|
|
|
Frederick Miner III |
Frederick Miner III, also spelled "Friedrich Meinder," was born in about 1787, the son of Friedrich and Catherine (Nein) Meinert Jr. He was the third generation in this line of the family to carry the first name "Friedrich" or "Frederick."
He married Elizabeth (?) (1788- ? ). They had six known children -- Elizabeth Heilman, Elias Miner, Leah Schall, Levi Miner, Harriet Thornton and John Miner.
He first appears in the public record on the federal census of 1810 of Rockland Township, Berks County, PA. On that census, his age was given as between 26 and 45, and his wife's age as between 16 and 26. There also were listings in that census record for two daughters under the age of 10. The census-taker spelled his name "Fredk Minder Jun."
Ten years later, in 1820, the census-taker of Rockland Township recorded the household of eight members as follows: Friedrich as a free white male between age 26 and 45, and two younger males, one up to age 10, and the other age 10 to 16. Females in the household included Elizabeth (between age 26 and 45) and four daughters, two of whom were under the age of 10, and two between ages 10 and 16. The name was spelled "Frederick Minder."
When their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1812, she was baptized at the Mertz Beiber church in Rockland Township, Berks County. The ceremony was held on Oct. 28, 1812, with Friedrich and Catherine (?) serving as sponsors. In this record, the family surname is spelled "Meinter."
|
|
| Shipping activity on the Lehigh River in Mauch Chunk, where Frederick migrated during the 1820s. Original sketch by Theodore R. Davis published in Harper's Weekly, Sept. 18, 1869. |
Friedrich next appears in public documents when his father's estate papers will probated in 1815. In an appraisal of the estate, it was noted that Friedrich owned six bonds, valued at 40 [pounds?]. The first bond was to be paid on April 4, 1816, and each successive bond was to be paid on April 4 of each succeeding year.
Sometime after 1820, the Miners migrated to Mauch Chunk, Northampton County (later renamed "Carbon" County), PA. At the time, this river town of dramatic mountainous landscape -- dubbed the "Switzerland of America" -- was emerging as an important Anthracite coal production and shipping center.
 |
| Mauch Chunk, from the foot of Mt. Pisgah, as published in the Subscriber Folio of Picturesque America, 1870s |
Friedrich is believed to be the same "Frederick Meiner" heading a household of nine individuals, shown on the census of North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, PA in 1830. It is apparent that they were living there in 1833 when it the local newspaper reported that daughter Elizabeth had married Nathan Heilman, on Dec. 2, 1833.
Four years later, on Nov. 4, 1836, Friedrich and son Elias voted in the presidential election, with the poll held in the home of John Leisenring of Mauch Chunk Township, Northampton County. In that election, Martin Van Buren defeated Whig Party candidates William Henry Harrison, Daniel Webster and others to capture the nation's top office.
For reasons not yet known, Friedrich does not appear on the census of 1840, but this is being researched further.
In the ensuing decade, Northampton County was subdivided in 1843, with Mauch Chunk becoming part of the newly formed Carbon County.
Friedrich and Elizabeth next are named in the 150 census in Mauch Chunk, Carbon County. At age 63, he was listed as a carpenter, and Elizabeth's age was given as 62. Living in their home was 13-year-old John Scofield, relationship unknown, but who could have been a grandson. Living in adjacent dwellings were the Miners' sons John and Levi and their families.
Friedrich died in 1854 at the age of 67. Probate court documents of his estate show that he left land on the northward side of West Broadway in Mauch Chunk. The value of his personal effects were insufficient to pay his debts, and the court ruled that his real estate needed to be liquidated to enerate the needed cash.
As a widow, Elizabeth went to live in the household of her married daughter Leah Schall in Mauch Chunk. She is shown in their dwelling in the 1860 federal census. Living a few doors away was her married son John and his sons.
Their burial places are unknown.
All three sons were employed in industrial manufacturing -- Elias was a machinist, and Levi and John were molders.
Copyright © 2011 Eugene F. Podraza and Mark A. Miner