Elizabeth
(Miner) Lindley
(1869-1913)
Elizabeth
(Miner) Lindley was born on Dec. 14, 1869, likely in Greene County, PA, the daughter of Catherine (Miner)
Bedillion. She and her husband were filled with
repeated heartache over the years as they suffered the untimely deaths of many
loved ones. A Civil War veteran, he was married three times and had a total of
17 children.
As a young girl, Lizzie was raised under her mother's maiden name, generally spelled "Minor." They resided with her grandparents, Henry and Polly (Younkin) Minerd, in rural Greene County. In 1889, Lizzie and her mother were living in Lagonda, Washington County, PA.
On the Fourth of July 1889, at age 19, Lizzie married Cyrus Lindley (1840-1908), the son of Daniel and Mary (Farabee) Lindley, and a native of Prosperity, Washington County. The marriage ceremony was held in Washington, Washington County, and was conducted by Rev. R.G. White.
Cyrus was a relative of Lizzie's uncle and aunt, Spencer and Nancy (Minor) Farabee. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.
At the time of marriage, Cyrus was a twice-widowed, 47-year-old Civil War veteran. Because Lizzie was so young, her mother had to sign a formal consent. The document, now on file at the Washington County Courthouse, was witnessed by Enoch Mounts and George H. Reynolds.
Records
in the archives of Washington and Jefferson
College show that on Feb. 4, 1861, at Upper Ten Mile Church in Prosperity, Cyrus was among
"persons [who] were examined as to their knowledge & experimental
acquaintance with religion." A few weeks later, they "were baptized
after making a public profession of their faith before the congregation..."
The church still exists, and its sign is seen here today.
Cyrus's first wife was Lucinda J. McAllister ( ? -1863). Little is known about Lucinda, other than one of her aunts was Permelia D. Andrews (1833- ? ) of Washington. Cyrus and Lucinda are thought to have had two children, Oliver Lindley and an unnamed infant.
During the Civil War, Cyrus enlisted in the US Army on Aug. 9, 1962. He was assigned to Company D of the 140th PA Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted on Aug. 9, 1862. In a cruel twist of fate, his wife Lucinda gave birth while he "was absent serving in the Army" but she and the baby died in childbirth. In his own words, Cyrus "did not get home even to attend the funeral." Lucinda's remains were laid to rest in the "cemetery at Prosperity," said her aunt Permelia Andrews.
With the 140th PA Infantry, Cyrus and his fellow soldiers were bloodied in some of the fiercest action known during the war. During the Battle of Chancellorsville, on May 3, 1863, he "received a shell wound of the left hip [or back] while supporting battery" of cannon. A loud shell explosion also caused him some deafness. While in the Battle of Gettysburg just two months later, he was wounded again during the fighting at the Wheat Field and on Little Round Top. He received a bayonet wound in the right leg "while charging on enemy" on July 3, 1863.
Little
Round Top and the "Valley of Death"
where Cyrus was bayonetted at Gettysburg
The
140th PA Infantry today is memorialized at Gettysburg with two large monuments
in and around Little Round Top. The more prominent of the two is seen at left.
One of the plaques, dedicated in 1885, reads:
140th Regt. Penna. Vols. Col. R.P. Roberts Commanding. Zook's Brig., Caldwell's Div., Hancock's Corps. July 2nd, 1863. (Succeeded 5, Corps Troops). Carried into action 29 officers and 560 enlisted men. Lost in action, 14 officers and 227 enlisted men, as follows: Killed, 3 officers and 34 enlisted men. Died of wounds, 1 officer and 16 enlisted men. Wounded, 7 officers and 120 enlisted men. Capt'd and missing, 3 officers and 57 enlisted men. In memory of our comrades, 1885.
Cyrus'
name also appears on the Pennsylvania Monument at Gettysburg, seen here,
along with the names of all the other members of the 140th PA Infantry and other
Pennsylvania regiments who served in action at the bloody battle.
According to Cyrus' Civil War pension file, held at the National Archives in Washington, DC, he later was captured and held as a prisoner of war. The capture is said to have occurred at Peola Mills, MS, on July 1, 1864, though his regiment was not known to have ever been in Mississippi. He was confined to Confederate prisons at Richmond, VA and Andersonville, SC before being released at Charleston, SC, on Dec. 16, 1864. Five or six weeks before his discharge, he came down with the measles, his eyes became "sore," and he had trouble with his vision.
Doctor's sketches of Cyrus's battle wounds
He was honorably discharged on May 31, 1865 at Alexandria, VA. Cyrus returned to Washington County, PA, and built carriages for a living. His eyesight improved somewhat, though it began to decline again in about 1896, causing difficulty with the precise work needed of a wagon builder.
Circa 1865, he married his second wife, Nannie A. Reeves ( ? -1884). They had at least seven children, born between the years 1866 and 1880 -- James Hamilton Lindley, Mary 'Emma' Huff, Nora May Ebberts, Sarah Lindley, Edward Lindley [later renamed John William Lindley], Charles Benson Lindley and Celesta Lindley.
