Biography of Elias and Mary (Cook) Miner of Mauch Chunk, PA

Elias Miner
(1815-1891)

Elias Miner was born on May 30, 1815 in Hamburg, Berks County, PA, the son of Frederick and Elizabeth Miner III. As a young boy, he moved with his parents to Mauch Chunk, Carbon County.

He married Mary Cook (1815-1890), whose maiden name also has been spelled "Koch," and who was a native of Carbon County He was a prominent industrialist of Mauch Chunk (later renamed "Jim Thorpe"), Carbon County, PA.

The Miners had four children -- William H. Miner (born 1837), Franklin Miner (1839), Katherine Salkeld "Kate" Wintermute (1841) and Douglass Charles "D.C." Miner (1845).

Elias and partner Edward Lippincott were investors in about 1845 in a foundry and machine business in Mauch Chunk. It was known as the Mauch Chunk Iron Works, featuring a furnace, and is mentioned in Fred Brenckman's 1913 book, History of Carbon County. Their activities were described in the 1884 book, History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon, by Alfred Mathews and Austin N. Hungerford. Said the book, "They began a general foundry business in a small way, and also built cars, but soon increased the capacity of the works, and then put in blast an old furnace, which had been erected by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company."

Miner and Lippincott also constructed a foundry, with partner Samuel Hayden, at White Haven, which was in operation for about five years. One of their machinists at the Upper Foundry was Samuel Cherington Williams

They took on a new partner, Edward Weiss, and named their new enterprise Weiss, Lippincott & Miner. In the spring of 1856, facing three legal judgments and debts totaling $88,819, the foundry teetered on insolvency. The furnace was transferred to a new firm, Mauch Chunk Iron Company, which settled the debt through an unusual process of "self-incorporation." When the new iron company later foundered, the matter ended up in litigation. On May 6, 1863, Judge C.J. Lowrie of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued the following opinion in McHose & Co. vs. Wheeler et. al.:

The very many irregularities which the evidence reveals in the self-incorporation of the Mauch Chunk Iron Company, are, we suppose, attributable to incapacity, recklessness, or carelessness in the performance of a strictly regulated business, rather than to any dishonesty of purpose; but we must see that the defendants do not use their own irregularities as a means of escaping from the just demands of their creditors. The law allows no one to gain an advantage by his own faults. It seems that Weiss, Lippincott & Miner had been engaged in the iron business, and had become embarrassed, and a scheme was got up by which most of their creditors were to take their whole establishment, form themselves into a corporation under [law] take stock according to the amount of their several claims, discharge all remaining debts, and admit the original owners as stockholders for any surplus.

Mauch Chunk's dramatic landscape, featuring steep mountains and hillsides and the curve of the Lehigh River

The furnace then passed into the ownership of General Charles Albright and William H. Stroh, employing between 75 and 100 workers. During the Civil War, when he was in his late 40s, Elias helped manufacture "shot and shell" for the Union war effort, in partnership with Gen. Albright. At the end of the war, he was named superintendent of foundries in Mauch Chunk owned by Fatzinger, Roberts & Collins. Later, "he moved with his family on a large farm in Franklin, and a year later went to Catasauqua where he had charge of the Union foundry," said the Carbon Advocate. "He was at the latter place but a short time when he removed to Weissport where he resided continuously until the time of his death. In the interim he was connected with the Lehigh Stove Foundry, Lehighton, and was manager and superintendent of Miner Bros., foundry...."

Leather manufacturer Daniel Olewine was one of Elias' associates in the Weissport foundry circa 1875 to 1877. As Olewine also was president of the First National Bank of Lehighton at that time, he may well have been helping Elias and the business in order to protect the bank's loan exposure. A biography of Olewine said that at the time of his involvement, the company name was "Olewine & Miners" and that it was "largely engaged in making castings for the Domestic Sewing Machine Company of Newark, N.J., the daily output being more than one hundred." (Portrait and Biographical Record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon Counties, Pennsylvania, Chapman Publishing Co., 1894 -- link)

Elias was active in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and helped found the Lehighton M.E. Church. His banker/business associate Daniel Olewine also was active in the M.E. church.

