June 26-28, 2015 - Some 29 hardy souls braved an incessant weekend rain storm to attend the 2015 national Minerd-Minard-Miner-Minor Reunion, the clan's smallest gathering since the 1980s. In what was perhaps our most important theme ever, cousins Irita (Goins) Canady and Rhonda (Cook) Tabler -- who appeared on the popular PBS television show Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. -- shared some of their experiences. They also helped us learn more about the mixed race branches of our family beginning with the 19th century marriage of Jacob Minerd, a white Pennsylvania German farmer, and native American Ruth Adams. Guests came from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. Dorothy (Bender) Krieg, whose branch of the family left southwestern Pennsylvania in 1852, came from Michigan to attend the reunion with her son and daughter-in-law and visited family graves during a break in the weather.

Spring 2015 - The annual Junghen Family News Bulletin, distributed in advance of the annual Younkin-Younken clan gathering, and prepared and distributed by Linda Marker, includes an article by Minerd.com's founder, "2015 Reunion Ceremony to Honor Civil War Gravesites." 

Jan. 19, 2015 - Minerd.com's founder launches the new "Minerd.com Blog" hosted by WordPress, to more widely share the latest family history discoveries and research for the online community and long-lost cousins we might never connect with otherwise. The first post is entitled "Getting Started" and shares the founder's audacious statement that "We’re very interested in making contact with all descendants, everywhere, and learning how they’ve touched our nation."

~ 2014 ~

August 2014 – Minerd.com and its founder and proprietary research of Charles Minerd and his daughter Martha Emma "Mattie" (Minerd) Gorsuch of Maple Summit and Allen Edward Harbaugh of Mill Run, Fayette County, PA are cited in the fourth edition of the book In Search of the Turkey Foot Road — Unraveling the Mystery, Charting New History, Plotting the Route, co-authored by Lannie Dietle and Michael McKenzie, edited by Nancy E. Thoerig and published by the Mount Savage Historical Society in Maryland, with all proceeds benefiting the society. The 562-page, spiral-bound book, with a companion CD of more than 1,000 figures and appendices, contains 70 percent more information than in the previous edition. The book provides evidence that this legendary road was cut in 1779 as a military supply road to Fort Pitt in support of a critical military campaign. The reason why it was cut through the environs of present-day Salisbury and Confluence is explained, and various individuals involved in establishing the road are identified. Documentary evidence reveals that the antecedent to the eastern part of the road was an Indian and packer’s path. The first edition of 325 pages, published in 2010, focuses on the section of the road from Fort Cumberland to the North Fork of the Youghiogheny River. A copy of the original volume is in the collection of Frostburg State University. Buy the book at mountsavagehistoricalsociety.org.

August 2014 - Four Meinert-Minerd offspring are named in the introduction to the book Mary's Story - The Last of the Pioneers - by Cheryl Anne Hayes (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, Aug. 29, 2014). They include Twila Peterson Payne, Henry Minder and Eugene Podraza as well as this website's founder. In the introduction, Hayes writes: “This is the story of a life of adventure and determination during difficult times from the Great Depression into the Great Recession. Vignettes of lives surrounding Mary’s give an introspective view of lifestyles and culture during the 1950s while Mary raised her family in the suburbs of one of the world’s largest cities --Names were not heard in the news of the day -- but in many instances, should have been. You will be challenged to explore your own family roots -- and perhaps find that your ancestors helped found a new nation and came from a long line of kings. Perhaps you will feel differently about your own family or you may find something worth more than inherited fortune!"

