Charles William "Charlie" Minard Sr. -- also known as "Miner" -- was born in 1863 in Barbour County, WV, the son of Sarah Minerd. The identity of his father is not known and may be lost to history. His mother later married Charles Wright.

As the son of a single mother, Charles grew up in the home of his uncle and aunt, Henry C. and Mariah (Pritchard) Minerd. In the early 1870s Charles went with his uncle and aunt to live in Cutler, Washington County, OH, and was present at the aunt's death.

Charles in time returned to Barbour County and grew into manhood. He married Amanda Male (1859-1901), the daughter of Hiram and Ruth Male. The wedding occurred on April 22, 1890 at the residence of Rev. F.P. Sydenstricker. Charles was age 28 at the time of marriage, and Amanda was 31. The informant giving information for their marriage license was Uriah Culverson, relationship unknown. 

The Minards together produced seven children, of whom only three were known -- Aldine Minard, Sarah Dalton Michl and Ruth J. Theodous (a.k.a. "Fedro"). The identity of the others may be lost to time.

The federal census of 1900 shows the family in Barbour County, where Charles was a farmer. The Barbour County Personal Property Book for 1897 shows that Charles had one head of cattle and two sheep.

Sadly, son Aldine (born Sept. 1, 1893) died in November 1898 at age five of the croup. His death is reported in the book, Barbour County West Virginia: Book of Deaths and Will Books, by Mary S. Coffman. Other evidence suggests that he was alive in 1902 at the age of nine, when his uncle Josiah Kennedy Sr. was named as his legal guardian. This needs to be sorted out.

The family was plunged into grief when Amanda died three years later in 1901 and is buried in the Croston Cemetery near Philippi. Her grave was recorded in the Depression-era publication, Cemetery Readings in West Virginia, published by The Historical Records Survey, Charleston, WV. Her uncle, Josiah Kennedy Sr. was named guardian for the three young children Aldine (age 9), Sarah (age 6) and Ruth (age 2). Ruth was taken into his household on Ford Road in the Courthouse District of Grafton.

Philippi, the Tygart River and the ever-present Chestnut Ridge mountains

~ A Legal Dispute Over Property ~

Legal case involving Charles

Amanda's father, Hiram Male, owned three tracts totaling 240 acres in Taylor County. The property consisted of one tract of 77 acres, one of 58.5 acres and another of 106 acres. An observer noted that "These lands are all contiguous, but form an irregular body, the average length of which is more than three times the average breadth, with a narrow place near the center." Continuing the description of one of the properties, witnesses said: 

...about 30 acres was rough, situated on the bank of a river, almost destitute of good timber and comparatively worthless for farming or grazing purposes; and that the residue was ordinary land worth about twenty dollars per acre, with ordinary frame buildings and other outbuildings on it, but had little good timber on it, the timber having been culled by former owners, and had grown up in briars, broomsage and other filth; that there was scarcely any fencing on it, and that the standing timber was inaccessible to most of the farm.

A report on the remaining acreage of Hiram's said the land was:

... situated about two miles from the village of Webster and about the same distance from the Valley River and a railroad, that it was the home farm, and better land than the other tract and in better repair, having a good frame dwelling and outbuildings, that it had no timber except a small tract no the northeast corner, that the fencing was out of repair and the land grown up in briars and filth, and that it was worth about twenty-five dollars an acre as a whole. [There] was a tract of bottom land in it containing about nine acres of much greater value than the hill land, and that the two tracts lie on opposite sides of a high river hill, adjoining each other near the top of the hill.

Judge George Poffenbarger Google Books

After Hiram's his death, the acreage came into legal dispute, with his married daughter Martha J. Croston suing to force the land to be divided among heirs rather than it being sold outright. The case named as defendants our Amanda, her brother Boyer Male and their mother Ruth. The case became further complicated when Boyer died, leaving a widow Berthena Male and their children Rosa Bell, Eugenus, Hiram and Benjamin; and when Amanda also died, leaving her husband and their three offspring Aldine, Sarah and Ruth. 

Both widower Charles Minard and his sister in law Berthena Male filed a response to the lawsuit, objecting to the forced sale of their home property, "denying that the land was not susceptible of partition without injury [and] alleging that it could be conveniently divided..." The court appointed special commissioners to examine the land and file a recommendation. The commissioners concluded that the land really was made up of two tracts, primarily of inferior woods and hills. 