The federal census of 1860 shows the Miners continuing to make their home in Mauch Chunk. The occupations were listed as follow: Elias as a machinist, 23-year-old son William's as a moulder and 19-year-old son Franklin's as a machinist. Also included in their household was 21-year-old Mary Miner.

By 1872, Elias and his sons William and Douglas Charles operated a new business three miles south of Mauch Chunk in Lehighton, Carbon County, known as Weissport Foundry, and using the trade name "Miner Bros." It may later have been renamed the Fort Allen Foundry. They were profiled in an 1881 booklet, Manufacturing and Mercantile Resources of the Lehigh Valley. The booklet said that the three Miners had:

... built up a very large trade, ranking them among the leading enterprises of the kind in this section.... The proprietors... are through men in their business, and have by careful attention and good work, not only secured a large and lucrative trade, but won the confidence of all with whom they have been brought in contact.... Everything about the works indicates the superior management to which they are subjected, and well illustrated the ability and fitness of the firm for the business. Convenient in their location to both railroad and canal, they possess every advantage for prompt shipment to any point, and the receipt of material for their works. The individual members of the firm ... are all residents of Weissport, and among the most active and respected citizens.

Residing in Weissport, the Miners spent their final years there. Mary passed away in Weissport on Aug. 20, 1890, at the age of 75, "after an illness of some weeks," said the Carbon Advocate. She "was a good and faithful wife, a kind mother and christian neighbor and her kindly face will be much missed by our people who will ever remember her for her excellent virtues."

Later that month, the Advocate reported that Elias, "one of our oldest and most respected citizens who lost his wife by death last week, left on Monday for Philadelphia and Atlantic City where he will spend a brief season in an endeavor to regain impaired health." He likely went to Atlantic City to live with his son Frank.

Elias passed away on Oct. 5, 1891 "from general debility consequent to old age," said the Advocate. He was laid to rest in the Union Cemetery, following a funeral led by Rev. G.W. Dungan of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Lehighton.

Son William H. Miner (1837-1907) was born in 1837 in Mauch Chunk. He married Mary Ellen Derbyshire (1845- ? ).

They resided at Maria Furnace in Mauch Chunk. They had at least two sons, George Douglas Miner and Asa C. Miner. He joined his father's iron moulding business and worked there until the outbreak of the Civil War.

William served nine months in the U.S. Army with the 135th (or 132nd) Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company F. More about his Civil War service will be added here when learned.

When baby son George was baptized on June 7, 1865, at the St. Paul's Methodist Church of Mauch Chunk, witnesses included William's father Elias Miner and family.

After the war, William and his brother Douglass Charles "D.C." Miner "erected the Fort Allen foundry, which they have been running ever since," said the Carbon Advocate in August 1886. "This enterprise has grown rapidly during the past few years and is now recognized as the leading feature of our town -- giving employment to about thirty-five men who are kept busy all the year round." William was the bookkeeper of the foundry business.

The census of 1880 shows the Miners living in Weissport, Carbon County. He was a member of the Knights of Honor and of the Bertolette Post of the Grand Army of the Republic of Lehighton. He also was active with civic matters involving the Borough of Weissport. In the 1880s, he was a member of the iron moulders union in Lehighton (member no. 86812), with his name appearing in the Iron Moulders Journal.

When Mary Ellen's mother died in 1885, at the Miner home in Weissport, her remains were taken to Philadelphia for burial.

Circa 1891, the Miners themselves lived in Philadelphia. The 1900 census of Philadelphia shows the family dwelled on Hancock Street in Philadelphia, with William's occupation listed as "moulder." That year, 30-year-old son Asa, marked as married, but perhaps separated, made his home under their roof with his four children.

