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Minerd.com Archives 1999-2000

Items Added from January 1999 to December 2000
Click for materials added in 2003 - 2002 - 2001

We help cousins learn about and re-connect with their families by preserving materials that document the lives, past and present, of our ancestors.  These include old letters, postcards, family lists, court papers, books, news articles, obituaries and funeral cards, newsletters, certificates, awards and photographs. 

Items Added from July 2000 through December 2000

  • Complete Civil War pension file of David J. Rowan, of the 5th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, from the National Archives, the 1st known cousin killed in a railroad accident.

  • Lengthy Pittsburgh Tribune-Review feature obituary of William A. Nelson, a 35-year educator in the Southmoreland (PA) School District.

  • Photo of John Perrin Shinneman, husband of Sarah 'Etta' (Dillow) Shinneman, the 1st known settlers of New Mexico in our family.

  • Photographs and papers about the branch of Charles A. and Sarah (Kincell) Minerd, of Wheeler, PA, the 1st known cousin to found his own coal company, and the 1st cousin to secure a United States patent (issued 1906, for a railroad tie).

  • Death certificate of Mary Ellen Costolo (1865-1936) of Lemont Furnace, Fayette County, PA, whose father was a Minerd (whose exact identity is unknown) and whose mother was Sarah Abraham.

  • Complete Civil War pension file of James Rowan of the 85th PA Volunteer Infantry from the National Archives.

  • Copies of patent summaries from the US Patent and Trademark Office, secured by inventors Richard A. Minerd, Russell C. Minerd and Timothy M. Minerd.

  • Information and web links about Earl J. Peters, killed in World War II in the torpedoing and sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the ship that delivered the H-bomb to the South Pacific, a bone-chilling story made more famous in the movie "Jaws."

  • Ashland (OH) Times-Gazette obituary of Thomas "Tom" Younkin (1928-2000), who played a pivotal role in starting the Younkin Reunions-East of the 1990s, and was a great family friend.

  • News articles and 1936 obituary of William Arthur Stone, leading banker, coal and coke industrialist and entrepreneur of Fayette County, PA, who helped raise funds for the well-known "Braddock's Grave" monument near Uniontown.

  • Papers and obituaries of the family of Benjamin and Sarah (Harbaugh) Leonard, including son Rev. Amos P. Leonard, 40-year Methodist minister in Western PA; son Reuben H. Leonard and son in law George Potter, veterans of the Civil War; and grandson Harry D. Leonard, attorney and Uniontown city controller in the 1920s.

  • Washington Business Journal article quoting Tim Minerd, Chief of the Department of Housing and Community Affairs of Montgomery County, MD, about the revitalization of Silver Spring, MD.

  • Press release about new HedgeFund.Net CEO B. Scott Minerd, former director of the Guggenheim Group, LLP.

  • News articles about Mark Farabee, head football coach at Butler (PA) High School.

  • Close to 40 news articles and papers from the Newark Public Library and the New York Times about the life and career of Willard Eugene Bowman, former executive editor of the Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle, associate publisher of the Newark Star-Ledger, president of the Newark Advertising Club and member of the New Jersey Aviation Commission.

  • Turn of the century letters written by Allen H. Rowan and his son, railroad telegrapher Marshall Ellsworth Rowan, as well as a copy of their general store account book, receipts, diaries and obituaries.

  • Lengthy Greensburg Tribune-Review obituary of Dorothy (Overholt) Long-Wagner, former tax collector of Youngwood (PA) Borough.

  • Civil War military papers of Leonard Rowan, of the 85th PA Infantry, who died of disease at Fort Monroe, VA, and of his brother Josiah Rowan of the 14th PA Cavalry, from the National Archives.

  • Taylor University yearbook pages for Rev. Lester Allen White, circa 1919-1922, donated by the university's Alumni Office.

  • Obituaries of Kansas and Colorado pioneers Jesse A. and Susan (Barnhouse) Stoner who were prominent fruit growers of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

  • News articles and papers about the late David Olson, a US Army sergeant who guarded captured Nazi war criminal Hermann Goering in Nuremberg, Germany, and later served as the inaugural principal of the Romeo (MI) High School. 

  • Laurel Messenger article, "The Dream Lives On!", eulogizing the late Marguerite L. Cockley, co-founder of the Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County, Inc., and a great family friend who played a key role in our research effort.

  • News articles, papers and court records about the George Houser flour mill of the 1870s and '80s of Scipio, IN. 

  • Papers about A.A. Bowman & Co., a 19th century carriage manufacturing business of Hartford City, IN.

  • Photo of the Taylor University (IN) Sports Hall of Fame plaque of track star Dick Plants.

  • 1925 obituary of Wayne Ice of Glenford, OH, crushed while chopping down a tree.  

  • Current day photo of the grave of Pvt. Leroy Bush of the 9th Indiana Cavalry, who died of disease during the Civil War.

