Catherine (Minerd) Smith
(1836- ? )
Catherine (Minerd) Smith was born in 1836, likely near Kingwood in Turkeyfoot Township, Somerset County, PA, the daughter of Burket and Susan (Hartzell) Minerd.
As a young girl, Catherine moved with her parents southward across the state line into Preston County, WV.
Catherine married (?) Smith ( ? - ? ). Nothing more about her husband is known, other than that he passed away sometime prior to 1880.
After her father died in 1871, Catherine must have moved into her mother's home at some point. They relocated to Oakland, Garrett County, MD sometime in the mid to late 1870s.
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| Bird's eye view of Oakland, with the mountains ever-present in the distance |
When the federal census was taken in June 1880, the 44-year-old Catherine was residing in Oakland in the household of her mother, who was a "hopeless invalid" crippled by "rheumatism." Catherine was marked as a "widow" and her occupation was "assist to keep House." Also living in the residence were Catherine's younger sister Louisa Hoye, age 25, and Louisa's daughters Ina and Maggie.
Catherine apparently had no children of her own, although that is not confirmed.
Catherine's fate is lost to history, as an examination of death and estate records at the Garrett County courthouse and local genealogical society revealed no further information.
Copyright © 2006, 2008 Mark A. Miner