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Levi Miner was born in 1822 either in Rockland Township, Berks County, PA or in Mauch Chunk, Northampton (later Carbon) County, PA the son of Frederick and Elizabeth Miner III.

He was the only one of his parents' sons to serve in the Civil War. As a young man, he stood five feet, 10 inches, with a light complexion and grey eyes.

Some years before the Civil War, Levi married Catherine "Kate" Keifer (or "Keefer") (1824-1891). They had five known children -- Samuel Miner (born 1844), Thomas Miner (1848), John Miner (1849), Mary A. Beidleman (1852) and Levi Alfred (or "Albert") Miner (1854). 

When the federal census was taken in 1850, the Miners made their home in Mauch Chunk, Carbon County. Levi's occupation was listed as "moulder." Living under their roof was Kate's presumed sister, 20-year-old Mary Keifer, and she remained part of the family for years, at least until 1860, when the census again lists her living there.

Levi enlisted on Oct. 15, 1861 in the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was assigned to Company H. During the Battle of Bull Run, on Aug. 30, 1862, he was severely wounded in the right leg. He was evacuated to Washington, DC where he was treated in several local hospitals -- Mt. Pleasant in Washington, Camp Convalescent in Alexandria, VA and later at Bellevear Hospital in New York City. While at Camp Convalescent, it is possible that he became acquainted with a distant cousin, Ephraim Miner, who was treated there for injuries after the Battle of Fredericksburg.

On Jan. 24, 1863 (?), Levi was examined by a medical board, which recommended that he be honorably discharged due to hypertrophy (enlargement of damaged cells) and wounds. 

Levi returned home, and later received a federal pension as compensation for his wartime injuries. He estimated to military medical examiners that he was one-third disabled from performing manual labor. 

When he came home from the war, said the 1900 book Freemasonry in Wisconsin, Levi "resumed his business of carpentering and contracting. He subsequently removed to Weatherly, Pa., where for eighteen years he was employed in the shops of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, having charge of the finishing work on new railroad coaches."

The federal census of 1870 shows the 46-year-old Kate heading their household in Mauch Chunk. Other inhabitants of the household were 18-year-old daughter Mary and 29-year-old sister Mary A. Keefer, both dress makers; and 16-year-old son Levi, an apprentice painter.

Sadly, Kate is believed to have died in the 1870s. 

Levi married again, on Oct. 16, 1876, to Mary Ann Taney. They were wed at Lehighton, Carbon County, by the hand of Rev. Abraham Bartholomew. 

Levi died in the town of Weatherly, Carbon County at the age of 72 on Oct. 10, 1895. His remains were shipped to Lehighton by rail for burial at Gnaden Huetten Cemetery. Accompanied the Grand Army of the Republic Post 211 and musicians with the Weatherly Band, "They were met at the depot by Bertolette Post," reported the Lehighton Press. "The line was formed at the depot and to the music of a dead march proceeded to the cemetery where the religious services were conducted by Rev. J.H. Kuder." 

~ Daughter Mary (Miner) Beidleman ~

Mary Miner (1852- ? ) married George K. Beidleman (or "Beidelman") (1848- ? ) in about 1872.

They had five children -- Charles I. Beidleman (born 1872), Kate Beidleman (born 1874) and twins John Williams Beidleman and Elisha Biggs Beidleman (1886), all born in Pennsylvania. The identity of the other child is unknown.

When the federal census was enumerated in 1880, the family lived in Shickshinny, Luzerne County, PA, where George was a laborer. They later migrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, following Mary's brother Levi who had established a newspaper there.

Circa 1904, the Beidlemans made their home on Milwaukee Avenue in South Milwaukee. Brother Levi died in their home in May 1904, at the age of 50.

While in South Milwaukee, George labored as a blacksmith, operating his own shop. The 1910 census shows George, Mary and son Elisha living together on Milwaukee Avenue. George passed away sometime between 1900 and 1910. Widowed Mary made her home with her married son Elisha on Lake road in South Milwaukee, as shown in the 1920 census.

Son Charles I. Beidleman (1872- ? ) lived on South Washington Street in Milwaukee. Circa 1904, he was employed as assistant outside superintendent at the Prospect colliery plant. 

Twin son Elisha Biggs Beidleman (1886- ? ) was born on Sept. 12, 1886 in Bloomsburg, PA. He migrated with his parents and brother to South Milwaukee, WI. He worked as a timekeeper in a shop in South Milwaukee circa 1910. In 1912, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin. He married Edith B. (?) (1889- ? ) and lived on Lake road in South Milwaukee. They had at least one son, Jean Beidleman, born in 1918. Circa 1919, Elisha as employed as a foreman with the Bucyrus Company and lived at 1608 Lake Avenue, In 1920, Elisha was employed as a sales clerk in a steam shovel company.

