Biography of Joseph and Mary Jane (Courtney) Miner

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Joseph Miner
(1841- ? )

Joseph Miner was born in 1841 in Unity Township near East Palestine, Columbiana County, OH, one of 15 children of Jacob and Julianna (Forney) Minor.

When he was age 22, in Van Wert County, OH, Joseph married Mary Jane Courtney (1847- ? ), the 16-year-old daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth B. Courtney. The marriage took place on Aug. 24, 1863, with Mary Jane's father giving his consent to the marriage, and signing his name with an "X."

They had six known children -- Mary "Elizabeth" Wilkins, Simon Henry Miner, Margaret Miner, Josephine Miner, Lillian D. "Lillie" Sheets Little and William M. Minor.

When the federal census was taken in 1870, the Miners made their home in Houston, Turtle Creek Township in Shelby County, OH, where Joseph worked as a farm laborer. Mary Jane's 49-year-old widowed mother lived under their roof that year.

By 1880, the family moved to a farm in Rush Creek Township, Logan County, OH. That year, their 16-year-old married daughter Elizabeth Wilkins lived with them as did their three younger children. Daughter Lillie was born in 1882 in Sidney, Shelby County, OH.

Joseph apparently died first, sometime before 1898, though this has not yet been proven with precision.

Mary Jane later married her second husband, a man named Cummings, in about 1898. When the federal census was taken in 1910, the 64-year-old Mary lived with her married son and daughter in law, William and Eliza (Smith) Miner in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, MI. While the census taker recorded that her name was "Cummings" and that her current marriage was in its 12th year, the whereabouts of Mr. Cummings are not yet known.

~ Daughter Elizabeth (Miner) Wilkins ~

Daughter Mary Elizabeth Miner (1864- ? ) was born in 1864 in Ohio. As a girl, she moved with her parents and siblings to Logan County, OH.

At about the age of 15, on Dec. 18, 1878, Elizabeth married Lewis A. Wilkins ( ? - ? ). Because she was underage, she fibbed that she was actually 16, and also had to secure the consent of her parents. Rev. Quincy A. Randall performed the nuptials in Logan County.

In 1880, the 16-year old Elizabeth lived with her parents and three younger siblings in Rush Creek Township, Logan County, OH.

Elizabeth's fate is unknown.

~ Son Simon Henry Miner ~

Son Simon Henry Miner (1870- ? ) was born in November 1870 in Ohio. He apparently was named for an uncle, Simon Miner.

At the age of 24, on June 25, 1893, Simon married 17-year-old Phoebe "Ellen" Summerland (1876- ? ), a native of Putnam County, and the daughter of W. Richard and Samantha (Pettitt) Summerland of Riley Township. Their wedding took place in Putnam County.

Their four children were Phoebe E. Miner, Ethel (or "Effie") B. Miner, Raymond Otis Miner and Victor H. Miner. Sadly, evidence strongly suggests that eldest child Phoebe died young.

The Miners made their home in 1900 on Goodale Street in Columbus, Franklin County, OH. Simon's name was listed on the federal census that year as "Henry S." and his occupation was "machinist."

Sadly, Simon and Ellen divorced during the first decade of the 20th century.

He went to live in Michigan with his married brother and sister in law, William and Eliza (Smith) Miner, in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County. The census enumeration of 1910 shows the 40-year-old Simon in his brother's home, and employed as a foreman in an electric company, while brother William worked as a laborer in odd jobs.

At some point in time, Simon is said to have taken a job as a railroad detective. Tragically, he is believed to have been shot and killed by train robbers. More will be added here when learned.

Widowed at about age 32, Ellen and her children returned to Putnam County. The federal census of 1910 shows them living on Ash Street in the town of Continental, with Ellen's name written as "Febie E."

Ellen married again within a few years. On Jan. 2, 1912, in Continental, she wed 35-year-old carpenter William L. Meyers (1876- ? ), the son of D.S. and Mary (Boggs) Meyers (or "Myers"). On her marriage license she listed herself as "divorced."

The marriage apparently did not endure, and they divorced.

