Minnie
(Minerd) McKnight
(1869-1946)
Minnie
(Minerd) McKnight was born on Oct. 7, 1869 in Fayette County, PA, the daughter of
John
V.S. and Elizabeth (Livingston) Minerd.
On Nov. 30, 1886, 17-year-old Minnie married 23-year-old Jasper Oliver "Ol" McKnight (1863- ? ) at Scottdale, Westmoreland County, PA. He was the son of John and Elizabeth McKnight, and also has been shown in records as "James." Because Minnie was so young, her parents had to sign a consent form. They united themselves in marriage. A copy of their marriage license and consent form is on microfilm today at the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg.
Ol was a coal miner, and a native of Albright, Preston County, WV. They lived first in West Virginia, where their eldest daughter was born in 1887. Sometime afterward, by 1900, they relocated to near Uniontown, Fayette County.
Their four children were Maud Murry, Robert McKnight, Charles Minerd McKnight and Earl Trout McKnight.
Ol died sometime before 1910, said to have been a victim of the deadly diphtheria.
In 1910, Minnie boarded with her son Robert, who was a laborer in a Uniontown coal mine, and her brother Andrew Minerd also resided in the household. That same year, son in law Lloyd Murry worked as a driver in coal mines. By 1920, Maud was living with her married daughter Maud Murry in Luzerne Township, Fayette County.
Widowed Minnie lived for several years at Fredericktown, Washington County, PA. Later in life, she came to Hunker, Westmoreland County, to reside near her sister Bertha (Minerd) Van Dyke. In November 1927, she resided at Brownsville, Fayette County, and visited her brother William Henry Minerd in Uniontown, a social event published in the Uniontown Morning Herald.
On Aug. 25, 1929, Minnie's adult son and daughter, Earl McKnight and Maud Murray, celebrated their joint birthday with a party at Maud's home near LaBelle, Fayette County. A large crowd of family attended, and the event was reported in the Uniontown Morning Herald. In addition to Minnie herself, the celebrants were J.H. Hawer, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Hawer and their children Lucette Belle, Wilde and Babe of Greensburg; Mr. and Mrs. Don Coughanour and children Don, Walter, Ruth and George; Mr. and Mrs. John Trout and children John, Irene and Clifford of New Stanton; Mrs. S.A. VanDyke and daughter Kathryn; Mr. and Mrs. John Daugherty and children Betty, Rae, Floyd and Nellie; Mr. and Mrs. John Breegle and children Sam, Doris and Mary Lou; Mrs. Emma Trout; Mollie Trout; Mr. and Mrs. Vernon VanDyke and children Betty Jane, Clara Mae, Sam and Vernon; Mr. and Mrs. William Minerd; Mr. and Mrs. Percy Minerd and daughter Lela; Seth Minerd and daughter Donna Jean; Mrs. Ivan Dean and children Billie and Lois; Mrs. Nell Kerr; Miss Lela Fern Minerd; Miss Pattie Jane Elder; Bernie Henry of Uniontown; Mr. and Mrs. John Clair and daughter Edythe; Mr. and Mrs. Earl McKnight and children June, Fern and Donald; Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Murray and daughters Leona and Charlotte; Edward Clair and Ray Gossett of LaBelle; John Breegle Sr. of Foxtown and James Minerd of Republic.
In January 1946, at the age of 76 and while residing at Hunker, Minnie was burned in a freak accident. She received "extensive second degree burns on the body and wrist, received while getting ready for bed at her home," reported the Connellsville Daily Courier. "Mrs. McKnight's clothing ignited from a coal stove in her bed room." She was rushed to the Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, where she died two weeks later, on Feb. 10, 1946. Following her funeral at the Youngwood Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, her remains were laid to eternal rest in the Stone Church Cemetery near her parents and siblings.
Daughter Maud McKnight (1888- ? ) married Lloyd Murry (1883- ? ) in about 1906. They lived for a time at Republic and LaBelle, Fayette County, communities built around coal mining operations. When the 1930 federal census was taken, the Murrys resided in Luzerne Township, Fayette County, where Lloyd worked as a fire boss in a coal mine. that year, Maud's mother lived under their roof. Later, Maud moved to the state of Indiana, where she died. Their children were Harold Murry, Leona Murry and Charlotte Murry. Circa 1930, Leona worked as a saleslady in a mercantile store.
Republic's fan house and coal tipple (far right)
Son Robert McKnight (1890- ? ) was a coal mine laborer. Circa 1910, he lived in Luzerne Township, Fayette County, with his widowed mother, uncle Andrew Minerd and younger brothers Charles and Earl in the household. He is said to have worked in the gold mines out west, and to have been killed in a mine accident. The facts of his fate are unknown but we hope to learn more.
The fate of son Charles Minerd McKnight (1896- ? ) is unknown. Born at Uniontown, he had blue eyes and red hair. During World War I, when he registered for the military draft, he was employed by W. Harry Brown at the Alicia Mine in Westmoreland County, PA.
Son Earl Trout McKnight (1900- ? ) married Catharine (?) (1903- ? ). They were wed in 1910. Earl was a longtime coal laborer who was a wireman in a coal mine in Luzerne Township, Fayette County, and later lived in the Waynesburg, Greene County, PA, area. He was married and had children June McKnight, Fern McKnight and Donald McKnight. He may have been an early organizer and president of the United Mine Workers of America, Fredericktown Local 688, District 5, in the Brownsville and Hiller areas, as reported in the Uniontown Morning Herald (Dec. 17, 1941 and July 22, 1943).
Copyright © 2000, 2005, 2007-2008 Mark A. Miner