William
Alfred Minerd
(1893-1950)
William
Alfred Minerd was born on May 7, 1893 in Uniontown, Fayette County, PA, the son of Rev.
David E. and Catherine (Williams) Minerd.
William registered for the military draft during World War I, and listed his occupation as clerk for the Union Supply Store at York Run, Fayette County.
William eventually enlisted in the Army and was attached to Company H, 320th Infantry, 80th Division, serving in Europe. While in France, he was wounded, and the Oct. 23, 1918 Connellsville Daily Courier reported that he underwent surgery at an Army hospital after "being taken from the trenches...." It added that he wrote home, saying he "was getting along well and that the doctors and nurses gave him the best of care."
He married Effie Cooley (1895-1978), the daughter of William and Eliza (James) Cooley of Fairchance, Fayette County. They had three sons -- Harold Daniel Minerd II, James E. Minerd and William Minerd.
Over the years, the Minerds lived at Alicia, near Masontown, and at Connellsville twice and Uniontown twice. During World War II, when son Harold served in the Army, they lived at 105 West Morton Avenue in Connellsville.
When brother Dan was elected Treasurer of Fayette County, William was named as Assistant Treasurer. William also worked as a timekeeper at the Connellsville Airport and is known to have managed stores, including the Butler Grocery Store. A son later recalled that when the Youghiogheny River once froze over, William pushed wares across the ice to get them from one side to the other.
He was a member of Aerie No. 493, F.O.E. Eagles, Milton L. Bishop Post No. 301, American Legion, and Walter E. Brown Post No. 21, Veterans of Foreign Wars of Connellsville, of which he was a commander.
William died on May 30, 1950, at the age of 57, at the Veterans Hospital in Aspinwall near Pittsburgh. He was laid to rest in Sylvan Heights Cemetery following a funeral led by Rev. Earl P. Confer, pastor of the Christian Church of Uniontown. Military rites were held at the grave by the Walter e. Brown Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Effie survived him by 28 years and died on Dec. 1, 1978 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH, at the home of son James. At the time, she was survived by three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
They are buried at Sylvan Heights Cemetery in Uniontown.
Son
Harold Daniel Minerd II (seen at left) worked at Robertshaw Thermostat
Company before joining the US Army during World War II. The clipping, which
appeared on the front page of the Connellsville Daily Courier, states
that he was a corporal with the quartermaster sales company and was stationed
"somewhere in North Africa." He married Carol and Flo. His sons
Michael and Kenneth Lee Minerd have been chefs for Marriott Corporation. Sadly,
his son Kenneth died in Southern California on March 3, 2008.
Son William Minerd resided in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA. He was married but had no children. He died in 1975.
Son James E. Minerd was married twice. His first wife was Emma E. Hutchinson (1919-1982), the daughter of Charles and Sylvia Hutchinson of Uniontown. They resided at 13302 Highland View Avenue in Cleveland and had one son, Charles W. Minerd. Sadly, Emma died at the age of 63 on March 3, 1982. She was buried at Lakewood Park Cemetery. James' second wife was Nelma Reck (1910-1997), the widow of Leo Reck. They made their home in Parma Heights. She suffered from cancer and died at age 87 on April 26, 1997. She was laid to rest in the Minerd plot at Lakewood Park.
William
and his brothers' names are inscribed on the Dunbar War Memorial,
seen here, and he is pictured in the book, Uniontown's
Part in the World War.
Copyright © 2000, 2008 Mark A. Miner