Charles
H. Rose
(1876?-1951)
Charles
H. Rose was born on April 11, 1876 (or in February 1878) at Normalville,
Fayette County, PA, the son of Andrew J.
and Susanna (Minerd) Rose Sr.
In December 1897, Charley married Alcestia Pearl Ritenour (1881-1948), daughter of "Senator" Joseph G. Ritenour, "a well known auctioneer of the Indian Creek Valley," said a local newspaper.
The Roses had 13 children -- Percy Rose, Milford Rose, Chester Rose, Virgil Rose, Colona Porterfield, Viola Ellen Donaldson, Elvarene Johnson, Zola Swope, Nettie Bell Durstine, Charles J. Rose, Zella Durstine, Gladys Elva Ritenour and Vera Elander Rose.
Sadly, the Roses lost five of their children at ages far too young. Son Chester died of diphtheria at age four, son Virgil passed away at age 22 months, and daughter Vera Elander died at only four days of age. Son Milford passed away at age 28, and daughter Colona at age 31.
Charley was active in the community, and ran for Judge of Elections in Springfield Township in 1901. He also helped organize a basket picnic in 1897 which featured bands from Saltlick and Normalville. The Connellsville Courier said "Much credit is due to the earnest efforts" that he and others played in the effort.
At
one point in time, likely in the 1890s or early 1900s, Charley either purchased
or started his own photography studio in Normalville. Seen at right is
the only evidence of this entrepreneurial business venture -- a portrait of a
baby, seated in a chair. The image is mounted on heavy cardboard, with Charley's
name stamped on the front at the bottom. This is a very rare imprint. (A larger
version of this photograph was our "Photo of the Month" in November
2006.)
A year after marriage, in February 1900, Charley and Alcestia moved to Broad Ford, near Connellsville, likely to obtain employment as a laborer at the booming coke ovens of the H.C. Frick Coke Co. The Roses did not stay long, and by May had moved back home and purchased a farm from Daniel Porterfield.
A year later, in 1901, Charley had a telephone installed in his home, one of only 53 local residents to subscribe to the Klondike Telephone Company. The entrepreneurial company had completed a line to near Indian Head, and had further growth plans.
In 1906, the Roses were living in
Vanderbilt, Fayette County, but by 1913 had moved again to Rogers Mills, Fayette County. There, they were members of the
Rogers Mills Community Church. They lived not far from the ruins of the old Fayette Furnace, seen
here. The furnace was built in 1825 by Joseph and George Rogers to produce
pig iron, and ceased operations after 12 years, in 1837. The structure was still in
"an excellent state of preservation" in about 1910, when this
colorized photo was taken, and still stands today.
When the federal census was taken of Fayette County in 1910, Charles was employed as a "miner" in a "coal bank." He and Alcestia had been married for 13 years, and had six children.
Interested in family ties, Charley attended the second annual McDowell-Miner-Ritenour reunion in 1929, held at Hillcrest Park near Connellsville. His cousins Grant, William and John R. Miner were organizers of the event.
Sadly, at age 67, Alcestia passed away on June 4, 1948.
Charley outlived her by three years.
In 1951, said the Courier, Charley
and a son in law and daughter "were en route to Niagara Falls, N.Y., for a
vacation at the time the elder man was stricken … suffering a cerebral
hemorrhage…" He was rushed
to Maple Avenue Hospital in Dubois, PA, where he died on July 2, 1951. His
remains were returned to Normalville for burial beside his wife at Normalville Cemetery.
Son Percy Rose (1898-1938) married Edith Reich (1900-1992). Edith was employed at Connellsville State General Hospital, and a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses of Connellsville. Percy was a coal miner near Normalville circa 1920. They had two children -- Gladys Elva Ritenour and LaVerne Fabian. Percy passed away of unknown causes in 1938, at the age of 40. Edith later remarried to Samuel Basinger ( ? -1968). Grandson David Fabian made tragic news on Jan. 1, 1971 when he drowned at age 22 during "a three-year New Year's ritual swim of the Youghiogheny River" near Connellsville, said the Courier. Edith resided in Dunbar, Fayette County in her later years. She died at age 92 on Dec. 10, 1992, and left behind 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Son Milford Rose (1900-1928) married Inez Lowery, who was a ward of the family of Alonzo Ridenour. They had two children -- Milford Rose Jr. and Verda Elender Kent. He was a coal miner and timber cutter. In July 1926, Milford and his father in law made headlines in the Daily Courier when they were arrested after aiming firearms on each other during a heated dispute. Tragically, he died at age 28 on Aug. 13, 1928, "of typhoid fever, believed to have been contracted by drinking water from a spring," said the Daily Courier. "He was taken ill three weeks ago." His funeral was well attended -- said the Courier, "Six girls, who are at the Pittsburg First Presbyterian Church camp, near the Rose home, sang at the house. One of the girls accompanied them on the flute. Members of the church choir rendered selections" at the United Brethren Church of Normalville. Pallbearers were Russell Porterfield, Martin Porterfield, Alvin Johnson, Earl Ritenour, Robert Hensel and Frank Basinger. Inez later married to (?) Grant. In 1939, daughter Verda became a child bride at age 13 when she married James Kent, age 25. In 1947, living in a boarding house on Pittsburgh's North Side, where James worked at H.J. Heinz Co., the Kents made headlines in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette when James died in a shooting.