The Circuit Court of Taylor County ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Charles' sister in law Martha J. Croston, and ordered that the property be sold, with the heirs to lose their homes but receive their share of the cash proceeds. The case then was appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, argued in Charleston in mid-November 1904. 

"The true question to be decided," wrote Supreme Court President Judge George Poffenbarger in his opinion, was: 

... whether the whole property, taken together, will be greatly injured or diminished in value if separated into three parts, in the hands of three different persons, according to their several rights or interests in the whole; in other words, whether the aggregate value of the several part when held by different individuals in severalty would be materially less than the whole value of the property if owned by one person... In another one-third of it, over fifty acres, Charles Minor has a life estate and his children the remainder in fee. These children are dependent upon him for their support, and fifty acres of land affording him a home for himself and them may be much more valuable to them than its proceeds in money... It is clear that the children of Charles Minor are not entitled to immediate possession of any part of the lands... [and] no subdivision of this one-third among them until the expiration of the father's life estate, without his consent. It belongs to them subject to his life estate, however.

Judge Poffenbarger overturned the lower court ruling, thus allowing Charles and his motherless children to remain in their home. The official citation of this case, published in several legal journals of the time, is 56 W.Va. 205, 49 S.E. 136.

~ Charles' Second Marriage to Effie Curry ~

Charles married again to Effie Florence Curry (1889-1955), the daughter of Grandville and Katherine (Moats) Curry. The wedding took place on Nov. 2, 1914. At age 25 at the time of their marriage, Effie was more than a quarter century younger than her 52-year-old husband. 

They had at least seven children of their own -- Granville Miner, Lena Freeman, Edna Mayle, Gertude "Gerta" Costilow, Catherine (Kathleen) Goodwin and twins Charles Minerd Jr. and an unnamed infant. One of the sons may also have been known as "Ottis" Miner. 

When the federal census was taken in 1920, the Miners were residing in the South District of Philippi. 

Sadly, both Charles Jr. and the unnamed twin died at the tender age of one day in April 1926, and were buried in the Pittman Cemetery. The 1930 census shows Charles and Effie living in Philippi along the "road from Bend to Independence." 

Charles Sr. died at about age 72 of dysentery on Oct. 6, 1933. He is buried at Chestnut Ridge Cemetery, but his grave is unmarked. 

Effie outlived him by 22 years, and married again only a year after being widowed. She wed 32-year-old Jason Norris (1902- ? ), the son of Bill and Ann Norris, on June 30, 1934.

Effie died of hardening of the arteries at age 65 on Feb. 9, 1955. She was laid to rest at Westhill Cemetery near Philippi. 

All told, Charles Sr. fathered 10 known children who lived to adulthood.

Sarah Dalton Michl Courtesy Pam Wilkerson

~ Daughter Sarah (Minerd) Dalton Michl ~

Daughter Sarah "Sherry" Minerd (1895-1981) was born on June 1, 1894 or on Oct. 2, 1895 near Philippi, Barbour County. (Records differ.) Local officials marked her race as "mulatto" on her birth record. She was but five years of age when her mother died.

On Aug. 25, 1913, when she was 18 years of age, and he 36, she married Jacob Henry Dalton (1877-1934?). There was a 16-year age gap between the couple. Jacob is believed to have been the son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Harris) Dalton. He was of medium height and slender build, with black hair and black eyes.

Jacob had been married once before -- to Margaret Mayle -- and brought two young sons to the marriage, William Henry Dalton and Huston Dalton.

The Daltons went on to bear one known daughter of their own, Louanna M. Dykeman Wilkerson Jourdan Seibert. 

During World War I, Jacob was required to register for the military draft. At the time, he and Sarah lived in Lillian, Barbour County, where he and son William were employed as miners by the Mahoning Coal Company. Jacob declared that he was of the "Negro" race and that Sarah was his nearest relative.

When the federal census was enumerated in 1920, the mixed family resided in Philippi, with Jacob and his sons working as coal miners.

Above: Sarah and Gus celebrate a wedding anniversary. Below: 3 generations, L-R: Rosalie Wilkerson, Louanna Jourdan, Sarah Michl - Courtesy Pam Wilkerson

By 1930, Sarah and her husband were divorced. That year, Sarah and Louanna resided together in the Triadelphia section of Wheeling, Ohio County, WV, in a home on Springdale Avenue. Sarah's occupation was "pastry cook" at a local "inn," and the census taker recorded her race as "negro."

Jacob may have died at the age of 55 on May 19, 1934, of pneumonia. A search has been made for an obituary in the Wheeling Intelligencer newspaper at West Virginia University, but none was found.

