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Frank Minerd |
Frank
Minerd was born on Jan. 8, 1887 at
Hawkeye, Westmoreland County, PA, son of Charles B. and Ada Arthill (Tressler)
Minerd.
On Oct. 27, 1909, Frank married Margaret Malinda Kilgore, shown at left with their daughter Mildred.
The Minerds had four children, all born in different coal mining towns within Fayette County, PA -- Bertha May Minerd (at Isabella), Mildred Zona Minerd (Hopwood), Mary Ellen Minerd (McClellandtown) and Victor Everett Minerd (Vances Mills).
Only Mildred and Victor survived
to become adults, while the other two daughters -- Bertha
May (1911) and Mary Ellen (1917) died in childhood and are buried at Percy
Cemetery near Uniontown, Fayette County, PA. Little Mary Ellen, who lived
to age 2 years, 7 months, is seen at right.
Frank was a coal miner and followed the mines during a time that work was scarce and there was much labor unrest. In an August 1912 letter from his sister Bertha Pringle, she wrote: "Frank I hope you will get a job you like... you be sure and let us know where you move to. Come out when ever you can."
Frank registered for the World War I military draft in 1918, at Leckrone, Fayette County, and stated his occupation as a miner for the Parshall Coal Company.
In the 1920s
the Minerds lived at Tent City near
Uniontown, where thugs were said to "throw sticks of
dynamite to stir things up" and police regularly patrolled to keep the peace. Frank
once had his photo taken among a group of co-workers at the
Meadowbrook Mine, seen here. Frank stands in the back row, at center, with a
small "X" penciled above his head.
Frank died on May 5, 1965.
Margaret outlived him by four years and died on March 17, 1969. Both are buried at the Percy Cemetery near Uniontown.
The
Minerds' son Victor E. Minerd (1919-1972) was a coal and steel laborer during
his career. He worked at the Meadowbrook Mine near Connellsville circa 1937.
Later, he was a welder at the famed Homestead Works of United States Steel
Company (seen at right). He was a member of the United Mine Workers of
America. Sadly, Victor died at work of a stroke in 1972.
Grandson Richard A. Minerd received a United States patent in 1986 for his invention, a hunting device called a "combination tree seat and animal drag."
For more information on this family, contact Barbara (Holly) Minerd.
Copyright © 2000, 2002, 2006 Mark A. Miner