G.
Wilbur
'William' Miner
(1878-1969)
G. Wilbur
Miner, also known as "William G. Miner," was born on May 24, 1878 in
Bearfield Twp., Perry County,
OH, the son of Thomas M. and Maletha
(Ogburn) Miner.
At a young age, Will moved with his parents to nearby McLuney Station in Harrison Twp., Perry County.
Then, in about 1899, Will and his parents and brothers Fred
and Charles relocated eastward to
Gallitzin Twp., Cambria County, PA, where his sister Lizzie and
her family were already living. Will settled in the town of Coupon, and worked
as a coal miner.
Seen at right is a photograph of Will as a young, bearded man, wearing a stylish derby hat and enjoying a favorite stogie cigar.
On Oct. 31, 1899, Will married Hattie F. Gaines (1880-1970), the daughter of John and Catherine (Shomo) Gaines, and a native of Page County, VA. The ceremony took place in Coupon or Delaney, Gallitzin Twp.
They had seven children -- Lillian M. Streton-Richards, John W. Miner, Thomas M. Miner II, Esther K. Erb, Mabel Ann O'Donnell-Hewitt, Elizabeth Mansell and Ruth Plank.
Will was a conductor for many years with the Pittsburgh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Early in the marriage, they resided in Bakers, Cambria County. In 1910, he and his family were residing in Altoona, Blair County.
The famed 'Horseshoe Curve" of the Pennsylvania
Railroad,
a landmark which Will would have known well.
By 1920, the Miners were living on a farm in
nearby Logan Township.
Said an Altoona newspaper, Will "retired in 1942 as a conductor with the Pittsburgh Division of the PRR. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen."
In March 1945, when his brother Fred died, the Johnstown (PA) Tribune said Will was living in Altoona.
Will and Hattie celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with their large family of offspring on Oct. 31, 1949. In all, they were married for 69 years, until the separation of death.
Will and Hattie, circa 1966, just three years before his death
Will passed away
on May 28, 1969 at Altoona Hospital, "after a brief illness" at the age of 90. He was laid to
rest at the Asbury United Methodist Church cemetery in Logan Twp., Blair County,
PA. At the time, he and Hattie had 26 grandchildren and 61
great-grandchildren.
Hattie died a year later, and was buried beside Will. A newspaper headline trumpeted that she was a "Matriarch of a Large Family." The article reported that she had been residing in Homers Gap and that her "descendants number more than 100..." She was buried beside her husband at her longtime church, Asbury United Methodist.
Daughter
Lillian Streton-Richards (1900-1974) married Charles C. Streton and William H.
Richards ( ? -1962). Circa 1970, she resided in the Masonic Home in
Elizabethtown, PA. She "was a member of the Order of Eastern Star,
Philadelphia," said an Altoona newspaper. She passed away on Aug. 6, 1974.
She had one daughter, Doris Miller of Chester, Delaware County, PA.
Son
John Wesley Miner (1902-1973) married Esther G. Sell (1904-1999). He "retired in
1967 as a welder in the PRR boiler shop," said an Altoona newspaper. Esther
"was a homemaker who enjoyed cooking and sewing." They resided at
Homers Gap, PA, and were members of the Asbury United Methodist Church, where
Esther was treasurer of the Women's Society. John died on July 18, 1973, after
suffering a heart attack. They had five children -- David Edward Miner; William
E. Miner of Antis, PA; Juanita Lee of Grandview (Altoona), PA; Richard Miner of
Bainbridge, PA; Mary Catherine Bickel of Charlottesville, VA.
The Pennsylvania Railroad yard and shops at 17th Street, Altoona
Son
Thomas M. Miner, II (1907-1980) married Edna L. Biser (1914-1991). Said an
Altoona newspaper, "Known as Col. Sanders, Mr. Miner retired from the
E&M shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1959, after 30 years'
service." Edna worked for 19 years as head seamstress at Altoona Hospital,
retiring in February 1978. They resided at Homers Gap, and had four children --
Charles M. Miner, Gladys Stengel, Grace Burns and Thomas W. Miner. When Thomas
died in 1980, and and Edna had 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He
died on Aug. 5, 1980, and his newspaper obituary is seen at left. Edna
outlived him by 11 years, and passed away on Aug. 25, 1991.
Daughter
Esther Erb (1910-2001) married Adam John Erb (1910-1993). She was "a
homemaker ... [who] enjoyed spending time with her family, reading the Bible and
gardening." Adam, "known as 'Buck'," said a newspaper,
"retired as a pipefitter from Pennsylvania Railroad in 1962, after 32
years' service. After his retirement, he was employed at Imler's Poultry for 23
years." They were members of Grace Brethren Church, Juniata, PA. They
resided in Greenwood, PA in 1970 and in Florida in 1973. Esther and Adam had
four children -- Richard E. Erb, Joanne Imler, Nancy Schreiner and Judy Masson.
He died at age 83 on June 4, 1993. She passed away on July 30, 2001, at age 91,
and her newspaper obituary is seen at right. At her death, she and Adam
had 15 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren.
Daughter Mabel O'Donnell-Hewitt (1913-2004) was married to Eugene O'Donnell and Samuel Hewitt. Said a newspaper, she "was a licensed practical nurse at the former Hollidaysburg State Hospital psychiatric ward. She attended Calvary Baptist Church. She enjoyed making fudge and giving it away, planting flowers and crocheting." She lived in Altoona, PA, and had three children -- Dolores Oppel, David 'Rusty' O'Donnell and James E. O'Donnell. Mabel passed away on Nov. 6, 2004, and is buried in Grandview Cemetery.
Daughter
Ruth Plank lived in Hawaii circa 1969.
Daughter Elizabeth Mansell (1915-1994) resided in the Bronx, New York City in 1969. She passed away in 1994.
Grandson William E. Miner (1925-2002), a Navy veteran of World War II, married V. Irene Halbritter and was a retired letter carrier with the U.S. Postal Service in Tyrone, PA. He died on Oct. 24, 2002.
Grandson Charles M. Miner (1930-1984) married Joan T. Moser in Bellwood, PA, in 1950. Said a newspaper, he "retired as a tractor operator from Conrail in November 1983, after 33 years' service." They resided in Riggles Gap, PA,and were members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Bellwood. He died on Nov. 6, 1984. They had six children -- Charles M. Miner Jr., Joni T. Reismeier, Mark T. Miner, Andrew D. Miner, Yvonne L. Miner and Pamela L. Miner.
Grandson Thomas W. Miner (1932-1997) married Kay L. Miller. They were members of the Trinity Assembly of God Church in Huntingdon, PA. Said a newspaper, "He retired from J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital, Huntingdon, in 1978. He had previously worked as a painter for Robert Leidy Painting, Alexandria." He died on July 31, 1997.
Tragedy struck in 1952 when 20-year-old grandson David E. Miner (1932-1952) was killed in an automobile accident. While employed by Ford Motor Co. in Buffalo, NY, he returned home for a visit with his parents, just a few days before he was to be inducted into the US Army. He and a companion were killed "in a collision of two automobiles on route 36, a short distance south of the main entrance to the Hollidaysburg State Hospital," said the Altoona Mirror.
For more information, contact John Wesley Miner's granddaughter, Donna (Miner) Bruner. As well, a distant cousin, Craig Adams, is leading the research effort on this family.
Copyright © 2002-2005 Mark A. Miner and Craig Adams