Martin
Miner
(1840-1915)
Martin
Miner was born at
Hexebarger, near Kingwood, Somerset County, PA,
Sept. 28, 1840, son of John and Sarah (Ansell)
Minerd. He was a farmer and a Civil War veteran, and
survived several major battles. He also was an officer of our family's 1st
reunion in 1913.
Martin grew up in Hexebarger though he lived most of his adult life in Normalville, PA. He learned how to read and write, educated in local one-room schools. In October 1905, as a 65-year-old, Martin and his wife visited his birthplace, but he later admitted to a newspaper reporter that the "old ear marks of boyhood days are about all obliterated."
As a young man, Martin stood five feet, six inches tall, with blue eyes and light hair. During the Civil War, he enlisted in the 142nd PA Volunteer Infantry, Company C, on Aug. 12, 1862. (He was one of five siblings and in-laws to serve in the Union Army. Brother Henry A. Miner and brother in law Charles Rose were in the 171st PA Infantry; brother in law Andrew 'Jackson' Rose was in the 142nd PA Infantry; and brother in law Perry Enos was in the 188th PA Infantry.)
Seen here is an
artist's depiction of the 'Battle of the Crater' at Petersburg.
Martin and the regiment saw action at the battles of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and Petersburg. He would have watched with horror at Gettysburg when his brother in law, Jack Rose, was shot in the right forearm and had to have the damaged limb amputated.
"Immediately after the battle of Gettysburgh," he wrote later:
... I contracted typhoid fever, was sent to a Hospital at Harrisburgh Pa. and while in the Hosptal I had an attack of Rheumatism or at least that is what the Doctor in attendiance said. gave me Linament to Rub on it. Releved me some.... Prior to the attack ... I never knew what Rheumatism was.
The typhoid kept Martin incapacitated for two months. At some point later, he was hospitalized at Acquia Creek, MD. Later, he caught the measles "while in the line of duty on the heights of Alexandria near Washington City, D.C." In January 1864, he visited his sick cousin Ephraim Minerd at Camp Convalescent in Alexandria, after which Ephraim wrote in his diary, "I was soury that he had to go."
At Gettysburg, Martin's
name on the Pennsylvania
Monument (left), and the 142nd PA Infantry monument
Martin was discharged on May 29, 1865, and returned home.
On New Year's Day 1867,
Martin married Amanda Williams
(1844-1930), by the hand of Rev. Benjamin Walker of Kingwood. In the fall of
that year, the newlyweds moved to a farm near his father's at Normalville,
Fayette County, PA, where they spent the
rest of their lives. Martin purchased
the 48-acre farm outright from the heirs of William Kern in 1873.
The Miners built a farmhouse in the fall of 1886, seen at right. Less than two years later, the July 12, 1888 Connellsville Courier reported that the "residence was struck by lightning Friday, and badly damaged. None of the family were injured."
Martin and Amanda were the parents of Sarah Elizabeth Miner, Warren W. Miner, George B. Miner, John Walter Miner, William H. Miner, Levi 'Homer' Miner, Charles A. Miner, Agnes Miller, Edward Campbell Miner and Nettie Brooks. Sadly, Sarah and Homer both died in infancy. Sarah was a victim of "brain-fever" in November 1883, and Homer passed away as a result of diphtheria in January 1881.
Seated, l-r: Martin, Amanda and baby Nettie.
Standing l-r: Agnes, Warren, Ed, Charles, George and John
Over
time, Martin suffered from sore eyes,
stiffness in his right shoulder and pain in
his left breast. He wrote in 1890 that
"I was treated by Dr. Jos. Rogers & Dr. Nickol both since deceased and
a Doctor in Pittsburgh Pa. who was advertised as a great Eye Doctor. Got medison
from him but done no good." He also used "local treatments + remodies
that I applyed and Liniments I bought in the stores." (A copy of that
letter is seen here, with the original in the National
Archives in Washington, DC.)
He successfully obtained a federal pension for his wartime illnesses. Friends testifying on his behalf were Garrett Hall of Normalville and David Bigam of Normalville. Periodically, he underwent medical examinations so government physicians could confirm that he was as disabled as he claimed. In one such exam, in 1904, at age 64, a physician wrote:
All the joints of the body are affected with rheumatism, especially is it severe in the hands; cannot close fingers n either hand on palms and joints are enlarged. Pain and tenderness across lumber region and down both sciatic nerves, stooping is done with difficulty, muscles around shoulder-joints are contracted ... [and] water passing from the eyes all the time.
In October 1905, Martin (age 65) and Amanda spent an enjoyable weekend with relatives at Kingwood. While there, he visited his birthplace at Hexebarger but after returning home told a Connellsville Daily Courier reporter that the "old ear marks of boyhood days are about all obliterated." The Miners probably had been the guests of Ephraim and Rosetta (Harbaugh) Miner, his first cousin who lived in Hexie. Martin and Ephraim had served in the same Civil War regiment and were more like brothers than cousins.
Martin was active in the Normalville community, serving as vice commander of the William T. Campbell Post 375, G.A.R.; delegate in the Republican party; and school board officer (circa 1890s). In 1913 and 1914, when the first two Minerd-Miner Reunions were held, Martin served as vice president of the new organization.
In
the field behind the Miners' home was a small private cemetery, where they buried an infant
child. While Martin and Amanda are buried elsewhere, their cemetery was
once named 'Miner Cemetery,' and the list of burials is available for viewing
on the web. Also known to be buried there, in an unmarked grave, is an infant child of
their niece
Sarah Ellen (Enos) Hart (1893). The
Miner Cemetery is among the stand of pine trees, seen at left.
In May 1915, Martin was named in the Daily Courier as one of a few surviving Civil War veterans in Normalville. The others listed were A.J. Johnson, William J. Brown, John K. Grimm and W.H. Showman. On Memorial Day that year, Martin's cousin Rev. David E. Minerd spoke at a special service at the United Brethren Church of Normalville.
Martin
died suddenly on Oct. 1, 1915 after returning from a Civil War veterans
reunion at Washington, D.C., where he had marched in the grand review before
President Wilson. A local newspaper
reported that he had:
...joined the veterans from this section when they departed in a special car on Monday. Throughout the trip he appeared in the best of spirits, and companions say he apparently showed no ill effects of the long hike up Pennsylvania avenue. On the return trip the party was delayed several hours because of a freight wreck near Williams, and he was a day late arriving home. It is believed reaction from the excitement of the reunion and the journey home resulted fatally.
Within
an hour after arriving home, "supper had just been finished and the veteran
had pushed back his chair and was relating events of the grand encampment when
he suddenly collapsed and within a few minutes was dead from apoplexy."
Martin was buried at Normalville Cemetery.
Amanda, seen at left, lived another 15 years. She passed away on March 15, 1930, at the age of 85. The Courier said she was "one of the oldest and best known residents of Springfield township. She was laid to rest beside her husband.
The
field of public education remained important for many generations of this
family. Son
Ed
was a teacher and a principal of the Connellsville area elementary schools for 43
years. Daughters Agnes Miller and Nettie Brooks both taught school in the
area, Agnes for 28 years and Nettie for 45 years. A large number of
grandchildren and great-grandchildren also have worked in this field.
Son John was an entrepreneur who ran his own general store for many years in Normalville. He was active in the region's politics and economic development, and once served as Clerk of Springfield township.
Copyright © 2000-2006 Mark A. Miner