In 1959, at about age 64, Sarah wed her second spouse, August Charles "Gus" Michl ( ? -1971), also spelled "Michel." He too had been married previously and brought three children to the second marriage -- Leonard Michl, Lorain Michl and and Bernadine Foltz.

In 1970 they lived in Newton, Jasper County, IL.

Gus died at home at the age of 83 on May 17, 1971. His obituary was published in the Decatur (IL) Herald and Review.

Sarah outlived her second husband by a decade. She passed away at Newton Resthaven at the age of 87 on June 17, 1981. Rev. Clifford Branson preached the funeral sermon, with burial following in West Hill Cemetery. Her pallbearers included Randall Shepard, James Shepard, Rick Shepard, Randall Lee Shepard, Harry Wilkerson and Michael Wilkerson.

Louanna (Dalton) Jourdan Seibert Courtesy Pam Wilkerson

Thirteen years after her death, she was named in the January 1994 Barbour Democrat newspaper obituary of her sister Lena Freeman.

Daughter Louanna M. "Ann" Dalton (1914- ? ) - also known as "Luanna" and "Ann" -- was born on Feb. 5, 1912 (or 1914). In 1930, at about age 17 or 18, she and her mother made a home together in Wheeling. Circa 1934, she was involved with a reputed hard-drinking newspaper reporter named (?) Dykeman ( ? - ? ) in Washington, DC. Whether they married or not is not proven with precision. The pair produced a son, Harry Michael Dykeman. The identity of father Dykeman is unknown, as he is said to have passed away about that time in or near the District of Columbia. Lounna remained in Washington as of 1935. Then on Sept. 8, 1938, in a ceremony held in nearby Fairfax County, VA, the 26-year-old Louanna entered into marriage with 31-year-old widower Charles Leonard Wilkerson (Oct. 5, 1907-1967), a native of Jasper County, IL. He was the son of Hiram and Mary Frances (Scott) Wilkerson. Thomas P. Chapman Jr. officiated the nuptials held in the Fairfax County Circuit Court. At the time, Louanna was living at 1010 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest and Charles a mechanic dwelling at 225 West Powell Avenue in Alexandria, VA. He brought a stepson to the union, Charles A. Wilkerson. Prior to marriage with Louanna, Charles and his son had made a home in 1935 in Indianapolis, IN.

The family migrated to Illinois and settled in Newton, Jasper County. Louanna and Charles eventually separated. They remained apart until Charles, now stricken with cancer, returned and asked Louanna to pull up stakes and relocate to California. She refused, and the pair eventually divorced. Charles in fact made the migration to Stockton, CA, and married again by 1959 to Linda ( ? -  ? ). Then during a visit to his sister Ethel Wilkerson in South Bend, IL, in May 1967, he became seriously ill and passed away four months later at age 59 on Sept. 27, 1967. Charles' remains were lowered into the soil of South Bend Cemetery, with Rev. Eugene Bradbury leading the service, and an obituary appearing in the Olney (IL) Daily Mail. Louanna wed a second time to Joe H. Jourdan ( ? - ? ). The two owned and operated the Home Cafe in Newton, and were members of the Southern Baptist Church. Following Jourdan's passing, she married a third time to Aaron B. Seibert (Nov. 5, 1911-1994). Aaron died in Newton on Feb. 11, 1994. Later in life, Louanna moved to Greenup, Cumberland County, IL, where dwelled her daughter Sarah. As her health declined, Louanna was admitted to the Cumberland Nursing Center and died there at age 91 on Sept. 19, 2004. Larry Matson officiated the funeral service, with burial following in West Lawn Cemetery. Her obituary was published in the Mattoon (IL) Journal Gazette.

Above: Joe and Louanna Jourdan and their Home Cafe in Newton, IL. Below: Louanna and Aaron Seibert at Stone Mountain, GA - Courtesy Pam Wilkerson

