Minerd.com Biography of Joseph T. and Bertha (Freed) Means of Herbert, PA

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Bertha (Freed) Means
(1878-1946)

Bertha Means

Bertha Alice (Freed) Means was born on Aug. 14, 1878 in Vanderbilt, Fayette County, PA, the daughter of Christian Stoner and Esther (Barnhouse) Freed.

On Aug. 14, 1903, at the age of 25, Bertha eloped with 29-year-old widower Joseph T. Means (1874-1950), a coal miner, and the son of William K. and Rebecca (Crossland) Means of Bullskin Township. Rev. R.L. Price officiated at the wedding, held at Vanderbilt.

Joseph's first wife, Anna (Shallenberger) Means, died in 1900, and he brought an eight-year-old daughter Mary to the marriage with Bertha.

They together produced four more children of their own -- Ruth Case, Esther Merryman, and twins Flora Means and Roy Means. Born in 1909, the twins are not thought to have survived childhood.

Obituary, 1946

The Meanses first resided in Vanderbilt, until 1910, when they moved to Herbert, a coal mine patch town near Uniontown, Fayette County. The 1910 federal census shows the family living at the Mitchell Works in Redstone Township, Fayette County, with Joseph's occupation listed as "laborer - odd jobs." Their next-door neighbors at the works were distant cousins James L. and Catherine (Whalen) Minerd and their brood of eight children. Whether the two families knew they were related is unknown.

The Uniontown Morning-Herald said that Joseph "was employed with the Connellsville Central Coal and Coke company ... [and later was] associated with the Fayette county commissioners. A staunch Republican, he was prominent in Redstone township politics for many years." He was employed toward the end of his life as store keeper at the Fayette County Home.

Obituary, 1950

They were members of the Third Presbyterian Church and active in the John Knox Bible Class. She also was a member of the Uniontown Order of Eastern Star.

When the census was enumerated again in 1920, Bertha and Joseph and daughters Ruth and Esther made their home together in Redstone Township. Joseph was employed that year as a stable boss at the local coal mine.

As Bertha's father aged, he came to reside in the Means home in Herbert. He is listed as a member of their household in the 1930 census, and he passed away there in 1934.

The 1930 census lists Joseph as a foreman in the coal mine stables. Daughter Esther, age 23 and living under their roof, was employed as a teacher in a public school.

Dickerson Run Cemetery

Bertha and her daughter Esther, sister Sara Freed and sister in law Leona (Colbert) Freed accompanied their elderly, widowed father to the Minerd Reunion in August 1932, held at Lake Forest Park near Scottdale, Westmoreland County. Writing in the Huntingdon (PA) Daily News, their cousin Laura Jane (Minerd) Williams reported: "Everyone seemed to enjoy the fine fellowship that existed among all the reunionists and the innumerable baskets that provided dinner and supper for the party were bottomless."

Bertha was stricken by a cerebral hemorrhage and became partially paralyzed on her left side in about May 1946. After seven weeks of suffering, she died at her home in Herbert on July 20, 1946, at the age of 68. Her obituary was front page news in the Morning Herald. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Lorne H. Belden, with the Order of Eastern Star holding a ritualistic service as well.

Joseph outlived his wife by almost four years. During the last 14 months of his life, he endured a malignant cancer growth on the left side of his neck.

At the age of 76, he was felled by a massive hemorrhage and passed away on March 11, 1950 in Uniontown. At his death, reported the Morning Herald, he was survived by five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He and Bertha are buried together in the Dickerson Run Cemetery near Vanderbilt.

Meanses' graves at Dickerson Run Union Cemetery

~ Daughter Mary (Means) Harshman ~

Daughter Mary Means (1896- ? ) was born in 1896. She was age 3 when her mother died, and age 7 when her father married our Bertha Freed.

She married Harry P. Harshman (1894-1934) in about 1916. Harry was a coal miner.

They had three known children -- Sara Mae Saunders, Jacqueline Smithburger and John Harshman.

Obituary, 1934

The federal census of 1930 lists the family in Redstone Township, Fayette County, where Harry was employed as a labor foreman in a coal mine.

Tragedy struck the family in the mid-summer of 1934, when they made their home at Grindstone, Fayette County. On Aug. 15, 1934 when Harry was killed when his skull was fractured in a coal mine accident at the Colonial No. 4 Mine. He was buried at Mt. Olive Cemetery in Connellsville, Fayette County.

