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Edward
John Miner |
Edward
John Miner was born on Nov. 15, 1910 in West Washington, Washington County, PA, the son of Harry
O. and Armena (Cain) Miner.
Ed was born about a month after the City of Washington
celebrated its centennial. A rare old postcard photograph showing Washington's
'Triumphal Arch' is seen at right. Horses and carriages, as well
as automobiles, are shown parked at the edges of the paved streets, giving a sense
of the changing times into which Ed was born.
On May 7, 1939, Ed married Elizabeth "Anna" Beddow (1915-1990), daughter of John Alvin and Effie Pearl (Armstrong) Beddow of Washington.
The Miners went on to have nine children - Nancy Moonean, John Edward, Anna Margaret, Juanita "Moonean," Kenneth Richard, Deborah, Barbara, Harry "Alvin" and Donald.
Sadly, firstborn daughter
Nancy Moonean Miner, who was born on Sept. 21, 1941, died at the tender age of
six months and seven days. She passed away on March 28, 1942. Her remains were
laid to rest in the Beddow family lot in the Washington Cemetery.
Anna was an early nurse in our family, graduating from the Washington Hospital School of Nursing in 1937.
The Washington Observer-Reporter said Anna once "formed a nursery school at the old Third United Presbyterian Church, and was an active Girl Scout leader for many years."
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The Washington Hospital |
Ed was a graduate of Washington High School, and as a young
adult began working as a barber in Washington. He seemed to know everyone in
town and everything that was happening. Among his customers was local
entrepreneur and cousin, John "Wiley" Birch.
During World War II, Ed served in the US Army, stationed at Fort Knox, KY, but because of stomach ulcer problems, was not sent overseas. Later, in 1959, he had two-thirds of his stomach surgically removed.
Ed worked for 37 years at Jessop Steel Company in Washington, retiring in 1976. He and Anna were members of the Third United Presbyterian Church of Washington, where he was a longtime treasurer of the Sunday School program.
Ed
and Anna enjoyed attending reunions of the Miner family, and they are seen here
(seated at far right)
at a get-together at the home of his brother Odger
in Hopewell, near Aliquippa, Beaver County, PA, in the late 1930s. Others pictured, left to
right: Lynn and Grace (Miner) White, Ben
and Armena (Cain) (Miner) Marshall, Odger Miner (front), Orlan
Miner (rear), Monalea (Ullom) Miner, Helen (Proctor) Miner and Jessie
(Miner) Schultz.
In
his spare time, Ed loved to sing in barbershop quartets. At one time he was lead
with "The Miner Chords," which performed locally. (The group is seen
here, with Ed secoknd from left.)
Later, he was president and secretary/treasurer of the group "Presidents of Harmony," and a member of the Washington chapter of the SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America).
In May 1989, Ed and Anna celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception at their church. The Washington Observer-Reporter printed an article about their special event.
Anna died suddenly at home on Feb. 26, 1990, while watching TV with Ed. She was buried in Washington Cemetery, in the Beddow family plot.
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News coverage of Ed and Anna's golden wedding anniversary |
Ed survived Anna by six years, and kept busy with his barbershop
group. In March 1993, he received an award from the Presidents of Harmony, at an
emotional ceremony at the American Legion in Washington, for his many years of
service. He received a beautiful plaque, seen here.
Ed's eldest son John, who formerly operated the Valley Skating Center in Donora, PA, held Miner Reunions at the rink in the early 1990s for offspring of Ed and his brothers and sisters. John's daughter Kylie Miner now manages the rink.
Over the years, Ed played a key role in what has become the national Minerd-Miner-Minor research and reunion, and, ultimately, to the creation of this website. In 1983, his grand-nephew, Mark A. Miner, came to visit seeking family information. With an incredible memory for details, Ed provided important information and insights about the Miner history. He also took his visitor to see the house on Fayette Street where he had been born. Over time, they traveled throughout Washington County visiting distant cousins of the Birch, Bedillion and Farabee branches. They also went on day-trips to visit cousins in Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland.
In the fall of 1991,
seen at left, Ed was photographed by the founder of this website, standing at the
long-forgotten grave marker of his great-grandparents, Henry
and Polly (Younkin) Minerd. The marker sits in an overgrown farmer's field near New
Freeport, Greene County, PA. It had been placed there circa 1946 by Ed's
uncle, William Allen Miner
(known in the family as "Uncle Will").
On Feb. 10, 1996, after a gradual decline in health, Ed died quietly in his sleep.
He was buried beside Anna on
a snow-flurried Valentine's Day.
Over the years, their youngest son Donald often has sent letters to the editor which have been published in the Washington Observer-Reporter. In about 2005, Donald opened a restaurant on Chestnut Street (Route 40) in Washington, named "Miner's Original Loafers," across the street from Eat N Park. A photo of the storefront is seen here.
This page is in loving tribute to Ed and Anna Miner by an ever-grateful grand-nephew.
Copyright © 2001-2004, 2006, 2010 Mark A. Miner