Suffering for two years from diabetes, William died in Philadelphia at the age of 69 on Feb. 7, 1907. Death occurred in the Miners' home at 2318 North Hancock Street, in the city's 19th Ward. he was laid to rest in the North Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Son George Douglas Miner (1865- ? ) was born in February 1865 in Mauch Chunk, Carbon County. He moved to Philadelphia as a young man. He married Mary D. George (1871- ? ), the daughter of Solomon and Dianna George, on Oct. 5, 1889, at Slatington, Lehigh County. At the time, he was age 24 and lived in Philadelphia as a moulder, and she was 17 and made her home in Walnutport, Northampton County, PA. They had five children, of whom four are identified -- Marian W. Miner, Helen Miner, Ira B. Miner and William A. Miner. In 1900, when the census was recorded, the Miners lived in Philadelphia on North Second Street, and George worked as an "iron moulder." Continuing to reside on Second Street in Philadelphia for several decades, the family lived there as marked on the 1910 and 1920 censuses, with George maintaining his trade skill as a molder in an iron foundry (1910) and as inspector in a hardware house (1920).

Son Asa C. Miner (1869- ? ) was born in June 1869. At the age of 19, he wed 18-year-old Maggie Roberts (1870- ? ), the daughter of Ellis Roberts of Slatington, Lehigh County, PA. Because they were underage, the groom and bride had to receive legal consent from their fathers. The ceremony was performed by Rev. John F. Scott on Sept. 8, 1888. At the time of marriage, Asa made his home in Slatington, Lehigh County, and marked his employment as "Founder" which may be short for "foundry." They are believed to have had four children -- Raymond Miner, Norman Miner, George Miner and Bessie Miner. When the federal census was taken in 1900, George apparently had separated from Maggie and was living with the children under his parents' roof in Philadelphia. He and his father continued their longtime occupations as moulders.

Son Franklin C. "Frank" Miner (1838- ? ) was born in August 1838 in Mauch Chunk, Carbon County. He married Martha C. (?) (1843- ? ), a native of Scotland. They had one daughter, Martha Ella Miner, born in 1877.

Frank served in the Civil War, as a member of the Sixth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company A. The company spent three months in service, from April 22, 1861 to July 22, 1861. Later, he re-enlisted in the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, Company H.

He is listed by name in a roster of the regiment in the book Patriotism of Carbon County, Pa., and What Her People Contributed During the War for the Preservation of the Union (J.D. Laciar, 1867).

Of the widespread public spirit at the time of his enlistment, said the Patriotism book:

The contributions of Carbon County in aid of suppressing the Slave-holders' Rebellion, -- in proportion to her population, -- is unequalled by any county in the State of Pennsylvania, and probably not surpassed by any community in any other State. Not only did this County furnish more men in proportion to her voting population, but the record of her soldiers is unsurpassed in point of bravery and endurance by any other troops. When the first call was made by President Lincoln for 75,000 troops for ninety days, Carbon County sent three full companies to Harrisburg in twenty-four hours.

Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, where Frank drilled as a recruit during the Civil War

The family resided in Atlantic City, NJ in the early 1890s and at least through 1900. The federal census of 1900 lists Frank as a "capitalist" living on Delaware Avenue North in Atlantic City.

Frank began receiving payments from the federal government in March 1891 as compensation for his wartime service. [Application #1.006.534, Certificate #804.794, filed from New Jersey]

By 1910, they moved to North Third Street in the Pleasantville Borough section of Atlantic City. Frank had no occupation other than his "own income," which must have been significant. Daughter Ella, age 31 and unmarried, also did not work at a job.

Atlantic City beach-goers, early 1900s

The fates of Frank and Martha are not yet known. In 1920, daughter Martha roomed with 69-year-old widow Eliza A. Sibley near Atlantic City, in Pleasantville, on West Washington Avenue. The census-taker recorded that Martha had no occupation that year.

Katherine Salkeld "Kate" Miner (1842-1925) was born on Dec. 4, 1842 in Mauch Chunk, Carbon County, PA.

She wed Franklin Charles "Frank" Wintermute (1840-1920), son of Joseph B. and Judith Ann (Shoemaker) Wintermute (also spelled "Wintermuth"). A native of Stroudsburg, Monroe County, PA, Frank moved to Weissport, Carbon County, when a boy of five.

He was a veteran of the Civil War, having enlisted in August 1862 in the 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company F. He saw action in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, and was discharged at Catasauqua, Carbon County in May 1863.

They had five known children -- Horace Miner Wintermute (born 1866), Joseph Elmer Wintermute (1868), Maude E. Munro (April 1872), Miriam Cook Hess (August 1875) and Russell Kirby Wintermute (May 1881).