Mary provided for herself afterward by working at Montgomery Ward Company for 28 years. As a single mother, she often visited her parents on weekends. In April 1950, she and son John moved from Morgantown Street to 90 Pennsylvania Avenue in Uniontown. Her name often appeared in the social columns of the Uniontown newspapers.

Uniontown skyline, circa 1920s

Daughter Sara Mae Harshman (1917-1961) was born on Jan. 18, 1917. She wed Harry Saunders ( ? - ? ). The pair did not reproduce. They resided circa 1949 in Morgantown, Monongalia County, WV. In time she returned to Uniontown and in the early 1960s was at 17 Union Street. As a widow, Sarah Mae supported herself as a sales lady with Montgomery Ward & Co. For the last two years of her life, she endured heart disease. On the fateful day of July 23, 1961, at age 44, she suffered a massive heart attack and within an hour was gone. Rev. Dr. Earl P. Confer officiated the funeral service. The remains were laid to rest in Mt. Olive Cemetery near Connellsville. The Uniontown Morning Herald published an obituary.

Daughter Jacqueline Means Harshman (1927-1988) was born on Jan. 4, 1927 in Brownsville, Fayette County. She married World War II veteran James Melvin Smithburger (Sept. 17, 1925-2019), son of Raymond Smithburger of Uniontown. The nuptials were performed on June 14, 1948. At the time of marriage, Jacqueline was employed at the Uniontown Dental Laboratory, and James with Bryson Motors. James was a 1943 gradaute of Uniontown High School. During the war, he was sent overseas to Scotland on Oct. 21, 1944. He went on to serve with the 424th Infantry in the Rhineland and the Ardennes. Circa 1960, they made their home at 38 Clyde Avenue in Uniontown. The pair bore two known daughters, Susan Smithburger and Ann Smithburger. Jacqueline is believed to have served circa 1975 as treasurer of the Ladies Social Auxiliary of the Elks in Uniontown. Sadly, she died at age 61 on July 15, 1988. The remains were laid to rest in the sacred soil of Sylvan Heights Cemetery. James outlived his bride by more than three decades. At one point he resided in Chalk Hill but spent his final years in Uniontown. He passed away into eternity on Dec. 20, 2019, at the age of 94.

Granddaughter Susan Smithburger ( ? - ? )

Granddaughter Ann Smithburger ( ? - ? )

Son John Harshman (1929- ? ) was born in 1929. He served with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was stationed at the Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, WY. He married Connie Lou Marshall ( ? - ? ), daughter of Harold C. Marshall, an attorney of 240 North Gallatin Avenue in Uniontown. At the time their engagement was announced in the Uniontown Morning Herald, on Dec. 29, 1950, Connie was employed with Bell Telephone Company. They were wed in May 1951 at Asbury Methodist Church in Uniontown. They had two known children, Marshall Thomas Harshman and Jill Harshman. After the war, the Harshmans returned to Uniontown from Wyoming. Their address in 1955 is known to have been in Oliver Heights, and in 1957 they dwelled at 253 North Gallatin Avenue.

Grandson Marshall Thomas Harshman (1952-1957) was born on June 10, 1952. He grew up attending the children's department of Asbury Methodist Sunday School. At his third birthday, his parents hosted a party for him and his friends, with "Davy Crockett hats" serving as favors. The little boy was pictured in a related story in the Uniontown Morning Herald. But his was not to be a long life. Shortly after the third birthday, he contracted stem cell leukemia. He suffered for two years and was treated in Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. There, he died at age five on Aug. 10, 1957. His obituary was printed in the Uniontown Evening Standard. Burial was in Uniontown's Oak Grove Cemetery, following a funeral led by his parents' pastor, Rev. Dr. A.J. Howes.

Granddaughter Jill Harshman ( ? - ? )

~ Daughter Ruth (Means) Case ~

Daughter Ruth Means (1905- ? ) was born in 1905.

She married William Irwin Case (1900-1972), a Uniontown native and the son of Howard Case of Uniontown.

They had at least three children, Betty Case, William H. Case and Joseph T. Case.

The federal census of 1930 shows the family living on Prospect Street in Uniontown. William's occupation was as a "transit man" in a coal mine. He later moved into an engineering capacity with United States Steel Corporation.

