Biography of John and Sarah Jane Miner of Mauch Chunk, PA

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John Miner
(1830- ? )

John Miner was born in 1830 in Mauch Chunk, Northampton County (later renamed Carbon County), PA, the son of Frederick and Elizabeth Miner III.

John enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Civil War. He was not called to service because authorities believed he had a "critical skill" in making shells in the family's iron moulding shop.

John married Sarah Jane (?) (1831-1879). They had four children -- Alonzo Miner (born 1849), Washington Atlee Miner (born 1857), Elizabeth Campbell (born 1862) and Sherman Grant Miner (born 1865).

The family home was on West Broadway. The federal census enumeration of 1850 shows the family living in Mauch Chunk, Carbon County, PA, next door to John's parents and brother Levi. John's occupation that year was listed as "moulder." Making her home under their roof was 15-year-old Martha Reeser, relationship unknown.

They remained in Mauch Chunk as shown in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses, with John again listed in those years as a "moulder" and "iron moulder." Sons Alonzo and Atlee joined him in the family enterprise as molders.

Sarah Jane passed away on Jan. 28, 1879, at the age of 49, and is buried by herself at the Mauch Chunk Cemetery (Section 142). An obituary in the Carbon Advocate noted that she died "after long and patient suffering, of consumption." Her funeral service was led by Rev. B.T. Vincent.

John nearly joined her in death later that year, in mid-July 1879, when he escaped an explosion at General Oliver's powder mill at Laurel Run near Mauch Chunk. John was among six men standing in the press room at the works, the others being James Burns, William Kidney, John McKeal, Fred Steele and William Whitebread. Reported the Carbon Advocate:

At a little past five in the afternoon, just as work was about to close for the day, John McKeal took a piece of iron and tried to clear some dirt from the eccentric in the press room, while it was yet in motion. A spark flew and ignited the powder, which exploded, as did also ten kegs standing in the room. There was a terrific report, and dense clouds of smoke filled the place.... All rushed for the door and Miner got out unhurt. Steele and Kidney were but slightly burned, but the others received such terrible injuries that the physicians report their recovery impossible.

John's fate is not yet known.

Mauch Chunk and the Lehigh River, as seen from the mountain road, early 1900s

~ Son Washington Atlee Miner ~

Washington Atlee Miner (1857-1926) was born in June 1857. He married Hester C. (or "Esther") Reber (1863-1938), daughter of Edward and Mary Reber.

Atlee's father in law at one time operated the Centenniel Hotel in Lehighton and also was postmaster of the town of Harrity. One of Atlee's brothers in law, John O. Weiss, married to Emma L. Reber, was assistant collector for 25 years for the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, later becoming general storekeeper of the company's canal department, and ran the hotel and store in Harrity starting in 1909.

Of their four children, three are known -- Robert Atlee Miner (born 1885), Esther C. Gosser (1887) and Ralph Miner (1889).

Atlee was a member of the Iron Molders Union of North America. (His membership card number was 17165.) At one point he was suspended from IMUNA membership because he failed to pay dues and taxes, but he later was reinstated.

In 1883, Atlee lived in Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA, where the city directory printed his address as 318 Second Street. After moving to Geneva, NY, he continued his employment as a molder. In fact, the Geneva Advertiser issue of Nov. 5, 1889 reported that he had attended the Molders Ball at the Geneva Armory, an event which drew 500 people, at at which he won a drawing for 25 lbs. of flour.

By 1900, Atlee and Hester and their three children returned to Pennsylvania, making their home in Franklin Township, Carbon County, with Atlee's occupation listed as "iron moulder." When the federal census was taken in 1910, Atlee lived in Binghamton, Broome County, NY. Their sons Robert and Ralph Miner were molders and eventually left Carbon County and settled for a period of time in Morristown, NJ, later joining their father in Binghamton.

Bird's-eye view of Binghamton

In 1913, at the time daughter Esther Miner married Charles S. Gosser, Atlee and Esther were marked on the marriage license as living in Weissport. His fate is lost to history for now.

Esther's obituary in the Allentown Morning Call

Atlee died in 1926, at the age of 69. Details are not yet known, but are being researched.