The family first lived in Catasauqua, Lehigh County, PA, and thence moved to Weissport, Carbon County. In 1867, Frank accepted a position as clerk in the coal department of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Eventually, they relocated again to East Mauch Chunk, where they remained for about half a century, as shown on the federal censuses from 1870 to 1920. Frank's employment circa 1870-1900 was as a railroad clerk.

The 1880 census shows Frank's widowed mother, age 58, living under their roof on South Street in East Mauch Chunk. This family was listed in the 1895-1897 book Annals of Our Colonial Ancestors and their Descendants, by Ambrose Milton Shotwell.

In 1892, Frank received payment of $2,145.56 from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This was compensation for services he provided for schools in Carbon County, but details are not yet known.

Frank is known to have begun drawing a pension for his service in the war in September 1890. His paperwork is on file today at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. [Invalid Application #919.578, Invalid Certificate #699.675; Widow Application #1.160.715, Widow Certificate #894.351]

Frank subscribed to the publication The Elevator Constructor, a trade journal of the International Union of Elevator Constructors. The magazine asked readers to respond to the question, "What is the difference between labor union and trusts?" Frank answered in writing, with his comments published in the April 1904 issue: "The trust is organized by the capitalistic class for the purpose of accumulating more of the wealth that the industrious world creates, while the labor unions are organized by the wealth producers of the world, so that they may be able to retain more of the wealth that they create."

Frank enjoyed socializing with former Civil War veterans in Mauch Chunk. He was active with the local L.T. Chapman Post No. 61 of the Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans organization. In June 1899, he took part in the 33rd annual GAR encampment in Pennsylvania, held that year in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

In 1900, the census lists the Wintermutes in East Mauch Chunk. Frank, age 56, was employed as a clerk in a railroad office. Son Russell, age 19, worked as a "drug clerk," while daughters Maude (age 28) and Miriam (24) had no occupation.

The census of 1920 shows the family living on South Street in East Mauch Chunk, with 40-year-old daughter Maude making her home under their roof, and working as a private duty nurse.

Interested in all aspects of weather, he served as a voluntary but official climate observer United States Weather Bureau, representing Mauch Chunk. Among his duties was to record temperatures, including the mean, departure from normal, highest, lowest and their corresponding dates. He also logged precipitation data such as total rainfall, departure from the normal, the greatest volume in a 24-hour period and total snowfall. As well, he noted the number of clear, partially cloudy and fully cloudy days. His name was published in many editions of reports over the years. He collected meteorological data at a special station in East Mauch Chunk, located "on a knoll about 450 feet from and 100 feet above the Schuylkill River, and surrounded by mountains ranging from 500 to 900 feet above the river," he wrote in a report.

In retirement, Frank is thought to have served as librarian at the Dimmick Memorial Library in Mauch Chunk, circa 1906, when he would have been 66 years of age. At that time, the library had 15,000 volumes.

Frank passed away in 1920 at the age of 79. He was laid to rest in the Evergreen Cemetery in Mauch Chunk (Jim Thorpe).

Kate outlived her husband by five years. She died in 1925 and also rests in the Evergreen Cemetery, Plot 73-F. (link)

Son Horace Miner Wintermute (1866- ? ) was born Aug. 11, 1866 at Catasauqua, Lehigh County, PA. On Sept. 15, 1891, at the age of 25, Horace wed Laura Barber (1866- ? ), the daughter of George F. Barber. The wedding was held in Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA. They had one known daughter, Ruth B. Wintermute. Circa 1900, the Wintermutes made their home in Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA, and also at 337 Ninth Street in Brooklyn, NY. A paragraph in J.P. Wintermute's 1900 book, The Wintermute Family History, said that "By trade he is a printer and a member of the Typographical Union." The federal census of Scranton of 1900 confirms Horace's occupation as a printer. During the 1900s, Horace made a major move to Colorado, settling in Berkeley, Jefferson County. The 1910 census counts Horace and his second wife, also named Laura (1883- ? ), as living on Sheridan Boulevard in Berkeley, and having been married for five years. Laura was a Nebraska native, and there was a 16-year difference in their ages. That year, in 1910, Horace worked as a compositor in a print shop. No record so far has been found of this family in the 1920 census.