August 2014 - A rare paper artifact from the Minerd.com Archives -- an original Christian Minstrel hymnbook featuring the patented seven-shape note system of the mid-19th century -- is mentioned in the Laurel Messenger newsletter of the Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County. The article, entitled "Shapes of the Past: The History of Shape Note Singing in Southern Somerset County, PA," is authored by Younkin cousin Linda Marker and Duane Howard in the August 2014 edition. The story recounts that the shape note hymnals were "a vital piece of our social history" and that in some instances, "young people would often come six or eight miles to attend a singing." The Minerd.com Archives original copy originates from the family of George and Elizabeth (Minerd) Long Jr. of Kingwood, Somerset County and later of Normalville, Fayette County, PA, with another rare copy found at the Old Pike Toll House in Addison, PA, from the family of John and Lucinda (Miller) Tressler.

July 26, 2014 - At the annual Junghen-Younkin Reunion, held in Somerset County, PA, Minerd.com founder Mark Miner leads a tour of the historic Frederick G. Younkin farm cemetery near the village of Kingwood. He also speaks at the group's afternoon meeting about the substantial new Younkin content written and published on Minerd.com in the past year based on the sweeping research of the late Donna (Younkin) Logan. He also serves as auctioneer during the family's annual charity auction for the third straight year, which raises several hundred dollars for the annual student scholarship. Among Minerd.com's major Younkin content sections are profiles of the following individuals and their children, grandchildren and beyond: "Yankee John" -- Polly Minerd's Sprawling Younkin Clan - Charles Younkin  - George Younken - John J. Younkin - Frederick G. Younkin - Frederick F. Younkin.

May 21, 2014 - Minerd.com's founder speaks at a meeting of the Beaver County (PA) Genealogy and History Center, at the historic Beaver Station of the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation. His powerpoint presentation was based on highlights from his book, Well At This Time: The Civil War Diaries of Ephraim Miner. 

Spring 2014 - Two Minerd.com biographies -- featuring the late Susanna (Younkin) Schrock of Kingwood, PA and the late Jacob H. "Devil Jake" Younkin of Connellsville, PA, both of the 19th century -- are reproduced in the Junghen Family News Bulletin, edited by Linda Marker and produced in connection with the Junghen-Younkin clan's annual reunion. The next national gathering will be held July 25-27 at the Kingwood Odd Fellows Picnic Grove in Somerset County, PA. Click to learn more about the extensive intermingled "Kissin' Cousin Marriages" connections between the Minerd- Minard- Miner- Miner and Junghen- Younkin- Younken- Youngkin families of southwestern Pennsylvania.

April 28, 2014 - Spanning the entire width of a newspaper page, the Beaver County (PA) Times reprints Minerd.com's "Photo of the Month" for April 2014 showing Odger Miner and fellow firefighters with the Hopewell Volunteer Fire Department in their old Brockway truck, preparing for a community parade in or near Aliquippa, PA. The historic image is the second Minerd.com Archives photo in recent months to be published in the Times' occasional "Vintage Views" feature, which seeks to "document the evolution of our area's diverse culture -- from fashion, architecture, agriculture, industry, education and recreation." (See Sept. 24, 2013.) [Editor's note: Odger Miner (1905-1968) was the grandfather of Minerd.com's founder.]

March 19, 2014 - Minerd.com's founder makes a presentation to the Civil War Round Table of Western Pennsylvania about his book, Well At This Time: The Civil War Diaries of Ephraim Miner. (He belonged to his group in the 1990s.) In a review, the CWRT's Stray Shots newsletter said that the "talk followed an interesting format, that of an unfolding genealogical detective story. Slowly Mark was able to piece together the scattered record of Ephraim Miner's life."

February 2014 - The article "Ten Tips for a Successful Reunion," authored by the founder of this website, is published in Pittsburgh: 2014 Official Visitors Guide, produced by VisitPittsburgh.com, the Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

~ 2013 ~

Sept. 24, 2013 - Minerd.com's "Photo of the Month" for September -- showing teacher Winifred Hart and her students in the 1920s at the one-room Majors School in Beaver County, PA -- is reprinted in the Beaver County Times' weekly "Vintage Views" feature, under the headline "Back to School."