Circa 1937, they dwelled at 42 Prospect Street in Unontown. And in 1946-1950, they made their home on Connellsville Road in Uniontown. When Ruth's father died in March 1950, word reached them while on vacation at the home of their son Joseph in Myrtle Beach, SC, and the two couples returned to Uniontown for the funeral.

William held a membership in the Fayette lodge of the Masons.

Then in about 1953, the Cases relocated to Winter Haven, FL and stayed for good. Their address in the early 1970s was 1907 16 Street NW.

William died in their home on New Year's Eve 1972. The body was shipped back to Uniontown for interment at Sylvan Heights Cemetery. Rev. Dr. Earl P. Confer, of the Central Christian Church, officiated the funeral service. An obituary was published in the Uniontown Evening Standard.

Daughter Betty Jean Case (1922-1937) was born on Feb. 5, 1922. She was a member of the Third Presbyterian Church and attended its Friendly Sunday School class. At the age of 15, a high school sophomore, Betty Jean developed a cyst on one of her ovaries. On Sept. 1, 1937, she began to experience acute diarrhea and intestinal inflammation ("enteritis"). Five days later. the cyst ruptured leading to internal bleeding. Death swept her away on Sept. 6, 1937. Burial was in Sylvan Heights Cemetery.

Son William H. Case (1924-1974) was born in about 1924. He entered into marriage with Vern ( ? - ? ). The five offspring produced by the couple were William H. Case Jr., Rodney M. Case, Ronald E. Case, Renee Case and Jacqueline Case. The family relocated to Florida. William found employment there with Miami Utilities Company of Palm Springs. Their home in 1973 was in Hollywood, FL and in 1974 at 6631 SW Sixth Street in Pembroke Pines, FL. Grief blanketed the family when William died at the age of 50 on April 3, 1974. The funeral was held in Hollywood. His obituary appeared in the Uniontown Morning Herald.

Grandson William H. Case Jr. moved to Hollywood, FL.

Grandson Rodney M. Case established his residence in Fort Lauderdale.

Grandson Ronald E. Case lived in 1974 in Pembroke Pines, FL.

Granddaughter Renee Case was in Pembroke Pines in 1974.

Granddaughter Jacqueline Case made her home in 1974 in Pembroke Pines.

Son Joseph T. Case (1926-2009) was born on March 29, 1926. Joseph served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He is known to hve resided in Myrtle Beach, SC circa 1950 and in Winter Haven, FL in 1973. Evidence suggests that he remained in Winter Haven for the rest of his life. He died at the age of 83 on Sept. 8, 2009. The body was transported back to Uniontown to sleep for the ages in Sylvan Heights Cemetery. A very brief notice of his death was published in the Winter Haven News-Chief.

~ Daughter Esther (Means) Merryman ~

Daughter Esther Means (1906-1959) was born on June 23, 1906 in Vanderbilt.

Esther was a teacher for 35 years in Redstone Township, near Uniontown. The 1930 census lists her living in her parents' household in Redstone Township, at age 23, and employed as a teacher in a public school.

Obituary, 1959

In August 1932, at the age of 25, she and her mother, aunts Sara Freed and Leona (Colbert) Freed and elderly grandfather Christian Stoner Freed, attended the Minerd Reunion together at Lake Forest Park in Scottdale, Westmoreland County.

Esther married Paul Ivan Merryman (Aug. 31, 1903-1967), son of James and Ethel (Crable) Merryman. The couple established a residence at the Herbert coal works near New Salem, near Uniontown. They did not reproduce.

Paul worked for Motor Sales and Service, and later as an accountant for U.S. Steel Corporation's Filbert Plant.

Esther was a member of the Uniontown Business & Professional Women's Club and the Uniontown College Club, and a past matron of Chapter 263, Order of Eastern Star, and district deputy. In her role with Eastern Star, she occasionally posed with other leaders of the group for photographs appearing in the Uniontown Morning Herald. They belonged to the Third Presbyterian Church, with Paul serving as a deacon.

Sadly, at the age of 53, having borne rheumatic heart disease, she suffered a sudden heart attack and died on Aug. 23, 1959. Her remains are in eternal repose in Lafayette Memorial Park.

The widowed Paul married a second time in 1961 to Charlotte (McCowan) Foltz ( ? - ? ). She brought a stepson into the marriage, Robert Foltz. They dwelled in Hopwood.

A heart attack claimed Paul's life at the age of 63 on Feb, 19, 1967.