Esther survived her husband by a dozen years, making her home with her daughter at 1024 Centre Street in East Mauch Chunk. She maintained her membership in the Jacobs Reformed Church of Weissport.

She passed away in East Mauch Chunk on or about Oct. 20, 1938. Her obituary was published in the Allentown (PA) Morning Call on Oct. 21, 1938, page 5. Efforts are being made to secure a copy of this news article.

Son Robert Atlee Miner (1885-1963) was born on Jan. 11, 1885. As an adult, he was tall and of medium build, with brown hair and brown eyes. At the age of 21, Robert married 18-year-old New York native Gertrude Donahue (?) (1886-1969) and they lived for many years in Binghamton, Broome County. Their known children were Gertrude P. Koppler, Robert Atlee Miner Jr., Russell M. Miner, Ralph E. Miner Sr. and Esther M. O'Brien, the eldest two born in New Jersey, and the rest in New York State. When he had to register for the military draft during World War I, in September 1918, Robert gave his address as 26 Linden in Binghamton, and his occupation as a moulder for Endicott Johnson Company in Johnson City, NY. The 1920 census of Binghamton shows Robert employed as a cutter in a local shoe factory. By 1930, Robert was promoted to foreman in the shoe factory, and the family lived on Linden Street in Binghamton. In 1938, at the death of Robert's mother, he was named in her obituary in the Morning Call, and was still in Binghamton. Robert retired from Endicott Johnson in 1953 after 37 years of service. They made their home at 24 Linden Street, and were members of the Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church. Robert passed away at age 78 in 1963, survived by 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Gertrude died in April 1969, with the number of their great-grandchildren having grown to 22.

Daughter Gertrude Miner (1908- ? ) wed George A. Koppler. Circa 1969, they lived in Hillcrest, NY and in 1994, she made her home in Binghamton.
Son Robert A. Miner Jr. (1909-1994) was born in about 1909. He married Josepha (?) (1913-2007) and resided in Binghamton and Asharoken, NY and Short Hills, NJ. The Miners had three children -- Joanne Moran, Michele Duffy and Robert A. Miner III. Robert Jr. was an executive at the world headquarters of International Business Machines (IBM) in New York City. he also was the founder of Robert A. Miner Industries and invented "Miner's Liner," the "T-Square Putting Device" and "The Putting Game." Following retirement, they lived in Vero Beach, FL. Robert passed away at the age of 85 at the home of his married daughter Joanne Moran in Northport, NY. Following a funeral at the Trinity Episcopal Church of Binghamton, he was laid to rest in Vestal Hills Memorial Park. Josepha joined Robert in death on Jan. 14, 2007. At the time of her passing, a newspaper reported that she was survived by 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Son Russell A. Miner (1912- ? ) made his home in Durham, NC in 1969 and in Vero Beach, FL in 1994.
Son Ralph Edward Miner Sr. (1914-2007) was born on July 13, 1914 in Binghamton. He married Genevieve Mary Jordan (1916-1999), the daughter of Patrick and Mary Frances (Gallagher) Jordan. The Miners had three children -- Dr. Ralph "Edward" Miner Jr., Timothy E. Miner and Mary A. Faraday. Ralph attended Alfred University and was a 1940 graduate of the United States Military Academy. He spent two decades of his life in military duty, beginning in Alaska. He served in the South Pacific during World War II and later during the Korean War, and retired as a colonel. "During the course of their married life," reported a newspaper, "they lived throughout the world." Returning to Binghamton, he was employed by the Binghamton School System as a mathematics teacher. He retired from teaching in 1976. Genevieve worked for a decade for the Chenango Valley School District, enjoying reading and playing bridge. Genevieve died at age 82 on April 14, 1999, in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. Ralph passed away at the Oxford Veterans Home in Oxford, NY on Jan. 23, 2007, at the age of 92. His remains were interred at Vestal Hills Memorial Park in Vestal, NY, following a funeral mass held at St. Catherine of Sienna Church.
Daughter Esther Miner (1919- ? ) married Ernest M. O'Brien. In 1969, they lived in Binghamton, and in 1994 in Vero Beach, FL.