  • Obituary of Ralph S. Hutton, a Greenfield, IN, City Councilman, World War II veteran, commander of American Legion Post 119, board member of the Boys Club and of the Selective Service Commission, and founder of the Walter Molinder Memorial Fund for the advancement of baseball in Hancock County. 

  • Obituaries of Harriet (Marshall) Minerd (1951), widow of Morris Minerd, and her 2nd husband, Nelson G. Whetzel (1927).

  • Papers, news articles and photographs from the Indiana State Library and the Tippecanoe County Public Library about 19th century Judge Byron W. Langdon of Lafayette, IN.

  • Information and maps of the locations of graves of Bush, Anderson, Mundelle and Sears cousins buried at the Park Cemetery in Greenfield, IN.

  • Press release and advertisement by Cape Cod Hospital, welcoming Scott D. Miner, M.D., to the family medical practice of Cape Cod Healthcare.

  • Civil War pension file of John F. Rockwell of the 40th PA Volunteer Infantry, including births inscribed in the old family Bible of his in-laws, Andrew and Sarah (Devan) Minerd, and a 1928 receipt from the Minerd Funeral Home of Uniontown, PA.

  • Family stories and photos of Victor Clyde and Delphia (Platter) Miner and their son and his wife, Victor 'Reed' and Rosella May (Resh) Miner, all of Grantsville, MD.

  • Obituary of J. Miner Culp, president of Oertel Brewing Co. of Louisville, KY.

  • Photo of the Ralph Charles Minerd home at Norvelt, PA, built under the Depression-era, pioneering federally funded home development program supported by Eleanor Roosevelt, after whom the town is named.

  • News clipping of Paul Minerd, police officer of Pinto, NM.  

  • Photo of William Mullen Minerd and the H.C. Frick Coke Company Brinkerton Mine baseball team of Mt. Pleasant, PA; photos of the Bethany Church where he pastored, including the stained glass window bearing his name; and a list of his descendants. 

  • Photos of great family friend Otto R. Younkin (president) and the planning committee for the Younkin National Home Coming Reunions of the 1930s. 

  • Mourning poem written by Marshall E. Rowan in memory of his sister, Goldie Rowan, who died in 1908 while he was away at school. 

  • Information leading to the re-discovery of the grave of Jonathan S. Minerd, who died in 1852, now the oldest known family grave marker in Western PA.

  • Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article (July 12, 2000) picturing Eric W. Miner, assistant manager of The Sharper Image store in Pittsburgh. 

  • List of descendants of Frederick Miner Sr. (1777-1871), pioneer settler of Perry County, OH, and of his daughter Matilda (Miner) Culp of Lancaster, OH. 

  • Papers about Paul E. Twyman Sr., the first mayor of Bangor, MI. 

  • Beaver County Times article (June 11, 2000) featuring Patrick Morell, thoroughbred horse owner of Bridgewater, PA.

Items Added from July 1999 through June 2000

  • Biographical information about John Wilgus Pratten, a teacher and painter whose work decorates the entrance to Sea World-Florida, and who authored the book Portrait Painting for Beginners

  • Pages from a Fayette County, PA history describing the tragic 1880 death of Civil War veteran David Rowan in a railroad accident.

  • 1945 obituary of James Hart McKnight of near Fayette City, PA, known as "a great horse fancier" who "was a raiser of race horses." 

  • 1893 obituary of Catherine (Harbaugh) Rowan whose husband James and sons Leonard, Josiah, Jonas and David all served in the Civil War, with Leonard killed at Harrison's Landing, VA. 

  • Papers from the Jacob Clarence Crabtree branch of Donegal, PA and Minerva, OH, including a 1942 Reader's Digest article, "Convoy to Murmansk," quoting James Howard Crabtree.

  • Civil War military papers of 3 Minerd brothers -- James Jr., William and Isaac F. -- all of the 85th PA Volunteer Infantry.

  • Early 20th century marriages licenses of John H. Inks and nephew Andrew T. Inks from the Register of Wills of Allegheny County, PA.

  • Papers and photos about the life of postmaster, flour miller and farmer George H. Houser, widower of Barbara Miner, of Fairfield County, OH, and later of Cochocton and Franklin Counties, OH and Jennings County, IN.

  • Obituaries of the Golie C. Bedillion branch of Washington, PA.  

  • Obituaries and news articles of the McKnight/Pratton branch, including a World War II newspaper photo of Pfc. William Q. Pratton in uniform on Okinawa.

  • Pages from the family Bible of Leonard and Martha (Minerd) Harbaugh, published 1844, which survived a housefire in 1926, and was passed down to David and Mary (Whipkey) Harbaugh, Rosetta (Harbaugh) Miner, Lena (Younkin) Doyle-Showman, Ira "David" Younkin, Warren D. Younkin and Douglas A. Nicklow. 

  • Papers of Judge Byron W. Langdon, an Indiana congressman and delegate to the 1880 presidential convention, courtesy of Union College and the Tippecanoe (IN) Genealogical Society.

