Bio-Whetzel, Elmer M-Hazel

Elmer Maurice Whetzel (1881-1913)
and Hazel K. Whetzel (1881-1914)

Elmer Maurice Whetzel and Hazel K. Whetzel were first cousins who married each other. Elmer was born on Aug. 19, 1881 at Dunbar, Fayette County, PA, the son of John "Homer" and Mary (Minerd) Whetzel. Hazel was born on Feb. 27, 1882 in Fayette County, PA, the daughter of Mariah J. (Minerd) Whetzel and Peter "Clark" Stillwagon.

When the federal census was taken in 1900, 18-year-old Elmer worked as a coke drawer and was listed as living with his widowed mother and brother William in Franklin Township, Fayette County.

Elmer and Hazel were wed in in late 1900 or early 1901. They went on to have five children -- Anna Gertrude "Annie" Hagan, Edith Whetzel, Charles Elmer "Buddy" Whetzel, Hazel Elizabeth Rowe and Bertha Mae Hagan.

The Whetzels moved to South Brownsville, PA in about 1901. He worked for the Brownsville Brewing Company for eight years, and was a night watchman at the company's South Brownsville plant. He was a member of the Brownsville Lodge, No. 357, of the Knights of Pythias.

As a town hard by the Monongahela River, Brownsville was prone to occasional flooding. The rare old postcard photograph seen here depicts high water in Brownsville circa 1906. Note the citizens on their porch roof at left, and the rowboat in the upper right hand corner. It's not known where exactly the Whetzels lived in town, and whether they faced any hardships due to the rising, dangerous river.

The census of 1910 shows Elmer's mother Mary, age 56, residing in their household in Brownsville.

In the summer of 1913, Hazel was pregnant with their fifth child, and Elmer became ill with rheumatism. He "was compelled to remain indoors" and became bedfast, reported a newspaper. Sadly, on July 29, said the Uniontown Morning Herald, he "was seized by pains about the heart. His condition became critical in a short while and attending physicians failed to ease the heart attacks. Shortly after noon he passed away."

Elmer was laid to rest in an unmarked grave at Redstone Cemetery, in Section D Extension, Lot 15. The founder of this website visited the cemetery in March 1999, and obtained records from the caretaker indicating the lot.

Widowed with five children, Hazel was left alone to carry on. Adding to the tragedy, just five months later, on Jan. 15, 1914, the Shadow of Death visited the family again, claiming Hazel herself at the untimely age of 31. The cause of death was peritonitis -- a deadly performation of the bowels -- added to the effects of childbirth. Her five orphaned children ranged in age from eight years to infancy.

In an obituary, the Uniontown Daily News Standard said: "Much sympathy is expressed by the kind friends and neighbors for the little ones." She also was buried at Redstone Cemetery. While the husband-and-wife burials took place in 1913, the grave lot was not officially purchased until 1918, a task completed by married daughter Hazel Rowe.

The children were split up and while some were raised by friends and family, others were committed to the Children's Aid Society of Fayette County.

Four of the orphaned Whetzels, left to right: Hazel "Elizabeth" Rowe, Charles Elmer Catherwood, Bertha Mae (Hagan) Tarleton and Anna Gertrude (Hagan) Craig. Missing: Edith Sevilla (Inks) Toward

Anna Gertrude Whetzel was adopted in 1917 by Percy D. and Laura H. Hagan of Uniontown, PA, and was raised under the new name of "Anna Gertrude Hagan." She married Wallace D. Craig and lived in Fairmont, Marion County, WV and later in Clarksburg, Harrison County, WV. She was mentioned in the 1969 Uniontown Morning News obituary of her aunt, Kathryn (Brooks) Whetzel.

Edith Whetzel, age six, was immediately taken into the home of cousins Albert and Etta Inks. They legally adopted her on March 20, 1914, just two months after Hazel's death. Edith married Norman Toward, and later in life they and her adoptive parents resided near Gettysburg, Adams County, PA.

Hazel "Elizabeth" Whetzel was sent to live with her uncle and aunt, William and Kathryn (Brooks) Whetzel, who raised Elizabeth and her sister Bertha Mae as their own. (The sisters are seen here, with Elizabeth at left and Bertha at right.) Circa 1913, the Whetzels made their home at Brownsville. This family later moved to Fairmont, Marion County, WV. Hazel married Ronald Jay Rowe and, in 1918, lived at 149½ Hamilton Avenue in Vandergrift, Westmoreland County, PA. She was mentioned in the 1969 Uniontown Morning News obituary of her aunt and foster mother, Kathryn (Brooks) Whetzel.

Charles Elmer Whetzel was adopted at age six on Sept. 26, 1916 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA by Thomas J. and Mary Catherwood. He was raised under the name "Catherwood," resided in the Pittsburgh area, and is seen here later in life.

Bertha Mae Whetzel was adopted by the Hagan family, and grew up with her sister Anna Gertrude in Uniontown. Bertha married Paul Tarleton and lived in Fairmont, WV. She was mentioned in the 1969 Uniontown Morning News obituary of her aunt and foster mother, Kathryn (Brooks) Whetzel.