• Son Jean Beidleman (1918- ? ) 

Twin son John Williams Beidleman (1886- ? ) was born on Sept. 12, 1886 in Bloomsburg, PA. He migrated to South Milwaukee, WI with his parents and siblings. As an adult he was short and of medium build, with dark brown hair and eyes. He was a self-employed pharmacist in Amherst, WI. He married Amy (?) (1882- ? ), who was four years older than her husband. She was a Wisconsin native, with her parents having been immigrants from Sweden. They had one known daughter, Helen Beidleman. In 1920, the federal census shows the family living on Church Street in Amherst, Portage County, WI, with John working as a druggist in a drug store. 

• Daughter Helen Beidleman (1918- ? ) 

~ Son Levi Alfred Miner ~

Levi Alfred Miner (1854-1904) parlayed a successful newspaper publishing career in Philadelphia into a life of public service as a politician in Milwaukee. He was born on April 5, 1854 at Mauch Chunk, Carbon County. 

At the age of 10, Levi "felt that he was old enough to warrant effort on this part to earn his own living, and accordingly he left the parental roof and went to Philadelphia, where he secured employment in various newspaper offices, as a printer," said the 1900 book Freemasonry in Wisconsin, in which he was featured in a full-page profile. 

With the experience he received at the case," in the Quake City, he started out as a traveling journeyman, and secured employment in various cities. The printing office is a good school for young men, and when the instruction received therein is supplemented by a knowledge of locations and of men and events, secured by travel and through employment along the route, the result is an education of a practice nature that broadens the mind and makes men more useful than they would otherwise have been, wherever they finally locate. Many a "jour." printer who traveled through the country in early manhood settled down in after years and became a conspicuous member of the community in which he finally made his home.

There, he "entered a newspaper office in Philadelphia, where he learned all branches of the printing craft...," said the South Milwaukee Journal. In the late 1870s, he founded his own newspaper known as the White Haven Journal. Circa 1883, he was employed as manager of the Bryn Mawr News in Montgomery County, PA, with Frank A. Hower as editor. According to an advertisement the News ran in the American Newspaper Catalogue that year, its circulation was "guaranteed to be larger than any other newspaper published on the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad from Philadelphia to Lancaster... devoted to first-class home, literature, local, and general news, agriculture, etc."

After "some time spent as a traveling journeyman, he located in Milwaukee in 1884 and accepted a position in the mechanical department on the Evening Wisconsin. He was also foreman of Yenowin's News of the same city, for about five years." 

In Hillsboro, Montgomery County, IL, at the age of 31, Levi married Sallie Evelyn Russell, daughter of T.J. Russell. The wedding took place on June 23, 1885. They apparently had no children.

The couple immediately established their home in Milwaukee, remaining there for seven years, until moving to South Milwaukee in January 1893. 

Levi and his father in law founded their own newspaper in January 1893. They named it the South Milwaukee Journal, and ran it under the company name of "Russell & Miner." Said the Journal, "From the first Journal, under the able management and judicious editorial work of the proprietors, has been a recognized influence for the public welfare of the city. Mr. Miner never hesitated to take a decisive stand on the side which he believed to be right and the paper has contributed in no small degree to the prosperity of the city...." Added the Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin, Levi's "push and persistent efforts have made it one of the liveliest semi-weekly papers in Wisconsin. His efforts have also had much influence in making the young city solidly Republican."

He was a member of the Masons and the Knights of Pythias lodges as well as the Milwaukee Typographical Union No. 23 and the Wisconsin State Press Association.

As a strong Republican, Levi was named chairman in 1899 of the Republican City Committee of South Milwaukee. The following year, he was elected as a representative of the Third Assembly District. He received 2,363 votes against his nearest opponent's 1,590 votes, said to have been the largest majority ever received for a political candidate in that jurisdiction. Said the Journal, he "served as a worthy member to the entire satisfaction of his constituents." 

In late April 1904, Levi developed a boil on his body which led to a deeper, more serious infection. It "was extremely painful and confined him to the house" of his sister Mary Beidleman, said the Journal. "Other complications set in, and, notwithstanding the best medical care and the constant attendance of his wife and sister and a trained nurse his spirit took its flight...." 

He was laid to rest following a funeral held in the First Congregational Church of South Milwaukee. His obituary originally was published in his own newspaper, the South Milwaukee Journal, and then reprinted in the Wilkes-Barre (PA) Daily Record. The obituary was reproduced in the 1905 book, The Historical Record of Wyoming Valley (PA), Vol. XIII, edited by F.C. Johnson.