Bio-Younkin, MissouriWingerd

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Missouri (Younkin) Wingerd
(1861-1936)

Missouri "Zouri" (Younkin) Wingerd was born on Dec. 11, 1861 at South Milford Twp., near Rockwood, Somerset County, PA, the eldest daughter of William "Shedrick" and Caroline (Cupp) Younkin. She also was known as "Sis."

In 1879, when she was 18, Zouri gave birth to a son, John Vought Jr., but did not marry the boy’s father. Her own father then signed a legal agreement to keep and maintain the boy at his own expense.

In 1906, unmarried at age 45, Zouri went to Connellsville, Fayette County, PA to visit her cousin Mrs. Harvey Shaffer during the city's Centennial celebration. This tidbit of news was reported by the Connellsville Daily Courier.

Zouri later married George E. Wingerd (1861-1934), also spelled "Wingard." He was a lifelong resident of Rockwood. They had no children of their own.

George was a railroader, said once by the Somerset County Leader to be "employed by the Western Maryland Railroad as foreman of the maintenance of ways, with headquarters at Rockwood." The famous viaduct of the Western Maryland at nearby Meyersdale, Somerset County, is seen here in a vintage photograph postcard.

Later, in 1906, the Daily Courier said that George "had been working … on the B. & O. repairs…" in Connellsville.

The Wingerds belonged to the Rockwood Evangelical Church.

In 1920, Zouri's second cousin and neighbor, Martha (Minerd) Gorsuch, named her as a credible witness in a case involving Martha's missing husband, a Civil War pensioner.

On Aug. 30, 1934, George died suddenly at home, said the Leader, "death being caused, it is believed, by a heart condition superinduced by high blood pressure." His funeral was conducted by another of Zouri's second cousins, Rev. William Mullen Minerd. George was buried at the Rockwood IOOF Cemetery.

Zouri passed away two years later, on Sept. 11, 1936. She was laid to rest beside her husband.

Red-granite grave markers of Zouri and George at the IOOF Cemetery in Rockwood

~ Son John Vough Jr. ~

Son John Vough Jr. (seen here) married twice – his first wife was Martha Ellen "Ella" Swarner, with the wedding taking place in about 1901. Ella was daughter of Henry and Barbara (Younkin) Swarner, and granddaughter of Frederick F. and Sara (Faidley) Younkin. This was one of many marital unions between the Younkin and Minerd clans over the years.

They had three children -- Ostie Heinbaugh, Olga Heinbaugh and Oren Vough. (While the "t" at the end of the "Vough" name dropped away during the 20th century, the family name generally is still pronounced in Somerset County as "Vote.")

Early in their marriage, about 1905 or '06, John and Ella moved to Kansas, where they spent many years in the town of Junction City. The 1910 federal census shows the family in Geary County, KS, with John working as a farmer. Residing in their home that year were their three children, all born in Pennsylvania, along with farm laborer Louis Marker and boarder H.F. Fleming, a railroader.

John and Ellen (Swarner) Vough Jr.

Seen at right, the Vough children at play on the Kansas farm with their beloved horse "Topsy."

In about 1913, a few years before Ella died, the Voughs returned to Rockwood. It is possible that they attended the first annual Minerd Reunion, held that August in Ohio Pyle, Fayette County, PA, but this is not yet proven.

The details of Ella's passing are unknown.

Later, John married Grace (Faidley) Marker ( ? - ? ).

In the mid-1930s, Ella's branch of the Younkin family was researched in connection with the National Younkin Home-Coming Reunions held at Kingwood, Somerset County, and which drew more than 1,000 people a year during the heart of the Great Depression. Ella and John mentioned are specifically in genealogy notes compiled and typed by reunion president Otto Roosevelt Younkin circa 1934. (Click here to see the first set of pages and second set of pages.) As well, Ella's mother was mentioned in a letter by reunion secretary Charles Arthur Younkin, who was actively writing to many of the Younkin branches to figure out who was who. Click here to see the actual letter, dated March 7, 1937.

John and Ella's graves at Rockwood Odd Fellows Cemetery

The Meyersdale Republican once said that John:

...did quite a bit of farming during his younger years. Later, his chief occupation was mining. He was a handy man at nearly any kind of work. He was loyal and of a kind disposition and had no bad habits, and being a man of such type he had many true friends who held him in high esteem.

