Ruth
Ann (Minerd) Kennedy
(1852-1900)
Ruth Ann (Minerd) Kennedy was born in 1852 in Taylor
County, WV, the daughter of Jacob
and Ruth (Adams) Minerd. We do not
know precisely whether this family is related to ours, but the evidence is
strong. It is known that Ruth Ann's father was
a "Dutchman" (Pennsylvania German) and that he was from the precise area of the
Fayette/Somerset County, PA, border region where our Minerds were pioneers in
the 1790s. We also know that Ruth Ann's mother was
a Native American and that Ruth Ann and her siblings thus were considered of mixed
race (or "mulatto" in the language of the mid-1800s).
Ruth Ann is seen here with her son Howard.
As an 18-year-old, in 1870, Ruth Ann gave birth to a son, whom she named Stephen T. Minerd. The boy was raised by Ruth Ann's parents. It's possible that the boy's father was named "Edward" (last name unknown) as this was passed down verbally in the family.
Four years later, on Dec. 14, 1874, 22-year-old Ruth Ann married Josiah Kennedy Sr. (1851- ? ). Josiah was sometimes known by the first name of "Joseph" and the last name of "Kanada." The wedding took place in Josiah's native Barbour County.
The Kennedys had 10 children -- Josiah Kennedy Jr., John H. Kennedy, Sarepta A. Mayle, Opha Kennedy, Thomas "Jefferson" Kennedy, Benjamin "Harrison" Kennedy, Ressie "Ray" Kennedy Sr., Leslie Kennedy, Howard Lee Kennedy Sr. and Nancy Mayle. Josiah Sr. considered his children of Indian racial heritage.
The family must have moved around the area, as daughter Sarepta was born in Taylor County in 1873. It's believed that the Kennedys resided in the West Hill region south of Grafton, adjacent to and above what is now Tygart Lake. A typed manuscript, on file today at the Philippi Public Library, states that Kennedy clans were part of a large group of mixed-race families lived in West Hill, "in a sort of separate world of their own, shunning close contact and conventionalities with whites and blacks alike." The group was said to be "enterprising farmers and trappers ... But for some reason, public sentiment against them on the part of the whites, caused them to move into West Hill section of Taylor so named because it is west of the Tygarts valley river overlooking the fertile valley lands owned before the Mayles, Crostons, Kennedys, etc., arrived."
The Barbour County Personal Property Book for 1897 shows that Josiah was considered a "colored male." He is marked as possessing one horse, three head of cattle and three hogs, for a total assessed value of $80.00.
Sadly, Ruth Ann died at an age far too young. She passed away
on July 18, 1900, at 48 years of age, having brought 11 lives into the world.
According to handwritten notes, which may have been copied from a newspaper:
The death angels summoned her to her last resting place. She leaves to mourn her loss a husband and eleven children... She lived a christian life for a number of years and just before she died called her weeping husband to her bedside and asked him to meet her in heaven. Oh how sweet to have that thought in a dying hour. She was a good mother and a faithful wife. Her devoted husband, children and relatives have the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community.
Widowed for about two-and-a-half years, Josiah Sr. married Manerva J. Male, age 48, on Jan. 29, 1903. Manerva's fate is not known. Josiah made his home with son Josiah Jr. circa 1920 in the Knottsville District of Taylor County. Later, he sold property to Josiah Jr. in 1934. His specific fate is not known, but will be published here when discovered. He could not write his own name, and signed with an "X" on official documents.
Click here to view a chart listing the several score of known marriages between the Minerd-Minard-Miner and Mayle-Male families before World War II.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Mark A. Miner