June 29, 2013 - The Connellsville (PA) Daily Courier publishes a feature article about our recent national reunion, "Minerd Family Continues to Celebrate History." The piece pictures cousins Barbara (Holly) Minerd and Anita Snyder, and quotes reunion president Mark A. Miner. The story also mentions cousins Barbara (Minor) Adler of Florida and Terre Carson-Jones of Virginia who came to the reunion despite the fact that their ancestors left our region nearly two centuries ago.

June 28, 2013 - On the heels of her guest remarks at the June 22 national family reunion, cousin-panelist Kathleen Kern authors an insightful, moving post on her blog, headlined "Minerd Reunion, Blood+, and What It Means to Be a Family." Follow her posts at KathleenKern.net.

June 21-23, 2013 - The family holds its national reunion at Donegal and Indian Head, PA, marking the 100th anniversary of its inaugural reunion in 1913. Panelists Sandra (Alkula) Boda, Kathleen Kern and Richard A. "Rick" Minerd serve as guest panelists at the Saturday picnic, moderated by reunion president Mark Miner, answering the theme question, "What's Your Legacy?" On Sunday morning, a group of seven cousins meets and agrees to begin ongoing prayer for each other and the family at large.

Sandy (Alkula) Boda Listen to a Preview Interview (MP3)	Kathleen Kern Listen to a Preview Interview (MP3)	Richard "Rick"  Minerd

May 11, 2013 - In connection with Minerd.com's special "War on Terror Prayer Page" listing the names of all known M-M-M-M cousins currently in the military and serving in harm's way, cousin Mary (Minerd) Speegle is interested in sending care packages directly to these cousins. If interested in providing a name and address, please contact her directly. 

March 14, 2013 - Minerd.com's founder makes a presentation to the Civil War Round Table of California University of Pennsylvania about his Civil War book Well At This Time.

March 10, 2013 - The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review publishes a feature story about Minerd.com's founder and upcoming presentation to the Civil War Round Table of California University of Pennsylvania, headlined "Roundtable Speaker Combines Interest in Civil War, Family History."

~ 2012 ~

Dec. 23, 2012 - Reporter Len Barcousky of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's "P-G Video" interviews Miner in a segment posted today about his new books Well At This Time and Forged in Steel: The Seven Time-Tested Leadership Principles Practiced by the Pittsburgh Steelers. More than 30 rare historic images from the Minerd.com Archives -- prints, photographs and scans of actual diary pages -- are used as illustrations in the segment, edited by Melissa Tkach.

December 2012 - A vintage image from the Minerd.com Archives -- showing the Civil War battle of Missionary Ridge -- is used in a U.S. history documentary television show, "American Ride," which is broadcast on BYUtv.com, a service of Brigham Young University. The segment is entitled "The Price of Honor." The image is found in the Minerd.com biography of Gilman and Barbara E.llen (Minard) Rose and in our "General Custer Family Album" feature.

Dec. 1, 2012 - Armed with his title Well At This Time, as well as material about the upcoming title Forged in Steel: The Seven Time-Tested Leadership Principles Practiced by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minerd.com founder Mark Miner is a featured author exhibiting at "Books in the Burgh," the 11th annual book fair of the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. At the event, Dr. Cyril Wecht, a forensic pathologist and the nation's foremost authority on the JFK assassination, and consultant on the tragic deaths of RFK, Elvis, JonBenet Ramsey, Anna Nicole Smith, Sharon Tate and many others, graciously took time to chat and have his photo taken with Miner. Of Wecht's many books, the latest are From Crime Scene to Courtroom and A Question of Murder. Among other exhibitors at the fair are former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Andy Russell, Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster Steve Blass, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Brian O'Neill, and Heinz History Center editor Brian Butko. The History Center is where our 2008 "Pittsburgh 250" national family reunion was held. 