During the 1910s, Ellen moved to Toledo, Lucas County, OH, and again carried the name "Miner." The census of 1920 shows her heading a household on Canada Southern Avenue, including her son and daughter in law, Raymond and Mary Clara Miner, and younger son Victor H. Miner. The census-taker marked the 44-year-old Ellen as divorced. To generate income, Ellen was employed as a machine operator in an automobile company, while Raymond worked for a coal company as a "helper on truck."

There in Toledo, and under the name "Ella Miner," she wed her third husband, 39-year-old Frank Ridenour (1881- ? ). He was the son of Enos (or "Elnos" and Binaca (Harter) Ridenour of Paulding County, OH. The wedding took place on April 17, 1920, with James Austin Jr., a judge of the Municipal Court, officiating. Frank's Ridenour relatives were Ellen's next door neighbors in Toledo, so perhaps that is how they met.

At the time of marriage, Frank lived at 1423 Woodruff in Toledo, and worked as a foreman. He moved into Ellen's home at 3944 Canada Southern in Toledo.

The Ridenours enjoyed more than two decades of wedded life.

Suffering from heart disease, Frank passed away at the age of 60 on July 1, 1941, in Toledo. He was laid to rest in Ottawa Hills Cemetery.

Ellen's fate is not yet known.

Granddaughter Ethel B. Miner (1896- ? ) was born on May 25, 1896. On Oct. 24, 1914, when she was age 18, Ethel married 19-year-old Elmer Hipsher (1895- ? ). He was a farmer and the son of William M. and Rosa "Belle" (Queen) Hipsher. Justice of the peace Charles E. Gompf performed the ceremony in Marion County, OH. They made their home for many years in Canaan Township near Marion, Marion County, OH, on Sexton and Hatcher Road. They had at least two children, Robert William Hipsher and Vivian Hipsher.

Son Robert William Hipsher (1915-1946) was born on Aug. 22, 1915. He married Mildred (?). He was a farmer and resided in rural Galion, Morrow County, OH. Plagued with a habitual use of barbiturate use, he took an overdose in February 1946, and three weeks later he died, on Feb. 24, 1946. He was laid to rest in Caledonia Cemetery in or near Galion.
Daughter Vivian Hipsher (1917- ? )

Grandson Raymond Otis Miner (1899- ? ) was born on Jan. 15, 1899, in Columbus, Franklin County, OH. As a young man he lived in West Toledo, Lucas County, OH, where he was employed as a laborer. He married Mary Clara Snyder (1901- ? ) on June 14, 1919, when he was age 20 and she 17. Mary was a native of Bono, OH and the daughter of Wallace and Julia (Rabar) Snyder, and also was making her home in Toledo at the time. For the first few years of marriage, they lived with Raymond's mother in Toledo, on Canada Southern Avenue. They had seven children -- James "Jim" Miner, Harold Miner, Mary Lou Miner, Larry Wade Miner, Raymond "Bud" Miner, Lucille Miner and Dale Miner.

Their son Larry Wade Miner wed Nellie (?). Their four children were Betty Jane Miner, Larry Joseph Miner, Rebecca Miner and Raymond Miner.

Grandson Victor H. Miner was born in 1907.

~ Daughter Lillian D. "Lillie" (Miner) Sheets Little ~

Daughter Lillian D. "Lillie" Miner (1882- ? ) was born on July 20, 1882 in Sidney, Shelby County, OH.

She married as a 16-year-old to 22-year-old Henry (or "Harry") Sheets, on June 30, 1897. Justice of the peace S.J. Goodman performed the ceremony. A scribbled note on their marriage license shows that Lillie's mother signed her consent to the union, with the additional note that "said Lillian is likely soon to be com a mother."

Lillie and Henry had one son, Curry Sheets, born in 1898 or 1899.

When her first marriage ended quickly in divorce, she wed again, at age 18, to 27-year-old Charles A. Little (1873- ? ), a resident of Kalida, Putnam County, OH and the son of James Thomas and Sarah E. (Hight) Little. The nuptials were performed by H. Parson, a Methodist Episcopal minister of the Gospel, on Nov. 19, 1900, in Putnam County.