Daughter Hester E. "Esther" Miner (1887- ? ) was born in March 1887 in Weissport. As a young woman, she moved to Brooklyn, NY, where she was employed as a nurse. At the age of 26, on Sept. 4, 1913, she married twice-widowed Charles Simon Gosser (1873- ? ), a merchant of Wilkes-Barre, PA, and the son of William S. and Rebecca (Rehig) Gosser of Weissport. They went on to have two children -- Mary Gosser and Charles Gosser. Tragically, Charles died between 1916 and 1920, leaving Esther a young widow with two children. To help with the children, Esther's mother moved into their household. They all are enumerated together in the 1920 federal census of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA, with Esther employed in the fish and oyster business. The census taker marked Esther as "widowed" but her mother as "married." She is believed to have married again, to Harry Will, and in 1938 they lived at 1024 Centre Street in East Mauch Chunk.

Daughter Mary Gosser (1915- ? )
Son Charles Gosser (1916- ? )

Son Ralph Miner (1888- ? ) was born on June 11, 1888 in Weissport, Carbon County. He was tall and slender, with brown eyes and dark brown hair. He married Elizabeth Dempsey (1890- ? ), a native of Ireland, and the daughter of Jane Dempsey. During World War I, Ralph registered for the military draft. At the time, he gave his address as 290 Trent Street in Binghamton, Broome County, NY. Later, by 1930, they moved to New Jersey, settling in Morristown, Morris County, living with Elizabeth's widowed mother and 44-year-old brother Thomas Dempsey. That year, Ralph's occupation was as an automobile salesman. Ralph was employed during World War II with Wright Aero Corporation in Patterson, Passaic County, NJ.

~ Son Sherman Grant Miner ~

Sherman Grant Miner (1865- ? ) was born in 1865 after his father's return from the Civil War. He was named for two of the Union Army's top generals -- William Tecumseh Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant.

Sherman made his home circa 1883 in Scranton.

He too was an iron molder and boarded with his widowed aunt Kate Miner at 428 Spruce. His final fate is unknown.

~ Son Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Miner) Campbell ~

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Miner (1862- ? ) wed John Campbell (1855-1909), the son of John and Anna (Scott) Campbell. Their nuptials occurred in Mauch Chunk on April 6, 1879, led by Rev. Ferrier, and with an announcement appearing in the Carbon Advocate newspaper.

When the federal census was taken in 1880, the newlyweds lived in the home of John's mother in Mauch Chunk's Second Ward, with John employed as a railroad brakeman.

They had three known children, Gertrude Campbell (born 1879), Anne Duffy (1883) and James Campbell.

Elizabeth is thought to have died sometime between 1885 and 1900.

The census of 1900 shows John as "single" and residing with his three teenage children in the household of his sister Mary Campbell in East Mauch Chunk.

Records of the Upper Mauch Chunk Cemetery show that John passed away on July 24, 1909, at the age of 54.

Daughter Gertrude Campbell (1880-1966) was born in August 1880 in Mauch Chunk. She lived to the ripe old age of 87, and passed away on Nov. 29, 1966. She is buried beside or near her father in the Upper Mauch Chunk Cemetery (Plot 401.5).

Daughter Anne I. "Annie" Campbell (1882-1960) was born on June 7, 1882 (or 1883) in Mauch Chunk. She married Stephen Augustus Duffy Sr. (1883- ? ) onAug. 4, 1908, when she was age 26 and he 25. At the time of marriage, Stephen was a plasterer, living in East Mauch Chunk. They had three children -- among them Stephen Augustus Duffy Jr. Stephen Sr. died in 1960 and is buried at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Jim Thorpe (Mauch Chunk). Anne apparently died the same year as her husband, and they rest together for eternity.

Son Stephen Augustus Duffy Jr. (1923-1991) was born on June 6, 1882. He was of medium height and slender build, with brown eyes and grey hair. Stephen married Annie Scott and they resided at 165 South in Mauch Chunk. In 1918, he was employed by John Duffy as a plasterer in East Mauch Chunk. In September of that year, he registered for the military draft, and gave Annie's name as his nearest relative. During World War II, he served as a private first class. He died on Aug. 27, 1991, and is buried at Immaculate Conception.

Son James Campbell (1885- ? ) was born in April 1885.