Son Joseph Elmer Wintermute (1868- ? ) was born on Dec. 7, 1868 in Weissport, Carbon County. He married Florence Crawford (1876- ? ), daughter of Capt. William Crawford of Hammonton, NJ, on Nov. 6, 1897. They had three children, two of whom are known -- Doris R. Frommer and Franklin Landis Wintermute. The couple is mentioned in J.P. Wintermute's 1900 book, The Wintermute Family History. According to the book, "By trade he is a watchmaker and jeweler at Philadelphia. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and affiliated with Lodge No. 61 at Wilkes-barre, Pa." At the time, their address was Coatesville, Chester County, PA. The 1910 census of Coatesville shows the Wintermutes residing on Railroad Street, with Joseph's occupation given as "clerk - jewelry store." By 1920, possibly with the opportunity for Joseph to own his own jewelry establishment, or for Florence to return to her home state, the family moved to Woodbury, Gloucester County, NJ. There, as shown in the 1920 census, Hoseph's occupation was "jeweler." Neither Joseph nor Florence have been found in the census of 1930.

Daughter Maude Ellen Wintermute (1872-1951) was born on April 18, 1872 in East Mauch Chunk. She wed James A. Munro (1877-1959). Maude was a private nurse for local families in Mauch Chunk circa 1920. She died in 1951, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Mauch Chunk (Jim Thorpe), Plot 73-F, the same plot as her parents. James passed away in 1959. Maude is mentioned in J.P. Wintermute's 1900 book, The Wintermute Family History.

Daughter Miriam Cook Wintermute (1875- ? ) was born on Aug. 17, 1875 in East Mauch Chunk. On Aug. 29, 1896, at the age of 21, Miriam married Daniel Clyde Hess (1873- ? ), son of Wilbur Hess of Hazleton, Luzerne County, PA. Daniel was druggist in East Mauch Chunk circa 1900, when he and Miriam were mentioned in J.P. Wintermute's book, The Wintermute Family History. Nothing more is known.

Son Russell Kirby Wintermute (1881-1948) was born on May 12, 1881 in East Mauch Chunk. He was tall and slender, with blue eyes and brown hair. He married Adele Florence Benner (1885-1946) in about 1908. They had two known children -- Adele Benner Kreamer and Rev. Gail Benner Wintermute Sr. In 1910, when the census was taken, Russell and Florence lived with his parents in Mauch Chunk, and he was employed as a salesman in a drug store. As World War I raged in Europe, Russell registered for the military draft in September 1918, stating his occupation as a clerk with the Central Railroad of New Jersey shops in Mauch Chunk. Adele died on Sept. 1, 1946. Russell joined her in death two years later on Sept. 1, 1948, and they are buried together at Evergreen Cemetery.

Douglas Charles "D.C." Miner (1845-1914) was born on Aug. 29, 1845 in Mauch Chunk, Carbon County. He moved as a young man to Weissport, Carbon County to ply his trade.

He married Sarah "Alice" Schofield (1855-1896), a native of West Chester, PA, and the daughter of Jane (Johnson) Schofield of Durham, Bucks County, PA.

Their wedding took place on Oct. 24, 1877. In a short article, the Carbon Advocate reported: "MARRIED, MINER-SCHOFIELD.--On the 24th ult., by Rev. J.C. Bliem, of Lehighton, Mr. C.D. Miner, of Weissport formerly of Mauch Chunk, and Miss S.A. Schofield, of Weissport, formerly of Chester Valley, Chester County, Pa. No cards. Chester county papers, please copy."

The Miners had at least nine children -- Harry Douglass Miner (born 1878), Amy V. Miner (1879), Chester A. Miner (1881), Mary F. Miner (1882), Ellen H. "Ella" Wertz (1883), Clair A. Miner (1884), Fannie C. Miner (1888), Ivan B. Miner (1892) and Jane E. Stohl (1894). They made their home in Weissport, Franklin Township.

