of Burkhard and Elizabeth (Konrath) Meinder. He is believed to have been married twice, with his first bride's name unknown. His presumed second wife was Sarah (?) (1817- ? ), who was 20 years younger than he. 

The Meinders had five known children -- William Meinder, Kitty Meinder, Caroline Meinder, Sarah Meinder and Melinda Meinder. 

Daniel was a coach maker of Shanesville, Oley Township, Berks County, as shown in the federal census of 1850. By 1860, when the census again was enumerated, his occupation was listed as "wheelright." 

Daniel is believed to have died during the decade of the 1860s. Details of his passing are not known. When the 1870 census was taken, his widow Sarah and 31-year-old unmarried daughter Caroline lived together in the village of Earlville in Oley Township. The census-taker noted that neither woman could write. 

Sarah's fate is unknown.

Circa 1913, Shanesville was considered a "village of about twenty houses," said the book, The Story of Berks County, authored by A.E. Wagner, Francis Wilhauer Balthaser and D.K. Hoch. Earlville was a similar hamlet along the Manatawny Creek in western Oley Township.

The Oley valley area was a center of practical furniture building and artistic craft-making during the 19th century -- today considered Pennsylvania German folk art and decorative arts highly prized by collectors. Among the samples that survived into the late 20th century, and were auctioned by Christie's in the mid-1990s, included glazed reward flowerpots and saucers, joined chestnut butter box, bed frames, colorful bed linens and slip decorated redware dishes.

~ Son William Meinder ~

Son William Meinder (1828-1922), also spelled "Minder," was born in March 1828 in Berks County. 

In about 1855, when he was age 27, William married 19-year-old Hannah Bechtel (1835-1901), who was eight years younger than her husband. They were decades-long farmers and residents of Ruscombmanor Township, Berks County, and members of the Frieden's Lutheran Church. 

They had three daughters, Isabella "Belle" Hartman, Anna Minder and Emma Stuber (or "Stuver"), and outlived two of them.

Circa 1860, the Minders resided near Kutztown in Roscombmanor. They have not yet been found on the census of 1870.

When the census again was taken in 1900, William and Hannah (last name spelled "Minder") made their home in Ruscombmanor, with his occupation marked as "landlord," suggesting that he owned farm property and rented it to tenant farmers. The census-taker noted that they both could read and write.

Hannah died "after a lingering illness" of tuberculosis ("consumption") at the age of 67 in October 1901. The Reading Eagle noted that Ellis Y. Weidner, undertaker, had "charge of the remains" and that the funeral "was largely attended."

William spent his final years living in the home of his married daughter Emma Stuber on Locust Street in Reading. He passed away there at the age of 94 in late July 1922. In an obituary in which he was pictured, the Reading Eagle reported that he was "possibly the oldest member of Frieden's Church" and that funeral services were held by Rev. I.S. Stahr. Said the Eagle, "The body was attired in a black suit and rested in a solid oak casket. Interment was made in Frieden's Cemetery, Friedensburg, by Undertaker Lutz."

Daughter Emma Minder (1860- ? ) was born in 1860. She married William Stuber (1860-1900s?) (also spelled "Stuver") in about 1882 and had six children -- among them James W. Stuber, Nora E. Stuber and Daniel Stuber. The federal census of 1900 shows the family living in the western section of Oley Township, Berks County, where William and son James were day laborers. William is believed to have died between 1900 and 1910. Circa 1910-1922, when her elderly, widowed father lived under her roof, Emma dwelled at 643 Locust Street in Reading. To earn income, circa 1920, she was employed as a baker in a local bakery shop.

• Son James W. Stuber (1883- ? ) was born in September 1882. He lived at home with his mother in Reading in 1910. At the time, he was employed as a driver in a "creamery route."
• Daughter Nora E. Stuber (1886- ? ) was born in October 1886. She was unmarried and resided with her mother n 1910 and 1920. She worked as a knitter in a local hosiery mill.
• Son Daniel Stuber (1888- ? ), also spelled "Stuver," was born in May 1888. 