Miner, 2nd from right, Northland Library	Cyril Wecht, left, and Miner

Nov. 28, 2012 - In an evening devoted to four local authors, the Northland Public Library of Pittsburgh features remarks by Minerd.com founder Mark Miner in connection with his Civil War diary book, Well At This Time.

November 2012 - Two rare images from Minerd.com's archives are reproduced in the 2013 Calendar of the Braddock Road Preservation Association -- depicting "Defeat of Braddock" from Ballou's Pictorial (1855) and "Braddock's March" from United States History (1881). The BRPA's purpose is to research, develop, interpret and promote the preservation and dissemination of the history of the French and Indian War at Jumonville, Dunbar's Camp and the Braddock Road in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Prior to the BRPA's formation, several of our cousins were involved in maintaining these sites, among them William Alexander Gaither, Clara (Leonard) Holt, Delbert "Bert" Ravenscroft Sr., William Arthur Stone, and Thomas M. and Nina (Stone) Whyel. See Minerd.com's special feature page devoted to Braddock's Grave and Fort Necessity, where the two calendar images are shown at larger scale and described in more detail.

November 2012 - Minerd.com and its biographies of William Minerd, his daughter Rachel (Minard) Mayle and their offspring of Barbour County, WV and Jefferson County, OH, are cited as sources in Terri Mayle's new e-book, The Mayle's of Brilliant, Ohio: The Lost Family.

Nov. 17, 2012 - Minerd.com founder Mark Miner makes a presentation about his Civil War diary book, Well At This Time, at a meeting of the Fayette County Genealogical Society, Uniontown Public Library, Uniontown, PA.

Oct. 11, 2012 - The North Boroughs Rotary Club of Pittsburgh hosts Minerd.com founder Mark Miner for a presentation about his book Well At This Time, held at the Shannopin Country Club.

Oct. 1, 2012 - Valley Life in Dekalb, IL uses content drawn from the Minerd.com biography of Isaac and Nettie (Thorne) Blood for its article, "Walgreens Has a Leland Connection."

Sept. 15, 2012 - Mark Miner, founder of Minerd.com, is a special featured speaker at the annual Bridgewater BookFest, held in Beaver, PA. He also has a table featuring his book Well At This Time.

May 9, 2012 - Jack Trammell of America's Civil War magazine reviews Well At This Time, saying that the book "does a solid job bringing together diverse pieces of information to paint a picture..." and that soldier Ephraim Miner's "voice does come through, in large part because [the author] has done his homework and walks readers through Ephraim's experience.... As a result, Ephraim is real to the reader." [ link to full text ] 

April 25, 2012 - At a meeting of the Fayette County (PA) Library System Reading Circle, held at the Smithfield Public Library, Miner gives a talk about Well At This Time. In 2000, Miner spoke about "The Power of Memory" at Smithfield's "Celebrate the Centuries" event, held at the same library.

Heinz History Center magazine book review

April 22, 2012 - The Connellsville Daily Courier publishes a review of Mark Miner's recent talk about Well At This Time to the Civil War Round Table of Scottdale, PA. The feature article is headlined "Book Records Civil War Stories," and says that soldier Ephraim Miner "was a man of few words, but recorded that his legs pained him very much, he was lonely on a Sunday and he was not any better." [ link to full text ]

April 13, 2012 - Hardbound and softbound copies of Well At This Time are placed on sale in the gift shop of the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, an associate of the Smithsonian Institution.

April 11, 2012 - Miner makes a presentation about Well At This Time at a meeting of the Civil War Round Table of Scottdale, PA, held at the Scottdale Public Library. The presentation is summarized in a story appearing in the Connellsville Daily Courier.

April 2, 2012 - Minerd.com founder Mark Miner speaks about his Civil War diaries book, Well At This Time, at the annual meeting of the Historical & Genealogical Society of Somerset County, PA. Copies of the book now are available for sale in the gift shop of the historical society, which is administered in partnership with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museums Commission. Miner is a life member of the society.

