Burket
Minard
(1807-1871)
Burket Minard was born in 1807 on the family farm at Hexebarger near Kingwood, Somerset County, PA, the son of Jacob and Catherine (Younkin) Minerd Jr.
Unlike
several of his brothers, Burket
knew how to read and write, and primarily spelled his last name 'Minard.'
Burket married Susan Hartzell (1815?- ? ), the daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Smith) Hartsell. They had eight children -- Margaret Martin, Catherine Smith, Anna Miner, Jeremiah Miner, Mary Cole-Minerd, Jacob Miner, John Miner and Louisa Hoye.
In the mid-1830s, Burket lived in Turkeyfoot Twp., Somerset County, on 50 acres of land, whereabouts unknown today. In July 1837, he bought a "hand axe, frow and bell" on credit for $1.48 at the estate sale of his cousin, the late Henry Younkin. His taxable land increased the following year to 400 acres.
By 1839 Burket left the area, relocating to Terra Alta, Preston
County, WV. A bird's eye view of the mountainous Terra Alta is seen here
at the turn of the century in a rare postcard photograph. There, he worked as a house carpenter and chair maker.
Morton's 1914 History of Preston County, West Virginia states that Burket was "said to have been a good, all-round mechanic."
His first name is thought to be an Americanized version of the German "Burkhardt," also used by his great-uncle, Burkhardt Meinert of Berks County, PA; an uncle, Burket Minerd, who had an early flour mill in Preston County, WV; and by a cousin, Burget Miner, who was a pioneer settler of western Ohio.
When the federal census was taken in 1870, Susan was living apart from Burket. She was about age 55 at the time, and ran some sort of boarding or rooming house. Also in her residence that year were 16-year-old unmarried daughter Louisa, along with laborer William Bugler, cook Amanda Savage and hotel keeper James Daily, all under the age of 25.
Also in 1870, 12-year-old son John is believed to have resided with the family of Daniel and Anna Wolf at Guesman's Store in Preston County. His fate after that is lost to history.
Burket died in the Portland District of Preston County on June 22, 1871, but his burial site is unknown. He is said to have died of "White Swelling," an outdated medical term whose meaning is not yet known.
Susan at some point moved to Oakland, Garrett County, MD and was there as late as 1881.
Rare old postcard of the hilly Oakland
In the 1880 census of Oakland, the 65-year-old Susan was residing with daughters Louisa Miner, age 25, and Catherine Smith, age 44, and granddaughters Ina and Maggie Miner. (Her age was given as "70" but is thought to be off by five years.) The census also shows that Susan was a "Hopeless invalid" and suffered from "rheumatism," and that Louisa was a "Washwoman" and Catherine assisted in keeping house.
Susan's ultimate fate is unknown.
Two of their adult daughters, Mary and Louisa, later married and moved to Fayette County, PA, where they lived the remainder of their lives.
Part of Burket's biography originally appeared in the article "Update on the Younkin/Minerd Line...", published in the July 1991 Younkin Family News Bulletin.
Copyright © 1991, 2000, 2002-2004, 2006, 2008 Mark A. Miner