Thomas
Minerd
(1866-1933)
Thomas
Minerd was born on Jan. 16, 1866 (or 1870) at Mt.
Braddock, Fayette County, PA, the son of William
and Sara Elizabeth (Whoolery) Minerd. He was a longtime laborer in the coal
mining industry.
Thomas married Katherine "Kate" Ramsey (1869-1908), the daughter of Eliza (Riffle) Ramsey. They had 10 children -- Charles Thomas Minerd, William E. Minerd, John Dow Minerd, Lorenzo "Wade" Minerd, Myra Manila Kennison, Grace Kennison, twins David and Flora Minerd and two others. Sadly, John, David and Flora are known to have died in infancy.
Tom was a coal miner and pit boss for many years in and around Smithfield and Uniontown, Fayette County. He and Kate are said to have lived in 10 different places in the area.
Complicating their lives was the fact that Kate's older brother, Jack Ramsey, was a member of the notorious Cooley gang which committed brutal robberies throughout the coal region. Jack's role in the crimes made sensational headlines, but drew in the Minerds as innocent bystanders in an 1889 incident.
Shortly
after they were married, Thomas and Kate are thought to have resided with his
parents at Moore's Works, Brownfield, Fayette County. On March 12, 1889, "a
little before daylight," Kate's brother Jack showed up at the Minerd home.
Jack was accompanied by a man who had been shot during a robbery the night
before. Kate "was sick in bed at the time," and her husband
"refused to allow [Jack] to bring [the wounded man] in," Kate later
testified in court. Her words were reported by the Uniontown Genius of
Liberty -- click
here to read the account.
Later, Kate learned that after a night of heavy drinking, her brother and his gang had viciously assaulted and robbed her uncle Joseph W. Anderson. The incident was even more sensational because the uncle had raised Jack in the first place, and money had been taken from a secret hiding place in a false drawer in the uncle's home. When Jack was brought to trial in December 1892, Kate and her uncle testified. Jack also was found guilty of robberies at the homes of the Prinkey and Dils families.
In
1901, when living in Uniontown, tragedy struck. Their 10-year old son
William, seen here, was accidentally shot and killed by a friend playing with a toy
pistol. The Uniontown Daily News Standard reported that "The
boys were playing 'Buckskin Bill' when the accident occurred and were using
blank cartridges. [The friend] then placed a buckshot in the pistol and
fired at his companion, without realizing the danger, the ball striking him in
the back of the head." Funeral services were held in the Minerd
Chapel in Uniontown's East End, now known as the Calvary United Methodist
Church, founded by a cousin, Rev. David E. Minerd.
Sadly, on New Year's Day 1907, Kate died at their home on Water Street in Smithfield. At the age of 36, she had suffered from lung trouble, while at the same time having given birth to their 10th child. She was eulogized by the Daily News Standard as "a woman of wonderful energy, being a fine housekeeper and great worker. All her children are small except one son...." Her funeral also was handled by Rev. Minerd.
|
|
Fairchance's unpaved Church Street, looking west from Main Street, from an old postcard |
As a widower, Tom continued to work in the coal mines in the Smithfield-Fairchance region. He enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. He is known to have visited his brother, James "William" Minerd, either in Uniontown or at William's home in Warren, Trumbull County, OH. Click here to see a photograph of the two men together, likely taken in the late 1920s or early '30s.
Seen
here, Tom sits in a favorite chair on a porch while watching carefully as a
grandson plays in the foreground. Note the water pump in the right hand side of
the image.
In September 1925, the Ramseys held a family reunion at Sheets Hill, Fayette County. A bounteous meal was served, said the Daily Courier. Son and daughter in law Charles and Perie Minerd and their children attended, and Perie was elected to the committee on arrangements for future reunions.
Tom outlived his wife by more than a quarter of a century. He died at the age of 63 on May 3, 1933 at home near White House, outside of Smithfield.
He was laid to rest beside Kate at Hopwood Cemetery near Uniontown.
All
four of Tom and Kate's adult children are seen here --
from left to right: Grace Kennison, Myra Kennison, Wade Minerd and Charles
Minerd.
Daughter Myra (1899-1986) married Ray Andrew Kennison (1900-1982). They had two daughters, Edith and Janet. She passed away on Feb. 18, 1986.