In 1860, when the census was taken, D.C. boarded at the hotel of German-born Joseph Feist in Weissport, and worked in the stone industry. The Miners lived in Weissport, Carbon County circa 1880, in a dwelling next to those of his parents and brother William. In 1891, they made their home back in Mauch Chunk.

Following in the steps of their entrepreneurial father, D.C. and his brother William established the Fort Allen Foundry in 1874. D.C. would have been age 29 at the time. The foundry "prospered for a time, but has now been closed for many years," wrote Fred Brenckman in his 1913 book, History of Carbon County.

The Lehighton Press once said that Alice was "well known in this locality, and was held in the highest esteem by all who knew her. She was a kind and loving mother and a good wife, and was ever ready to do anything that would in any way comfort her friends and neighbors."

Lehighton's Packerton yard and car shops, early 1900s

Suffering from heart trouble, Alice passed away in June 1896, at the age of 41, having borne nine offspring. The Lehighton Press said that her final illness "was painful but was not deemed to be of fatal character, and her death is all the more surprising and has cast a gloom over the entire neighborhood in which she was known so well and so greatly loved. The greatest sympathy is expressed by all for the bereaved family and relatives of the deceased." After a funeral held in the Miner home, her remains were taken to Union Hill Cemetery for burial, followed by services in the Weissport Evangelical Church, led by Rev. J.F. White.

In a printed eulogy, the Lehighton Press said that Alice's death was a "particularly sad one. She leaves behind besides her sorrowing husband, mother, sisters and brother, nine children, most of whom are too young to realize that their tender and loving mother has finished her earthly pilgrimage and entered upon her eternal rest." Continuing in its sorrowful praise, the Press added:

Mrs. Miner was a patient sufferer during the few months she was ill, and bore all her bodily afflictions with a Christian spirit, and while surrounded by her loved ones she fell asleep in the arms of Jesus. Thus passed away a tender and loving wife, mother and daughter. The angel of the household is gone. The vacant chair is substituted for the sweet smile and loving form, but the grieving ones have the satisfaction of knowing that they will meet her again when they shall have entered upon eternal life.

Alice's untimely death left D.C. as a widower at the age of 51 with nine mouths to feed. When the census was taken in 1900, he and all of the children lived under his roof in Weissport. Among the family occupations that year, Charles was a machinist, Harry a compositor, Chester a day laborer, and Mary, Ellen and Clair winders at the local silk mill.

In August 1904, D.C.'s mother in law, Jane Schofield, passed away at the age of 75 in Easton, Northampton County. She had moved there earlier that year, having lived for many years in Weissport. D.C. and the children, including married son Chester and his wife, attended the funeral in Easton, which was followed by burial at the Straw Church Cemetery in New Jersey.

D.C. spent his final years living at 422 South Third in Lehighton. He died there of "cerebral apoplexy" at the age of 69 on Sept. 27, 1914. Burial was in Weissport. Son Harry signed the death certificate. A short obituary was printed in the Allentown Morning Call newspaper two days later.

Son Harry Douglass Miner (1878- ? ) was born on July 28, 1878. As a young boy, he remembered many years later as an old man, he watched as printing machinery and equipment was unloaded from a flatboat at the Weissort canal wharf, near the bridge, "not realizing then that I would make printing my life work." On May 12, 1893, when he was age 15, Harry joined working staff of the weekly Lehighton Press newspaper, owned by Robert David McCormick, and remained there for 54 years. He resided at 136 North Third Street in Lehighton in 1918, when he registered for the military draft. He married Della Irene Kuhns (1888- ? ) at Lehighton on Oct. 19, 1915, when he was age 37, and she 26. She was the daughter of William S. and Mary Alice (Rhoads) Kuhns of Lehighton. He marked his occupation as "printer" on his marriage license. They had two children, Alice Miner and William Miner. When the federal census was taken in 1930, the Miners lived in Lehighton in a house on South First Street, with Harry employed as a typesetter in the printing firm. He took on the duties of new reporter in later years. The Press published its final edition on Christmas Day 1947, with Harry as one of the final three employees, along with linotypist Alice Heintzelman and columnist Mary (McCormick) McCray. The Press shop, located at 131 North 1st Street, used a sheet-fed, eight-page Huber Printing Press, built in Taunton, MA.