Daughter Isabella "Belle" Meinder (1866-1896) was born in 1866 in Berks County. She married Ezra S. Hartman (1865-1910), the son of Valentine Hartman, and a native of Alsace, Berks County. They had 16 children, of whom eight are known -- Clara Strunk, Emma Hartman, Washington Hartman, Ezra Hartman, Isabella Bingaman, Mary Hartman, Hannah Hartman and Edith Hartman. When the census was taken in 1880, the family dwelled in Exeter Township, Berks County, with farm laborer Jefferson Marks and servant Catharina Fox living under their roof. In addition to farming, Ezra earned additional income as proprietor of the Friedensburg Hotel, where he operated a restaurant. They were members of Spies Church (today known as the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church), which was made of stone, until replaced by a brick church in May 1888. Less than two years after the birth of their youngest daughter Edith in December 1894, Isabella suffered a stroke and died on Dec. 28, 1896, at the age of 43. Reported the Reading Eagle, she "died suddenly, Monday evening. She had been in excellent health all day, after which the evening was spent with her family. At 8 o'clock she commenced complaining that she did not feel as well as usual. Dr. Hartline was sent for and prescribed for her, but at at 8:30 she was dead, caused by apoplexy." She was laid to rest in the Spies Church Cemetery in Alsace. The 1900 census shows 45-year-old widower Ezra living in the western section of Oley Township, heading a household of six children, as well as boarder Olivia Specht, a milliner (hat maker). Ezra passed away at the age of 75 at home in Friedensburg on March 11, 1910. The Eagle said he died "of a complication of diseases" and "had been ailing for two weeks" and that he was survived by 10 grandchildren. He was interred in Spies Church Cemetery following a funeral held at the church by Rev. M.L. Herbein. The restaurant Ezra formerly operated was taken over by William c. Bahr.

