Bio-Minerd, EvaKate

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Eva Kate (Minerd) Twyman
(1894-1986)

Eva Kate (Minerd) Allen Twyman was born on Dec. 4, 1894 in Dunbar, Fayette County, PA, the daughter of Charles A. and Sarah (Kincell) Minerd.

In 1910, at age 16, Eva Kate is known to have worked as a sales lady at a grocery store in Dunbar.

Eva Kate's first husband was Russell J. Allen (1889-1915). They were not married very long before he died suddenly at age 26, in 1915, of a heart attack. Russell is buried in the Minerd family plot at Hill Grove Cemetery in Connellsville, PA, seen at right.

As a young widow, Eva Kate went to Washington, DC, where she worked as a telephone operator during World War I. The Nov. 1, 1918 Connellsville Daily Courier reports that she "was called home from Washington, D.C., where she is employed, by the death of her brother in law, Millard Allen of West Newton."

While in Washington, she met Paul Edward Twyman, Sr., and on Dec. 27, 1918, they were married in Baltimore, MD.

The Twymans moved to Chicago, IL, where they raised their family of four children -- Emma Jane Wood, Pearle Alice 'Pat' Nyman, Paul E. Twyman Jr. and Laura Olson.

While in Chicago, Paul Sr. worked for the Meihle Printing Press Co.

In 1942, Paul Sr. retired, and the Twymans moved to Bangor, Van Buren County, MI, near where the family had rented a summer cottage for many years.

In retirement, Paul Sr. served as the first mayor of Bangor.

The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1968 with an open house at the United Simpson Methodist Church in Bangor. The Bangor Advance carried a prominent photo and article, seen here.

Paul died five years later, on Aug. 1, 1973.

Eva Kate survived him by 15 years, and passed away on February 8, 1986 at Lamont, Ottawa County, MI.

They are buried together at the Arlington Hill Cemetery in Bangor.

~ Daughter Laura (Twyman) Olson ~

Daughter Laura served for many years as deputy clerk of Washington Twp., Macomb County, MI. Son in law David Olson was principal of the Romeo (MI) High School for 26 years, including at the time the new building opened. Today the auditorium is named in his honor. During the Nuremberg trials after World War II, David served as a military guard of the prison cell of Nazi war criminal Herman Goering.