Daughter Colona
Rose (1902-1933) married Roy Porterfield (1904-1975). They resided
near Rogers Mill and had five children -- Alice "Allie" Mae Ritenour,
Marshall Porterfield, Roy Sturgis Porterfield, Elera Johnson and Melvin
Porterfield. Tragically, Colona came down with a fatal case of pneumonia at the
age of 31, and died on Aug. 6, 1933 at Connellsville State Hospital. Roy later
married again to Leona E. Baxter (1913-2001) and had several more children. They
were members of the Otterbein United Methodist Church of Connellsville.
Tragically, they suffered the deaths of son Marshall in 1966 and Sturgis (a
self-employed lumberman residing in Carmichaels, Greene County) in 1967. Roy
passed away at age 71 on Aug. 21, 1975, with burial in the Normalville Cemetery.
At the time of his passing, he and his wives had offspring including 39
grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. Leona died at age 87 on Feb. 21, 2001,
and is buried in Normalville Cemetery.
Daughter Elvarene Rose (1905-1956) married Gilbert Van Johnson (1907- ? ) on Oct. 28, 1929. They resided in Normalville, and had seven children -- Darrell Van Johnson, Laura Manning Whipkey, Marvin Johnson, Beatrice Shroyer, Norma Jean Swope, Alfred D. Johnson and Dorothy West. Sadly, Elvarene suffered an illness for a 15-year duration, and died of its effects at age 50, on Jan. 4, 1956. She was buried at the Normalville Cemetery.
Daughter Nettie Rose (1908-2007 ) married Rev. Boyd Emerson Durstine (1908- ? ) on Aug. 21, 1939. They resided in the Normalville area, and had eight children, Margie Dumbauld, Ivy Christman, Kay Pletcher, and an infant daughter and son, and infant triplets. "Nettie was a loving homemaker, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister to her family," said the Daily Courier. "She liked to bake, garden, pick berries, make quilts, and canning fruits and vegetables." Nettie passed away at the age of 85 on April 21, 2007, at Highlands Hospital, with burial at Normalville Cemetery.
Son Charles J. Rose (1909-1989) married Margaret
Lancaster (1917-1954), a distant cousin who was a granddaughter of Enoch
Miner Sr. Charles was a coal miner for the Beacon Fuel and Coal Co. of the
Normalville area. They resided in both Connellsville and Normalville during
their marriage, and had 12 children -- Percy Rose, Joseph Rose, Charles Rose,
Elender Pirl, Alverta Mae Swope Porterfield, Dornella Pirl, Margaret Tressler
Kingan, Christine Victor, Elma Jean Ritenour, Melvin Rose and two sons who died
in infancy. In January 1930, the Colborn Motor Company filed a civil law suit
against Charles for an unpaid bill of $23.70 "for goods sold and
delivered." The case was heard by cousin William
Henry "Squire" Miner, a justice of the peace in Mill Run. Margaret died at age 37 on Dec. 20,
1954, leaving Charles a widower at age 45. Tragically, son Melvin --
an employee of Eastern Associated Coal Company at Hunker, Westmoreland County,
PA -- was killed in a head-on automobile collision
near Connellsville in June 1976, at the age of 31. Charles passed away at age 79
on April 18, 1989. At the time of his death, he and Margaret had produced 32
grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren. Adding to the heartache,
great-grandson Harold Douglas Pirl (1974-1977), drowned in Indian Creek at age
three near his home; grandson Timothy Daniel Pirl (1961-1997) died at age 35 of
injuries sustained in an automobile accident in 1997; and grandson Rev. Larry S.
Rose was killed in a vehicular accident at age 36 near Kreager, Westmoreland
County, in December 2002.
Daughter Viola Rose (1912-1981) married widower George Scott Donaldson (1893-1978). He had been married once before, to Carrie Elizabeth Clayton, who had died in 1932. Said the Daily Courier, George "was a resident of Normalville for over 50 years. He was employed as a timberman. He also worked for the TV Railroad, Bethlehem Steel and Vang Construction Company." The Donaldsons attended the Assembly of God Church. They had seven children -- Howard Donaldson, Paul Donaldson Jeanette Nicholson, Alma Amy, Delphis Showman, Catherine Swarner and Virginia Rowells. At the time of his death, they had produced 25 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. George passed away at age 84 on May 4, 1978, and was buried in Normalville Cemetery. Viola died at age 59 in 1981, and rests beside her husband.
Daughter Zolla Rose (1914-1991) married Dewey W. Swope (1915-1967) on Sept. 4, 1937. They were lifetime residents of Normalville, and were members of the Church of Jesus Christ at Clinton. They no children of their own, but raised three nieces -- Ivy Christman, Margie Dumbauld and Kay Pletcher. Dewey passed away at age 51 on March 29, 1967, and was buried at Normalville Cemetery.
Daughter Zella Rose married Joseph P. Durstine (1915-1984), a coal miner. They resided in Normalville for many years, and in about 1971 moved to Washington, D.C. They had no children.
Daughter Gladys Elva Rose wed James R. Ritenour (1927-1997), and they were married for 52 years.. "He was employed by the Connellsville Municipal Water Authority for 17 years as an operator," said the Daily Courier. "He also worked for various coal mines throughout the area for several years. He was a World War II U.S. Army veteran." They had eight children -- Harry R. Ritenour, James A. Ritenour, Wayne Ritenour, Gary Ritenour, Gloria Richter, Sylvia Burkett, Karen Wilson, and Geraldine Ritenour (who died in infancy). James passed away at age 69 on Valentine's Day 1997, and was buried in the Normalville Cemetery. At the time of James' death, he and Gladys had produced 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Copyright © 2001, 2005-2008 Mark A. Miner