  • Perry County (OH) estate papers of the Johnston, Cooperrider, Hunt and Soliday branches, including a complete inventory of the S.R. Johnston General Store of Glenford, OH. 

  • Civil War pension files of Henry McKnight, John B. Anderson, John Bush, James Bush, Leroy Bush, Henry M. Bush, Minor Bush, and John F. Rockwell, from the National Archives, comprising many hundreds of pages. 

  • Photos and papers of the Harry O. and Armena (Cain) Miner branch, including about the beekeeping of Robert L. Plants of Ashtabula, OH and the ministries of Rev. Donald C. Plants of Centre, AL and of Rev. Richard A. Plants of Loveland, CO; home movies of the late Monalea (Ullom) Miner of Aliquippa, PA; news articles about real estate development projects handled by surveyor Donald W. Miner of Hadley, MA; and manuscript, Experiencing the Era Between 1930 and 1957 by O. Wayne Miner of Wexford, PA. 

  • Photo and audio tape of Fred Younkin of Ashville, OH, a fiddler at the Younkin Reunions of the 1930s.

  • 18th century court papers about Frederick Meinder of Berks County, PA, and Burkhard Meinder, of Northampton County, PA, brothers of Fayette/Somerset County pioneer Jacob Minerd Sr., researched and provided by Eugene Podraza. 

  • Obituary of Dr. Oliver L. Iden, president of the Ross County (OH) Medical Society, from the Perry County District Library; and obituary of Oliver H. Perry, president of the Columbus Board of Trade, from the Ohio Historical Society.

  • Records from Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, OH, regarding burials of the Parsons, Sherwood and Perry branches, descendants of Perry County (OH) pioneers Frederick Miner Sr. and Daniel Miner Sr. 

  • Issues of The Futurist Magazine from December 1998 to the present, with articles by Jeffrey T. Minerd. 

  • Photos and articles about Rev. William M. Minerd, minister of Somerset County churches for 35 years.

  • Papers about the pioneering, federally funded community of Norvelt, PA, from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.  (One of the first families to live there were Ralph and Violet [Summy] Minerd.) 

  • CD-ROM version of Lewis Family by Jack W. Lewis and Thomas Lewis, donated by the authors.

  • News article about the 1999 dedication of the Jeff Barr Memorial Trail at Forbes State Park, PA. 

  • News articles about the Walter and Mary (Todd) Jennings branch, including Otto L. Shipley, first mayor of West Mayfield, PA, and his son Sgt. Robert L. Shipley of Beaver Falls, PA, killed in the Korean War.

  • Papers and photos of the Lester and Margaret (Miner) Sherwood branch of Cardington and Columbus, OH.

  • News articles about the new Younkin Branch of the Pickaway County Public Library in Circleville, OH, and the new Younkin Success Center at Ohio State University, built in memory of the late Floyd E. Younkin. 

  • White River Valley Historical Quarterly with an important 1899 diary entry about Azaniah "Melvin" Minerd and sons of Pittsburg, KS.

  • 1999-2000 Otterbein College Men's Basketball Media Guide with entries on coach Dick Reynolds and forward Trevor Younkin.

  • Photos and papers of the Richard and Bertha (Minerd) Reese branch of Mt. Pleasant, PA, including funeral card of son Pvt. Richard N. Reese, killed in World War II.

  • Photos and papers of the Joseph W. and Sadie (Harbaugh) Ream branch of Jersey Hollow, PA, including of their grandson, Alvin Glenn Ream, killed in World War II. 

  • Funeral/mourning photos of 10-year-old William Minerd (1901) and 16-month-old Virginia Minerd (1916), son and granddaughter of Thomas and Catherine (Ramsey) Minerd.

  • Lyrics to old Pennsylvania Dutch song sung in farm fields of Somerset County, PA, by Rosetta (Harbaugh) Miner and her daughter, Minnie (Miner) Gary. 

  • Preliminary list of descendants of Civil War veteran Henry and Barbara (Minerd) McKnight, as compiled by McKnight/Minerd researcher Beth L. Radcliffe. 

  • List of descendants of Lehman and Martha (Minerd) Stairs of Mt. Pleasant, PA. 

  • Photos and papers of Virginia (Riley) Snyder, a pioneering TWA flight attendant of the 1930s. 

  • Obituaries of Nathan and Susan (Abbott) Miner, pioneer settlers of Fort Madison, IA. 

  • Postmark cancellation stamps from small towns in Fayette and Somerset Counties, PA, circa 1905. 

  • Obituaries of scores of relatives who died in 1999-2000 throughout the nation.

  • Scores of newspaper articles from the following libraries: Carnegie Free Libraries of Connellsville and Beaver Falls, PA; Uniontown (PA) Public Library; Meyersdale (PA) Library; and Ohio Historical Society.

Copyright © 2000-2001 Mark A. Miner