Daughter Grace (1901-1954) married Lloyd Kennison. They resided in Smithfield, and had 4 children. Sadly, Grace died at age 53 on Oct. 23, 1954.
Son Charles Thomas Minerd (1889-1953) married Perie E. Monteith (1891-1976). He is pictured standing with well-dressed friends at the Smithfield railroad station in Marci McGuinness' book, Yesteryear in Smithfield and Point Marion. They had four children -- James Thomas Minerd, Alice Conn, Virginia Minerd and Charles Irvin "Bud" Minerd. Charles registered for the World War I military draft in 1918, and stated his occupation as a driver in Mine 4 of the Baxter Ridge Coal & Coke Company.
Son Wade Minerd (1897-1966) married Sarah Elizabeth Farr (1895-1977). Wade registered for the military draft during World War I, and listed his employer as Rich Hill Coal and Coke Company of Outcrop, PA. They resided in Clarksville, Greene County, PA. They had 10 children -- Dean Minerd, Ralph Lorenzo Minerd, William Minerd, Frances Minerd, Thomas Minerd, Clifford "Tip" Minerd, Winona Robbins, Charles Minerd, Layvonne "Bonnie" Watson and Margery Heisser.
-
Wade's
sons
Ralph, William and Thomas Minerd all served
in World War II. They are pictured at right in a composite portrait, with
William at top, Ralph at bottom left and Thomas at bottom right. William and
Thomas are said to have met in a foxhole in France and later were featured
in an article in the Pittsburgh Press. -
Wade's son Charles Minerd married Josephine Medunic. They lived in the Cleveland area, and had five children -- Gary A. Minerd (1965-2006), Rod Minerd, Karen Reinmann, Kenneth Minerd and Brian Minerd. Sadly, son Gary, a well known community member in the Cleveland suburb of Westlake, died at age 41, leaving a wife and four young children. On Aug. 20, 2007, the Gary Minerd Memorial Golf Classic was held at Avon Oaks Country Club in Westlake, with proceeds to be used for his children's future education.
-
Wade's daughter Layvonne "Bonnie" Minerd (1935-2005) married Robert Watson. Said the Uniontown Herald-Standard, she "was a homemaker, and retired controller for Omni Packaging at Washington [PA]."
Grandson
Irvin "Bud" Minerd also served in World War II, and he is named on a plaque on the
Smithfield (PA) War Memorial, seen here. Bud's wife, Freda (Swaney)
Minerd was a longtime teacher in the Smithfield-Fairchance area. She is
mentioned in the book, Fairchance Through the Years.
Granddaughter Alice married Clarence W. Conn, a veteran of World War II. She taught elementary education for 26 years, from the 1920s to the 1940s, at North Braddock near Pittsburgh and then at Pleasant Hill and York Run in Georges Twp., Fayette County.
Great-grandson Thomas I. "Tim" Minerd formerly served as director of community development for Montgomery County, MD, a prominent suburb of Washington, DC, and often was quoted in newspaper articles, including the Washington Post, among others.
Great-granddaughter in law Rita Kennison served on the planning committee for the "Celebrate the Centuries" in 2000 honoring the 201st anniversary of Smithfield, PA.
Great grandson Charles E. Minerd (1941-2006) was a longtime teacher with the Woodland Hills School District near Pittsburgh. Reported the Valley Independent, "In his early hears, he was the youngest Eagle Scout in the state of Pennsylvania. He was a former assistant varsity baseball coach for the Churchill School District, head football coach at Wilkins Junior High School and a youth baseball coach at Charleroi." He was mentioned as a "lovable history teacher" in the Nov. 18, 1998 edition of the InPittsburgh Newsweekly newspaper, in a story entitled "Ricki & Me." His wife, Rosemarie (DuJordan) Minerd served on the Charleroi (PA) Planning Commission. Charles passed away on Jan. 7, 2006.
On New Year's Day 2005, great-great-great granddaughter Faith Lynn Everly was born, and in a headline story the next day, the Uniontown Herald-Standard proclaimed, "Carmichaels Couple Welcomes First Baby of Year."
Copyright © 2000, 2002-2008 Mark A. Miner