Mark Your Calendars!
National Minerd-Minard-Miner-Minor
Reunion
July 12-13, 2003 - Kingwood and Mill Run, PA
'Jacob Minerd Weekend'
Above, L-R, the
original Minerd Reunion officers of 1913 to be honored this year: Rev.
Isaac H. Minerd (President); Martin Miner
(Vice President); Esther (Barnhouse)
Freed (Treasurer); Roy S. Minerd
(Secretary); and Allen E. Harbaugh
(Historian). All were direct descendants
of Revolutionary War veteran Jacob
Minerd Sr.
Above, the First
Annual Minerd Reunion in Western Pennsylvania, held Aug. 21, 1913, at Ohiopyle, Fayette County, PA.
Exactly 125 cousins attended that day.
Highlights of the Weekend Will Include:
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Dedication of the Revolutionary War grave marker for the "Father of Us All," Jacob Minerd Sr. in Mill Run, PA -- a memorable "must see" event for all members of our family.
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Celebration of the 90th anniversary of the First Annual Minerd Reunion held in Western Pennsylvania in 1913, honoring the original planning committee.
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Enjoy hearing the family history written in 1913 by cousin Allen Harbaugh, a key to understanding our pioneer heritage, to be read aloud by great-grandson Donald Lawrence Harbaugh.
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At the graveside, a 21-gun salute and flag presentation by American Legion Post 301, and a ceremony conducted by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
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The City of Uniontown (the county seat of Fayette County, the epicenter of our clan's roots), has issued an official proclamation declaring July 12-13 as "Jacob Minerd Weekend." Click to see it.
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Click here for our weekend agenda and driving directions.
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Click to see highlights of our 2002 reunion.
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Click to see the remarkable story by a Kansas cousin whose reunion-visit to Western Pennsylvania in 2002 was the first by her branch in 116 years.
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Contact us for more details.
WHEREAS - During the Revolutionary War in 1777, "Father of Us All" Jacob Minerd joined a militia in Berks County, PA to protect the homefront in case of an invasion by enemy British troops. He served in Captain Foch's Company, 3rd Class. In 1791, some 13 years later, Jacob and his wife Maria and their large family migrated west and settled on the mountainous border of Fayette/Somerset Counties, PA. Jacob died in about 1814 and was buried at what is now the Indian Creek Baptist Church in Mill Run, PA. Sadly, his grave was not marked, and the federal government, until now, has never recognized his service to our nation. Fortunately, thanks to our hard-working cousin-volunteers, that has changed.
WHEREAS - In August 1913, nearly a century after his death, some of Jacob’s great- and great-great grandchildren held the first annual Minerd Reunion held in Western Pennsylvania. Held at Ohiopyle, Fayette County, just a few miles from where Jacob is buried, the 1913 reunion drew exactly 125 people. The reunions were popular and were held for at least 17 more years, until the Great Depression. In 1986, descendants again began to hold reunions, and in the early 1990s opened them to all Minerd- Minard- Miner- Minor cousins, thus forming what today is our national reunion.
WHEREAS - At that first reunion in 1913, cousin and family historian Allen E. Harbaugh read aloud a history of our family. Several copies have survived to today. It is a landmark work, providing a vital understanding to some of the early generations of our family in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
THUS - We will honor these two very special historical events at our upcoming reunion, to be held the weekend of July 12-13, 2003. First, we will honor the original 1913 planners who had a vision for bringing together a large family of extended cousins. We wish to invite all living descendants of the five officers to attend and be recognized. Second, we will honor 1913 genealogist Allen Harbaugh with a re-reading of his family history. Third, we will have a formal ceremony dedicating a brand-new, military-issue grave marker for Jacob. Participants will include key reunion committee members as well as Rev. John Davis of the Indian Creek Baptist Church, American Legion Post 301 of Connellsville, and the Col. Andrew Lynn Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) of Uniontown, PA, among others.
Please RSVP by July 1
So we can plan accurately, please RSVP by July 1 to Mark Miner at markminer@mindspring.com.
Reunion Planning Committee
President
- Mark A. Miner, Beaver, PA
Vice President
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Sid Miller, Mont Alto, PA
Treasurer
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Doris (Sands) Hawker,
Morgantown, WV
Secretary
- Rosella (Resh) Miner, Grantsville, MD
Special Committee Chairs:
Jacob
Minerd Grave Marker
– Marilyn (Jenkins) Prinzing, Libertyville, IL
Jacob
Minerd Weekend Proclamation
– Kenneth T. Minerd, Uniontown, PA
Cemetery
Cleanups
– Sid Miller, Mont Alto, PA
Copyright © 2003 Mark A. Miner