Minerd.com Archive items, Beaver Area Heritage Museum exhibit, in partnership with the Heinz History Center

April 2012 - A lengthy review of Well At This Time, written by military historian David Neville in the Spring edition of the Western Pennsylvania History magazine of the Senator John Heinz History Center (an associate of the Smithsonian Institution), concludes that: ... one will not find stirring accounts of battle, but entries that describe day-to-day life of a young man who continued to serve his country despite being hobbled by illness and a battle injury... This book will definitely appeal to readers interested in Pennsylvania Infantry troops." [ full text reprint ]

March 31, 2012 - Antique newspaper and other artifacts from the Minerd.com archives are included in the display at the Beaver (PA) Area Heritage Museum, as part of the "Civil War in Pennsylvania" exhibit created by the Senator John Heinz History Center, sponsored by Peoples Natural Gas and Institute for Museum and Library Services, in partnership with Pennsylvania Civil War 150. Eaton Corporation is local corporate sponsor of the display. More.

March 27, 2012 - The Somerset (PA) Daily American publishes an article headlined "Historical Center to Offer Civil War Program" to promote the upcoming April 2 presentation by Minerd.com founder Mark Miner, about his book Well At This Time, at the annual meeting of the Historical & Genealogical Society of Somerset County, PA.

March 14, 2012 - At the March meeting of the Civil War Round Table of Butler County, PA, held at the Butler YWCA Heritage Room, Minerd.com's founder makes a presentation about his book Well At This Time. See its The Campfire newsletter.

March 2012 - The Campfire newsletter of the Butler County Civil War Round Table, edited and produced by local historian and longtime CWRT member Bill May of Butler, PA, devotes nearly its entire front page to the upcoming presentation by Minerd.com founder Mark Miner about his book Well At This Time. [ Full text ]

Feb. 25, 2012 - The Rob Pratte Show, airing on News Radio 1020 KDKA in Pittsburgh, features an hourlong interview for earlybirds with Minerd.com founder Mark Miner. Listen to the podcast.

Feb. 21, 2012 - Minerd.com founder Mark Miner makes a presentation about his book Well At This Time before the Civil War Round Table of Erie, PA, held at McDowell Intermediate High School.

Feb. 5, 2012 - In its popular Sunday feature, "The Next Page," the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette publishes a special guest column authored by Minerd.com founder Mark Miner entitled "The Poet and a Farmer in Fredericksburg: Walt Whitman and My Uncle in a Civil War Hospital." The full-page column uses excerpts from the Civil War diary entries written by the author's great-great grand-uncle Ephraim Miner of Somerset County, PA, "on how the not-yet-famous poet and his uncle overlapped in their service to wounded soldiers." The column is derived from content from Mark Miner's book, Well At This Time: The Civil War Diaries of Ephraim Miner. (2011, Minerd.com Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9837149-0-3).

2012 - The Mountain Watershed Association of Melcroft, PA reproduces antique Minerd.com postcard images of Killarney Park and Indian Creek for its website, entitled Indian Creek Valley Bike and Hike Trail.

January/February 2012 - Writing in the feature article "Newnan and Senoia Had Telegraphy Schools in Early 1900s," author W. Winston Skinner of Georgia's Newnan Coweta Magazine uses proprietary content from Minerd.com's biography of Marshall "Ellsworth" Rowan to illustrate a story about the old Southern School of Telegraphy in Newnan. The illustrations in the piece include a photo of Rowan, seated in the telegraph office of the old Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in Bidwell, Fayette County, PA, and a worksheet from the school with some of Rowan's original handwritten notes. [link]

Jan. 23, 2012 - Minerd.com founder Mark Miner makes a powerpoint presentation about his Civil War book, Well At This Time, at the January meeting of the Greater Pittsburgh Civil War Round Table at the Hampton Community Center, near Route 8 north of Pittsburgh.