• Daughter Clara Hartman (1876- ? ) was born in 1876 in Alsace or Ruscombmanor, Berks County. She married Samuel H. Strunk (1877-1949), the son of Jacob I. and Lucy M. Strunk, and a resident of Lime Kiln, Berks County. Their wedding took place on June 3, 1898, at Friedensburg, Berks County, by the hand of J.S. Stahr. Likely because Clara was expecting, the couple asked that the news of their nuptials not be published in the local newspaper. They had at least 11 children -- Howard H. Strunk (born August 1898), Lucy H. Shade (born August 1899), Clara Rebholz (1902), Samuel Strunk (1903), Hannah Moyer (1904), Eva Mountz (1906), George Strunk (1907), Ezra Strunk (1909), Edith Shirk (1912), Cora Bollinger (1913) and John Strunk (1915). The federal census of 1900 shows the family living as farmers in Alsace. By 1910, the census shows, the Strunks had moved to a farm in Exeter Township, Berks County. In 1920, Samuel was employed as a foreman with a contracting company, while many of their children living under their roof held occupations as well -- Howard and Samuel Jr. (shop laborer), Lucy, Clara and Hannah (hosiery knitting), and Eva (spooling in a woolen mill). Samuel died in 1949, at the age of 72. Clara outlived him by two decades, making her home at 1113 Carbon Street in Reading. She died in Reading Hospital at the age of 93 on April 17, 1969. At the time, said the Reading Eagle, she was "the oldest confirmed member of Zion (Spies) United Church of Christ" in Alsace Township. Rev. Merrill Q. Ressler officiated at her funeral, with burial following in the Spies-Zion Cemetery. The Eagle reported that Clara was survived by an eye-opening 29 grandchildren, 69 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. Daughter Lucy Hartman married (?) Shade and lived in Reading. Daughter Clara Hartman married (?) Rebholz and resided in Reading. Daughter Edith Hartman wed Thomas Shirk and made their home in Laureldale, PA. Daughter Cora Hartman married Edward Bollinger and lived in Hyde Villa, PA. Daughter Hannah Hartman wed Lloyd A. Moyer in Reading.
• Daughter Emma Hartman (1877- ? ) was born in November 1877. She lived at home with her father in Friedensburg circa 1910, when she was age 33.
• Son Washington Hartman (1879- ? ) was born in 1879.
• Son Ezra M. Hartman (1881- ? ) was born in December 1881. He made news in June 1897 when he accidentally "shot himself in the foot with a rifle," said the Reading Eagle. In 1908, he is believed to have married Althea (?) (1889- ? ). They had no children. Two years after their wedding, in 1910, they lived in Lower Alsace, Berks County, with Ezra working as a shipping clerk in a local store. He may be the same "Ezra Hartman" whose right arm was amputated at the elbow in an accident in October 1912, while "repairing a stone crusher, of which he is part owner," reported the Eagle, and "his arm was caught in a chain." By 1920, they moved into the city of Reading, Berks County, making their home on North 11th Street, with Ezra employed as a receiving clerk in a hardware store. that year, a toddler named Charles Weide, age 17 months, lived under their roof, with the census-taker recording him as a "boarder." The census of 1930 shows Ezra living alone, but marked as "married," in Reading, and continuing to work as a hardware store clerk, while Althea was an "inmate" at the Wernersville State Hospital in South Heidelberg, Berks County, a facility devoted to mental health treatment.
• Daughter Isabella "Belle" Hartman (1883- ? ) was born in April 1883 in Oley Township, Berks County. At the age of 19, she married 23-year-old Harry G. Bingaman, the son of William and Mary Hartman. The ceremony was performed on Sept. 22, 1902, by M.L. Herbein. At the time, both made their home in Stony Creek Mills, Berks County, with Harry employed as a foreman. They lived in Stony Creek Mills in 1910, at the time of death of Belle's father.
• Daughter Mary Hartman (1884-1975) was born in August 1884 in Oley Township. She lived in Reading in 1910. After the death of her father, she moved to Ambler, Montgomery County, PA, living with her widowed sister, Hannah Hilbert. She was a member of the Tabor United Church of Christ in Philadelphia. She had a home in Redington Beach, FL, at 250 Bath Club Boulevard. She died in St. Petersburg General Hospital at the age of 91 on Oct. 2, 1975. Her remains were shipped back to Berks County for burial in the Spies (Zion) Cemetery in Alsace Township, with her funeral led by Rev. Merlin Getz.
• Daughter Hannah Hartman (1887- ? ) was born in March 1887 in Alsace, Berks County. As a young woman, she secured employment as a school teacher and made her home in Stony Creek Mills, Berks County. On May 5, 1914, at the age of 27, Hannah married 25-year-old Charles W.Z. Hilbert (1889- ? ) in Allentown, Lehigh County, PA. Charles, the son of Levi L. and A. Louisa (Werley) Hilbert, was an automobile dealer who resided in Kutztown, Berks County.
• Daughter Edith Hartman (1894-1985) was born in December 1894 in Friedensburg. She never married, and lived at home with her father in Friedensburg circa 1910. Pursuing education as a career, she was a graduate of Oley Academy in Friedensburg and Keystone Normal School (now Kutztown University) in Berks County. She taught school in Stonersville for five years, from 1913 to 1918. During World War I, she accepted employment with the Internal Revenue Service, and spent 43 years as a corporate income tax return reviewer in Philadelphia and Washington, DC. She retired from the IRS in 1961. In 1969, she resided in Philadelphia, and in 1974 moved to Rydal, Montgomery County, PA, where she spent her final years in Rydal Park Presbyterian Home. She was a member of the Grace Presbyterian Church of Jenkintown. Edith died in the Rydal Home at the age of 90 on April 25, 1985. 

Daughter Anna Minder (1868- ? ) was born in 1868. She is lost to history, and may have died young.

~ Daughter Kitty Meinder ~

Daughter Kitty Meinder (1834- ? ) 

~ Daughter Caroline Meinder ~

Daughter Caroline Meinder (1836-1886) was born on June 27, 1836 (or 1838) in Berks County. She apparently never married, but is believed to have given birth to a son, Daniel Oxenford, in 1871. When the federal census was taken in 1880, of Exeter Township, Berks County, she and nine-year-old Daniel were together in the household. She earned a living that year by doing "domestic work." Caroline died on March 20, 1886, at the age of 50. She is buried at the Friedens Church Cemetery in Oley, and her grave marker is seen here. John E. Bauder served as administrator of her estate.