• Step-grandson Charles A. Wilkerson (1933-1991) was born on Feb. 3, 1933 in West Liberty, Jasper County, IL. As a two-year-old in 1935, he and his father are known to have dwelled in Indianapolis, IN. Charles served in the U.S. Air Force. Charles was the father of five -- Ricky L. Wilkerson, Jeffery Len Wilkerson, Gloria A. Westhoff, Mary E. Wilkerson and a son who died young. On Dec. 14, 1962, when he was 29 years of age, Charles was united in holy matrimony with Mary B. (King) Bright (1937- ? ), daughter of James Robert "J.R." and Mary Bette King. She was divorced from John Bright and brought five presumed stepchildren to the marriage with Charles -- Bruce A. Bright, Sheryl Lyn Murphy, Matthew Bright, Pamela Moore and Gregory Moore. The Wilkersons dwelled in Bloomington, McLean County, IL circa 1967-1991, with an address in 1988 of 903 West Grove Street and in 1991 of 1209 12th Street, Hilltop Mobile Homes. For the last eight years of his life, Charles was employed by Fort Transfer Company of Morton, IL. He held a membership in the Teamsters Local 627. Burdened with heart disease, Charles underwent surgery in St. Joseph Medical Center and died there at age 58 on June 29, 1991. Rev. Mark Searby preached the funeral sermon. His remains are in eternal repose in the mausoleum of Bloomington's East Lawn Memorial Gardens. The Bloomington Pantagraph printed an obituary in which the family asked that any memorial donations be made to the American Heart Association or American Lung Association. After five years, Mary married again, on Feb. 11, 1996 to U.S. Air Force veteran William "Gene" Crabtree (Jan. 29, 1936-2019), son of Ewell and Gladys Crabtree of Nobob, KY. He too had been married previously and brought offspring into the union -- Wilma Gleason, Greg Crabtree, Martha Fritcher and Beth Crabtree. William worked over the years for General Electric Company and Illinois State University and retired from  Mitsubishi Motors Manufacturing. The pair remained in Bloomington, and were managers of Alexander/Grandview Estates. In his free time Gene followed the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Bears and enjoyed listening to bluegrass music. Sadly, Gene died as a patient in Advocate BroMenn Hospital in Normal, IL on Nov. 19, 2019, at the age of 83.

  Great-grandson Ricky L. Wilkerson relocated to Texas and lived in Spring, TX in 1991.

  Great-grandson Jeffery Len Wilkerson remained in Bloomington and graduated from Bloomington High School. He earned a living in young manhood with Statellite Specialists in Bloomington. On July 30, 1988, he was joined in wedlock with Patricia Ann "Patty" Meeks, daughter of Milo and Sandra Meeks. Patricia was an alumna of Limestone Township High School and had attended Illinois Wesleyan University. At the time of marriage, she worked for Home Sweet Home Mission. The Bloomington Pantagraph published their wedding portrait. The couple dwelled on East Lafayette Street circa 1991 and in Bloomington in 2013.

  Great-granddaughter Gloria A. Wilkerson was a gradaute of Aledo High School. On July 24, 1982, in nuptials at the Free Methodist Church of Normal, IL, she wed William Westhoff, son of Irvin Westoff. He was an alumnus of Bloomfield (IA) High School. In 1991, her home was in Paxton, IL.

  Great-granddaughter Mary E. Wilkerson entered into marriage with Jeffery A. Shadowens. The couple eventually divorced. She made her residence on West Jackson Street, Bloomington, in the 1990s and early 2000s, and in Normal, IL in 2012.

  Step-great-grandson Bruce Alan Bright (1957-2003) was born on Sept. 3, 1957 in Bloomington. He attended Bloomington High School and then served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood with the 35th Engineer Battalion. He married Leslie Ellen Menz ( ? - ? ) on March 23, 1996, at Washington Presbyterian Church. They are believed to have been the parents of Ryan Bright and Maria Bright. Said the Bloomington Pantagraph, he was a talented master carpenter and musician. In 1979, when he was 22 years of age, he moved to Phoenix and opened a contracting firm known as Wooddogs Construction Inc. He died in Phoenix at age 45 on Feb. 1, 2003. He was pictured in an obituary in his hometown newspaper, the Pantagraph. The remains were either brought back to Bloomington for funeral services officiated by Brent Salm, or interred in Phoenix's National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.

  Step-great-granddaughter Sheryl Bright ( ? - 2012) was joined in the bonds of matrimony with (?) Murphy ( ? - ? ). The couple did not reproduce. She dwelled in Bloomington circa 2003-2012. Sadly, at the age of 52, she succumbed to the spectre of death at home on Jan. 8, 2012. Her photograph accompanied her obituary in the Bloomington Pantagraph. Following cremation, her remains were placed into the rest of ages in Bloomington's East Lawn Memorial Gardens. 

  Step-great-grandson Matthew Bright migrated to Arizona and settled as of 2003 in Phoenix.    