~ 2011 ~

December 2011 - A book re-published by Donna Murray Allen, The Murray Family of Fayette County, PA, 1799-1999, devotes three full pages to the tragic story of Elijah and Hannah (Minerd) Murray, of Normalville, PA. The ill-fated couple died within eight days of each other in May 1885, leaving eight orphaned children. Allen writes that "I feel their story is a vital one to include in this family history. By doing so, it keeps their memories alive. And it will help future researchers with their arduous task." She also acknowledges Minerd.com founder Mark Miner for providing material for the chapter. Allen previously wrote about Minerd.com in the December 2008 issue of Internet Genealogy magazine, headlined "Bringing Family Together - What Makes Minerd.com a Top Family Website," and in a 2002 article in Florida's St. Petersburg Times entitled "Family Web Sites Help You Find the Past in Cyberspace."

Dec. 3, 2011 - Minerd.com's Mark Miner, publisher and author of Well At This Time, is an exhibitor at the 10th annual Holiday Book Fair of the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. Visitors hada n opportunity to purchase signed copies of books and mingle with dozens of other local authors, including Arthur J. Rooney Jr., former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Andy Russell, former Pittsburgh Press sports editor Jim O'Brien, KDKA-TV personality Dave Crawley and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cartoonist Rob Rogers. Read the Heinz History Center's press release.

Nov. 17, 2011 - In an online review of Well At This Time, Paul Taylor of the Civil War News says that while the book provides extensive illustrations and context for the diaries, and a "truly admirable telling" of Ephraim Miner's story, it would not appeal to students of the Civil War due to the diaries' lack of insightful commentary about the war itself. Link to full text.

Nov. 16, 2011 - Well At This Time receives a review in the November issue of the Newsletter of the Little Big Horn Associates, a national group of Civil War and General Custer enthusiasts. In her own column, editor/publisher Joan Croy writes that the book is a "Very touching story taken from family sources." Link to full text.

Nov. 15, 2011 - Minerd.com's Mark Miner makes a presentation about his new book, Well At This Time, at the quarterly speakers series meeting and annual board of directors elections of the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation. The event is held at the Trinity Anglican Church in Beaver, PA.  

Nov. 4, 2011 - At the 23rd annual conference of the Braddock Road Preservation Association, held at Jumonville near Uniontown, PA, speaker and board director Joan Mancuso recognizes Minerd.com for making available its archive of historic images of Braddock's Grave for use in future conferences. The association is an advisory organization seeking to research, develop, interpret and promote the French and Indian War history of Jumonville, Dunbar Camp and the Braddock Road, as well as the Pennsylvania Soldiers' Orphans School. All of these sites in Fayette County, PA have direct connections to members of our extended clan and are featured on our website in some way.

Oct. 3, 2011 - In an article headlined "Whatcom County Linked to 'Deep Secret' About Lt. Col. George Custer's Brother," the Bellingham (WA) Herald tells the story of local man Phil Dyer's efforts to know more about Rebecca (Minerd) Behme Kearns, buried in the Enterprise Cemetery in Washington State. The article also mentions Rebecca's son Thomas C. "Tommy" Custer and daughter Clara (Behme) Kiggins; includes a link to Rebecca's biography on Minerd.com; and quotes from Mark A. Miner's award-winning article, "Tontogany's Deep Secret," published in 2005 by the Little Big Horn Associates. Dyer is seen at right with Rebecca's grave marker, in an image taken several years ago.

Sept. 10, 2011 - At the Bridgewater Bookfest 2011, held in Beaver, PA, Minerd.com founder Mark Miner displays his new book, Well At This Time, and personally inscribes copies at a special table in the author's tent. At noon, he makes a presentation about the book at the 1810 Tavern on Bridge Street, across from the Bookfest tent, as part of the "Author Talk" program. The goal of the annual Bookfest is to bring together writers and readers and to promote and celebrate books, reading and literacy in the Beaver Area.