Heartache and tragedy struck the family in waves in 1883-1884. In 1883, son Oliver died in Prosperity. The following year, wife Nannie passed away in Washington, PA on June 19, 1884, and infant daughter Celesta died in August of that year, age three months. Nannie's brother, B.F. Reeves (1853- ? ) of Deerlick, Greene County, wrote that he "visited her frequently during her last sickness. I saw in her casket and attended her funeral."
Cyrus was left with six motherless children to raise.
Five years later, in 1889, Cyrus married his third wife, our Lizzie Miner. They went on to have eight children of their own -- Isa Reynolds, Homer Randall Lindley, Hazel Anna Headley, Albert Leon Lindley, Wilda Pauline Lindley, Wilma Irene Lindley, Thelma Stella Lindley and William Earl Lindley.
Lizzie
with one of her newborn babies, seen here, substantially touched up from a very
badly faded original photo.
At some point in the 1890s, the Lindleys moved from their small farm near Prosperity into the city of Washington. Perhaps this was due to the increasing urban need for builders of carriages. There they remained for many years, although they apparently retained ownership of the farm.
As he aged, Cyrus began to feel the effects of his wartime illnesses. He applied for and began receiving a pension from the federal government as compensation. Circa 1900, he was receiving $6 per month through the pension agency in Pittsburgh. During an 1892 medical examination, required to maintain his pension, he stood 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighed 122 lbs., and had a pulse rate of 72. In 1898, a physician wrote: "[His] nutrition is good, muscular development fair, his palms show evidence of hard labor done in the past, at present quite soft." Cyrus's original pension file is held today at the National Archives in Washington, DC, with a copy in the Minerd-Minard-Miner-Minor Archives.
The shadow of death continued to take its relentless toll on the family in the 1890s. On Jan. 10, 1891, son Homer died in Washington, PA, and twin daughters Wilma (March 13, 1897) and Wilda (Dec. 2, 1898) passed away, also in Washington. Then on Aug. 10, 1904, daughter Thelma died at age two, in Washington.
We cannot imagine the enormous emotional burden that Cyrus and Lizzie felt over these deaths. Over the span of 40 years, he had lost two wives and a combined eight children.
By
1900, when the federal census was taken, the Lindleys had purchased a home at
338 Fayette Street in West Washington, just down the street from where Lizzie's uncle Andrew
Jackson Miner and other relatives lived. That year, they provided housing for five boarders who were
local laborers, including their son Charley. Another of the boarders was
Lizzie's first cousin, William Allen Miner
(seen at right), who was a packer in a glass house. The other boarders were
tin mill laborers Thomas King and Lilburn Newland and carpenter David Sprowles.
In 1904, Cyrus became ill and could not attend his annual medical checkup. He wrote that he "was confined to the house for seven weeks - am totally disabled and cannot go before any board for examination unless in a carriage to Washington Pa. which is only three miles to travel." He was pronounced as having a total inability to earn support by manual labor, and his pension payments increased to $12 per month.
Death
finally took Cyrus at age 69 at their Amwell Twp. home, on Jan. 17,
1908. The Washington Reporter said he was "an old soldier" and
that his "death was sudden, as he had been sick only about eight
hours."
He was laid to rest in the Washington Cemetery, in the Civil War veterans' section near the large statue, seen here. His marker is in the foreground, directly below the flag. The funeral was overseen by Rev. Cole.
The administrator of Cyrus' estate held an auction to raise funds to pay debts. Held on Feb. 12, 1908, the sale included some 90 items that are typical of what a carriage builder and farmer would have owned at that time. These ranges from a buggy harness and feed cutters to hogs, a shotgun and bedsprings. A full list is in the Minerd-Miner-Minor Archives.
Among the
purchasers was Lizzie's first cousin, Andrew J.
Birch (seen at right) who bought a wagon and wagon wheels for $1.00.
Lizzie's brother in law, Elmas Martin,
purchased a square for 35 cents, and Howard Lindley (connection unknown) bought
hammers, a clamp and plaster.
As a widow with young children, Lizzie rented a home at 32 East Cherry Avenue in Washington. She was a "faithful member" of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church. When her late late husband's estate was administered, the total assets came to $76.75.
Later in 1908, Lizzie applied for her late husband's federal pension. Among others, testifying on her behalf were her uncle, Andrew Jackson Miner, of Washington, and Andrew's brother in law, Stephen W. Johnston, of nearby Canton Twp. They attested that they had "known her ever since she was a little girl and they know the fact that she had not been married previously." In a separate affidavit, Andrew and S.S. Lloyd of Amwell Twp. swore that the Lindleys owned a house and three acres of land in Amwell, valued at $625, and renting for $75 per year -- comprising all the property they owned of any kind. Andrew also witnessed an affidavit with testimony from one of Cyrus's former brothers in law, B.F. Reeves of Deerlick, Greene County. Also signing affidavits of support around that time were Nettie Kelsey (age 19), Parker Clark (age 45) and Emma Shanley (age 54).
Lizzie and Cyrus, presumably at their farm near Prosperity
Lizzie
appears to have been talented as a seamstress and as a baker of pies.
When the federal census was taken in 1910, she was listed as a
"Dressmaker - Own Shop." She also is said to have "taught many
generations of women to bake apple pie a certain way," a tradition which
continues in this branch of the family.