In 1932, John was employed "working on the state highway shoveling shape from a heap on the ground upon a motor truck, near the barn of Mr. Arthur Snyder in Black Township." On Oct. 13 of that year, while shoveling, he suddenly collapsed, and fell into the arms of fellow laborer, William Eagle (who was the husband of his cousin Grace Hauger). He died immediately, and was laid to rest in the Rockwood IOOF Cemetery.

The fate of John's wife Grace is not yet known but will be added here when learned. They are buried beside their Heinbaugh children and grandchildren at Rockwood.

~ Granddaughter Olga (Vough) Heinbaugh ~

Granddaughter Olga Vough (1902-1993) married Lloyd J. Heinbaugh (1893-1983). She is pictured in the booklet Down the Road of Our Past, Book II, published by the Rockwood Area Historical & Genealogical Society.

Lloyd served with the US Army during World War I. They had four sons, Bernard Heinbaugh, Donald Heinbaugh, Wayne R. Heinbaugh and Lloyd Van Heinbaugh. The photograph seen at right was taken of Olga and Lloyd's family in the spring of 1938 when their son Lloyd was baptized. (He is the baby in his mother's arms.) Left to right, back row: Wayne, Bernard, Donald, baby Lloyd, Olga and father Lloyd.

Olga was a quiltmaker, and one of her creations was displayed at our 2005 national reunion, and today is featured in our Online Quilt Museum.

Lloyd passed away in 1983 at the age of 90.

Olga outlived him by a decade, and died in 1993. They rest together in the Vough-Heinbaugh plot at the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Rockwood.

Heinbaugh grave marker at Rockwood, PA

Great-grandson Wayne R. Heinbaugh served with the US Marine Corps during the Korean War. He resided in Macedonia, OH. Tragically, he drowned in May 2005 while on vacation in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

Great-grandson Bernard Heinbaugh married Elaine A. "Kate" Bush (1924-2011), the daughter of Reggie and Ruth (Coughenour) Bush. Bernard was a World War II veteran, and a member of the Rockwood School Board for six years. They had two daughters -- Bonnie Sechler and Debbie Wagner. They were members of the Rockwood United Methodist Church. Sadly, Bernard died in 1981. Kate outlived him by three decades. She passed away at Somerset Hospital on Oct. 24, 2011, at the age of 87.

Great grandson Lloyd Van Heinbaugh is a retired librarian in Cleveland. He attended our 2007 reunion with his daughter. In August 2007, he formed a reunion of the Jacob Lloyd Heinbaugh family, held at the Farmers and Threshers Jubilee Building in New Centerville, Somerset County. A total of 36 attended the reunion, and a treasury was formed with the net proceeds. Sue Ellen Martin agreed to be the family memorabilia collector, such as photographs or keepsakes to be preserved and shared with future generations. Email Lloyd with questions.

~ Granddaughter Ostie (Vough) Heinbaugh ~

Granddaughter Ostie Vough married Amos Bruce Heinbaugh. They are seen at left in a family portrait circa 1923, from left to right: Ostie, baby Betty Jean, Althea Aileen, Amos and Dale Wayne.

Great-grandson Donald Oren Heinbaugh served in World War II, and later worked for Republic Steel Corp. as superintendent of construction.

Great-granddaughter Betty Heinbaugh (1922-2008) married Charles W. Hall. They had one daughter, Gayle Dillinger. Betty was a member of the Albright United Methodist Church of South Connellsville, Fayette County and of Red Hatters of Uniontown, PA and AMVETS of Hopwood. Betty attended a number of our national reunions in the mid-2000s. For the 2006 reunion, she brought afghans she has hand-made for display and to be photographed for our Museum of Creativity. One of Betty's quilts is featured in our Online Quilt Museum. A quilt made by Betty's late sister, Shirley Jo Ann (Heinbaugh) Colbert, also is highlighted in our Online Quilt Museum. Shirley's daughter, Sue Ellen (Colbert) Martin, an artist, brought an acrylic painting she created to our 2006 reunion, and one of her own quilts, a tractor pattern, to our 2005 reunion.