Lillie and Charles had seven known children -- Gleaton Little, Huldah Elizabeth Underwood, Zella Little, David Little, Jenetta Little, James Little and William T. Little. Heartache rocked the family when newborn son James died of spasms on Dec. 12, 1910, at the tender age of 21 days; and when son William died at the age of two months of bronchio-pneumonia, on Jan. 29, 1923. The little ones were buried in the cemetery in Kalida.

When the federal census was enumerated in 1910, Lillie and Charles and their children lived in the village of Kalida, Putnam County. Charles' occupation was as a railroad laborer. By 1920, when the census again was taken, Charles was listed as a "laborer - clearing land."

The census of 1930 indicates that the Littles lived on Plum Street in Kalida, with Charles laboring at a local stone quarry. Only their two youngest children resided under their roof that year.

Son Curry Sheets (1899- ? ) was raised with his mother, step-father and half siblings in Kalida.

Son Gleaton Little (1902- ? )

Daughter Huldah Elizabeth Little (1903-1951) was born in 1903 in Kalida, Putnam County. At the age of 16, she married 21-year-old Olan Underwood (1898- ? ). They resided in rural Woodville Township in Sandusky County, OH. They had at least three children -- Evelyn L. Underwood, Olan Underwood Jr. and Betty J. Underwood. The 1930 census shows this family in Woodville Township, with Olan's occupation given as "laborer - lime plant." Huldah passed away at St. Vincent Hospital in Toledo, Lucas County, OH at the age of 47, on Aug. 7, 1951. She was laid to rest in the Union Cemetery in Oak Harbor, OH.

Daughter Zella Little (1908- ? )

Son David Little (1913- ? )

Daughter Jenetta Little (1915- ? )

~ Son William M. Minor ~

Son William M. Minor (1878- ? ) was born on July 7, 1878 in Hardin County, OH. As a young man of 22, he worked as a laborer and resided in Kalida, Putnam County, OH.

William married 15-year-old Mary "Eliza" Smith (1885?- ? ), the daughter of Phillip and Alice (Mull) Smith of Continental, Putnam County. Justice of the peace I.F. Stauffer performed the ceremony on Oct. 29, 1900 in Putnam County. A note on their marriage license reads: "Said Eliza Smith, being under age and not having had a former husband, consent of her Father Phillip Smith was given to the marriage of his Daughter, in Open Court."

They had four known children -- Leon Miner, Joseph Norman Miner, Gladys Miner and Virgil P. Miner.

The Miners relocated during the 1900s to Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, MI, where William earned a living as a laborer performing odd jobs. The census of 1910 shows the family in Kalamazoo, with William's mother Mary and brother Simon Henry Miner living under their roof.

Sometime between 1910 and 1924, the Miners' marriage ended. Whether William died, or they divorced, is not yet known.

Eliza married again, at the age of 36, to 36-year-old Vern Struble of Kalamazoo. He was the son of Frank and Elizabeth (Wright) Struble, and was employed as a box maker in Marcellus, MI. In an unusual twist, Eliza and Vern were married on March 8, 1924, the same day as her son Joseph Norman Miner wed Stella Wardenger, also in Kalamazoo. But the weddings were held in different locations, as the Struble ceremony was conducted by Probate Judge John L. Hollander.

Smoky paper mill in Kalamazoo, Michigan

When the federal census was taken in 1930, Vern, Mary and son Virgil P. Miner made their home on Mount Olivet Road in Kalamazoo. Vern was employed as a stock man in a paper mill, while Virgil worked as a laborer at the mill. To make extra money, Mary worked as a laundress.

Nothing more is known.

Son Leon Miner (1902- ? )

Son Joseph Norman Miner (1903- ? ) was born in 1903 in Clyde, Sandusky County, OH. He migrated with his parents and siblings to Kalamazoo, MI later in the 1900s. While in Kalamazoo, he worked as a paper maker. At the age of 22, Joseph married 28-year-old Stella Wardenger (1896- ? ) of Kalamazoo. The marriage took place on March 6, 1924, with Rev. Joseph B. Peatling leading the nuptials. Witnesses were Miss Ruth Pulver and Joseph's brother Virgil P. Miner.

Daughter Gladys Miner (1906- ? )

Son Virgil P. Miner (1908- ? ) was born in 1908 in Ohio. Circa 1930, as a 22-year-old, he lived with his mother and step-father in Kalamazoo County, MI.