Sadly,
completing the cycle of tragedy in the family, Lizzie
died just five years after her husband. Suddenly infected with peritonitis, she
was rushed to Washington Hospital in early October 1913. After just 12 hours of
treatment, she passed away just after midnight on Oct. 6, 1913, at the tender
age of 44. The Washington
Reporter said her death occurred "due to a
complication of diseases. She had been ill but a few days, and was in the
hospital only since Sunday morning."
Her funeral arrangements were handled by Charles W. Devore of Washington. Lizzie is buried at Washington Cemetery -- far apart from Cyrus. She rests for eternity in an unmarked grave (Block 5, Range I, Grave 22). Stepson Charles Lindley was the informant for her death certificate, but did not know the names of her parents. He also gave her birth year as "1871" rather than the correct "1869" -- a difference in two years.
Seen at right is a rare old
photographic postcard showing the entrance to the cemetery.
Because her personal estate was insufficient to pay her debts, their tract of two acres, perhaps the farm in Amwell or Prosperity, was sold to Grant Moninger and raised $600 in proceeds.
The Lindleys are memorialized in the book Genealogy of the Farabees in America by Louis Thomas Farabee. The date of publication is unknown but was sometime after Sept. 9, 1917, the most recent date listed in the book. The volume provides a wealth of vital statistics about the various Lindley children.
Daughter
Hazel (1892-1991) worked as a "Sales Lady - Dept. Store" in Washington
circa 1910. A few
years later, she had married Edward Headley ( ? - ? ) and was residing at 299 Addison Street. Because her
young brother William was just a boy, Hazel was appointed as his guardian on May 5, 1914. The Washington County records contain
detailed accounts of expenses she paid to support her brother's welfare between 1914 and 1918.
These ranged from shoes and stockings to train fare and legal fees. In 1918, Hazel was living
at 231 State Street, Akron, Summit County, OH. A bird's-eye view of Akron is seen
at left. Hazel is believed to have resided in or near Akron the remaining
years of her life. She passed away in Akron on March 17, 1991. More information
will be provided here once additional research is conducted.
Lizzie
and Cyrus's youngest son William (1903- ? ) was last known to be residing with
his married sister, Hazel Headley, in Akron, OH. A letter she wrote on his
behalf, to the federal pension commissioner, is seen at right. He stopped
receiving his father's pension payments upon turning age 16 on Dec. 26, 1919.
After that, his story is unknown.
Circa 1908, Lizzie's stepdaughter Emma Huff resided in New York and after 1917 was in Montreal, Canada. Her fate is unknown.
Stepdaughter Dora Ebberts lived in Pittsburgh in 1908, at 1523 Fifth Avenue. Her fate also is not known.
Circa 1917, stepson James Lindley lived at 274 Alice Street in East Palestine, OH.
In about 1917, stepdaughter Sade resided at 1226 Jefferson Avenue in Washington.
Stepson
Charles Lindley lived in 1917 on Grove Street in the Bellvue section of
Washington.
In 1913, the year her mother died, daughter Isa (1888-1967) married Bertram Hoyt Reynolds ( ? - ? ). They are seen at left in an old studio portrait. They resided at 208 Brookside Avenue in Washington circa 1914, when Isa was age 25. The Reynoldses went on to have four children -- Helen Corinne Walker, Merlin Reynolds, Beulah Reynolds and Mildred Reynolds. They first resided in Washington. Unfortunately, not only did Isa suffer from respiratory ailments, but is said to have contracted a case of the dreaded Spanish Flu epidemic that spread through our nation in 1919. Doctors advised Isa to move to a warm climate, and the family relocated to Southern California early in 1920. The Reynoldses often spoke of an "Uncle Ward" with great affection and regret, and it's thought they were referring to Isa's cousin, Ward C. Miner, a talented photographer who died in his early 30s of incurable tuberculosis. Isa passed away at the age of 79 in San Diego, San Diego County, CA on Jan. 19, 1967. Her husband's fate is not yet known.
The
Reynolds' daughter
Helen married Charles Henry Walker. Charles is seen at right, in his
military uniform, and served as a Commander in the US Navy, a
position from which he retired. Three of their children have been educators --
Charlotte Zoe Walker, Marian Stauffer and Stan Walker.
The Reynolds' granddaughter Marian is a school psychologist in Houston, TX.
The
Reynolds' grandson Stan has been an art teacher
at the college and public school levels in Montpelier, VT.
The Reynolds' granddaughter Charlotte is a longtime English Professor at the State University of New York, College at Oneonta, and has edited two books about the 19th century nature writer John Burroughs. Her volume, The Art of Seeing Things, is pictured here. In her dedication to the book, Charlotte wrote: "...to all our farming ancestors, brought to life again in the writing of Burroughs, and all those who carryon today the natural ways of farming that are so threatened in our time." Her extensive list of publications is online, showing among many others that her writings have been published in Ms. Magazine, Good Housekeeping, the Virginia Woolf Quarterly, the North American Review and Woman's World.
Copyright © 1994, 2000-2006 Mark A. Miner