Son Daniel Oxenford (1871-1939), also known as Daniel Meinder, was born on July 21, 1871 to Caroline Meinder and (?) Oxenford, who were not married. He was raised in his mother's home, and carried the "Oxenford" name as a child, though later took the surname "Meinder" for good. As a young adult, he was employed as a coal dealer in Birdsboro, Berks County. On May 16, 1898, in Birdsboro, he married Harriet "Hattie" Arters (1875- ? ) daughter of George and Ellen Arters. Daniel was age 26, and Hattie 23, at the time of marriage.

The Meinders lived on Mill Street in Birdsboro. Circa 1909, he was president of the Birdsboro chapter of the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America (POSA). He was employed for more than four decades as a machinist at the Birdsboro Steel Foundry and Machine Company. He was a "prominent member of Alice Focht Memorial Methodist church" in Birdsboro, said the Reading Eagle, and "was a member of this official board of the church and served as secretary of the Sunday school for 25 years." He also was a leader of the Odd Fellows, Sons of America and Knights of Malta lodges in Birdsboro. In December 1913, the Eagle reported that the local camp of the POSA "sees the creation of a first-class initiatory staff in the reorganized degree team. Equipment has been purchased for 30 members and the first rehearsal evidences that the body will soon be a very proficient one. Daniel L. Meinder is the conductor and has a splendid knowledge of the manual of drill and as a commanding officer is a marked success.

Suffering from chronic myocarditis and endocarditis, he died at the age of 67 on April 29, 1939. He was buried at St. Michaels Cemetery in Birdsboro, following a funeral at the home led by Rev. W.H. MacLachlan.

~ Daughter Sarah (Meinder) Prutzman ~

Daughter Sarah Meinder (1839-1879) is thought to have married Abner D. Prutzman (or "Brutzman") (1838-1885). It is possible they did not know their correct birth years as they are several years "off" as marked on their grave stone. They resided in Maxatawny Township, Berks County, and had one son, Wilson M. Prutzman, born 1864. Abner was employed as a teamster in 1870, when the federal census was enumerated. Later, he worked as a locomotive engineer with the Wilmington and Northern Railroad. 

Of the Meinder and Prutzman families, said the 1899 book Biographical and Genealogical History of the State of Delaware, they "came to this country from Germany and helped make up that sturdy population which has pushed Berks county to the front among the rich and substantial communities of Pennsylvania." Sarah passed away in 1879, but the cause is not known. 

The 1880 census shows Abner and son Wilson boarding in the household of Franklin and Sarah Reitenour on North Ninth Street in Reading, Berks County. Abner died in 1885. They are buried together at Oley Cemetery in Spangsville, Berks County. 

Their son Wilson M. Prutzman (1864-1931) was born on May 31, 1864 in Berks County. After receiving early education in Reading and at the Normal School in Kutztown, he went on to a successful career as a railroader, settling in a "handsome home" on Third Street in Wilmington, DE. At the age of 22, on Aug. 10, 1886, he married 19-year-old Emma L. Greenawald (1867-1927), daughter of David and Elmina (Best) Greenawald of Berks County. He continued his employment as a locomotive engineer in Wilmington as evidenced by the census of 1920. Emma passed away in 1927 at the age of 50. Wilson outlived her by four years. He died in 1931. They rest for eternity together at Oley Cemetery in Spangsville. Of his early years, said the Delaware book: 

He inherited from his father a love of mechanics and machinery, and when he was fifteen years of age was apprenticed at steam boiler making. Three and one-half years later he entered the wheel and machine shop of the Philadelphia and Reading R.R., and was employed there eighteen months. Then he secured a position on the P. & R.R.R. and eighteen months later went to the Wilmington & Northern Railroad as fireman. A year afterwards, in 1886, he was promoted to the position of engineer, and has been continuously engaged in that capacity ever since. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the Sons of America, and Knights of St. John and the Knights of Malta.

~ Daughter Melinda Meinder ~

Daughter Melinda Meinder (1845- ? )