Daughter Amy V. Miner (1879- ? ) was born in December 1879. When the federal census was taken in 1920, the 40-year-old Amy and several of her adult siblings lived together in Lehighton, on South Third Street, next door to their brother Chester and his large family. Amy had no occupation that year, but her single sister Fannie held a job as a weaver in a silk mill, and brother in law Henry W. Wertz was a laborer in a local cement works. In 1930, she continued her living arrangement with the Mertzes in Lehighton,

Son Chester A. Miner (1881-1854) was born in January 1881. He married Mayme Wertman (1884- ? ), daughter of Philip Wertman, in Lehighton, Carbon County, in November 1902, by the hand of Rev. E.H. Kistler. Said the Lehighton Press, "The ceremony was performed at the residence of the pastor after which a reception was held at the residence of the bride's brother, William Wertman, on North Third street. The festivities were attended by a number of relatives who showered congratulations upon the happy couple." Their seven known children were Floyd P. Miner, Gerald I. Miner, Gladys S. Noll, Hayden C. Miner, William W. Miner, Mary E. Jones and Allen Douglass Miner. In June 1903, Mayme delivered their first child, Floyd, "a bouncing baby boy," said the Press. Another son, Gerald, was born in October 1906, an event also announced in the Press. The federal census of 1910 shows the Miners living in Lehighton, with Chester employed as an engineer in a power house. In 1920, Chester worked as an oiler in a zinc works, and lived next door to his unmarried sisters Amy and Fannie Miner and married sister Ella Mertz. Chester passed away in 1954. Mayme outlived him by a dozen years. She died in 1966. They rest together in the Gnaden Huetten Cemetery in Lehighton.

Daughter Mary F. Miner (1882- ? ) was born in April 1882. Nothing more about her is known.

Daughter Ellen H. "Ella" Miner (1883- ? ) was born in June 1883. On Dec. 7, 1916, at Weissport, the 33-year-old Ella married 24-year-old Henry W. Mertz (1893- ? ), who was nine years younger than she, and the son of German immigrants Henry R. and Bertha (Voll) Mertz. At the time of marriage, Ella was a weaver, and Henry was a mason, living at Weissport. They had four known children, Horace D. Mertz, Hazel Mertz, Betty Mertz and Robert Mertz. In 1920, the Mertzes made their home with Ella's unmarried sisters Amy and Fannie on South Third Street in Lehighton. That year, Henry's occupation was a laborer in a local cement works. Also living in the household was Ella's niece, Dorothy R.D. David, born 1906. When the census was taken again in 1930, the family home was still on South Third Street, with Ella's sister Amy and niece Dorothy David (a seamstress in a clothing factory) living under their roof. By that time, Henry had become proprietor of a cement factory in Lehighton.

Daughter Fannie C. Miner (1888- ? ) was born in February 1888. In 1920, she was unmarried and held the occupation of a weaver in a silk mill in Lehighton. She boarded in the home of her unmarried sister Amy and married sister and brother in law, Ella and Henry W. Mertz.

Son Ivan B. Miner (1892- ? ) was born in New Year's Day 1892 in Weissport, Carbon County. As a young man, he lived in Lehighton, Carbon County, and was employed as a mill hand. He married fellow mill hand Mabel Dorwood (1895- ? ) on Feb. 12, 1913, when he was age 21 and she 17. They had five children -- Marvin Miner, Willard Miner, June Miner, Della J. Miner and Lester Miner. Circa 1930, this family relocated and made its home on Main Street in the village of Riverpoint in West Warwick, Kent County, RI, where Ivan was employed as a weaver in a lace mill.

Daughter Jane E. Miner (1894- ? ) was born in November 1894. On April 14, 1915, at Mauch Chunk, she wed Herman H. Stohl, Jr., by the hand of Rev. Walter C. Robert. Herman was a mail carrier, and the son of Herman and Louisa (Fisher) Stohl Sr. of Mauch Chunk, with both parents born in Philadelphia. Because at the age 20 at the time of marriage, she was still considered underage, and with both parents dead, guardian David McCormick had to provide his consent to the Orphans Court of Carbon County.