  Presumed step-great-granddaughter Pamela Moore ( ? - ? ) made a home in Dallas, TX in 2003. 

  Presumed step-great-grandson Gregory Moore ( ? - ? ) lived in Phoenix, AZ as of 2003. 

• Grandson Harry Michael Dykeman Wilkerson (1934-2015) was born on June 12, 1934 in or near the District of Columbia under the name "Dykeman." He was an infant at the untimely death of his father. Then in 1940, when he was five years of age, using the Dykeman name, he lived with his mother, stepfather and Wilkerson siblings in Cottage City, Prince George's County, MD. Later he and the family relocated to Newton, Jasper County, IL, and Harry took the "Wilkerson" name as his own. Circa 1956, he made a home on Lafayette Avenue in Terre Haute, IN. He was united in holy matrimony with Rosalie Yvonne Greenwood (Jan. 25, 1938-1990), daughter of Roe and Ruby (Shacklee) Greenwood who were living in nearby Hunt City. Their nuptials were held in Newton. Together, they bore three children -- Michael Lee "Mike" Wilkerson, Becky Lynn Tollison and Pamela "Pam" Wilkerson. Harry spent his career employed by the Air National Guard in Georgia and Illinois. In his free time he liked to fish, travel and sing to his children. His offspring liked to say that they were proud of being his "Army brat" children. The Wilkersons settled in Athens, Clarke County, GA at the address of 285 Fairway Drive. Sadly, Rosalie was gathered in by the angels at the age of 51 on Jan. 22, 1990. Her remains were placed into eternal repose in the mausoleum of Evergreen Memorial Park in Athens. Harry outlived his bride by a quarter of a century. He endured the untimely death of his daughter Becky in January 1998. Harry died in Athens, GA on April 17, 2015. His remains were cremated.

Above, L-R: Harry and his sister Sarah - and with Rosalie in 1960. Below: Harry and Rosalie Wilkerson -- and their daughter and son-in-law Becky and Herman Tollison. Courtesy Pam Wilkerson

Great-grandson Michael Lee "Mike" Wilkerson (1958-2020) was born on March 9, 1958 in Olney, IL. For 41 years, he earned a living with Peterson Spring Company. He succumbed to death at age 62 on Nov. 30, 2020. In an obituary, the family asked that any memorial contributions be made to the American Lung Association.

Great-granddaughter Becky Yvonne Wilkerson (1959-1998) was born on Nov. 5, 1959 in Harvey, Cook County, IL. She graduated from Cedar Shoal High School. She and Will Campbell bore a daughteer. Later, she married Herman "Buck" Tollison ( ? - ? ). Sadly, at the age of 38, she passed into eternity in Jefferson, Jackson County, GA on Jan. 18, 1998. Her daughter was adopted into another family.

Great-granddaughter Pamela "Pam" Wilkerson ( ? -living)

• Grandson George Louis Wilkerson (1936-2010) was born on Oct. 22, 1936 in Baltimore, MD. He made his home in Bloomington, IL circa 1967. On Jan. 30, 1989, he entered into marriage with Pauletta B. (Nov. 6, 1948-2014). The pair bore three daughters -- Tina Wilkerson, Martha Wilkerson and Debra Wilkerson. At the age of 74, George was swept away by the angel of death, in Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney, IL, on Dec. 4, 2010. He is asleep for all time in Windsor (IL) Cemetery. Pauletta outlived her spouse by four years. She surrendered to the grim reaper on April 7, 2014.

Views of Charles. Middle image shows him with daughter Sarah Shepard (far right) and her sons Randall and baby James, and (far left) his wife Linda and her sister, 1962. Courtesy Sarah (Wilkerson) Shepard/Pam Wilkerson

• Granddaughter Sarah Wilkerson (1938-living) was born on Dec. 3, 1938. On March 22, 1958, at the age of 19, she was joined in wedlock with Lewis "Randall" Shepard  (March 5, 1930-2002), a native of rural Greenup, Cumberland County, IL, and the son of Lewis E. and Sarah E. (Linnabury) Shepard. The couple's three sons were Randall Lee Shepard, James Edward Shepard and Rick Alan "Ricky" Shepard. Randall served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. The family put down roots in Greenup. For 35 years, Randall was employed by Quantum Chemical Company, and he held a membership in the International Union of Operating Engineers 515. He owned and operated Greenup Antique Mall and in his free time delivered peace meals for the Cumberland County Life Center. They belonged to the Greenup Methodist Church.
  
  Randall became a celebrity of sorts at age 69, in August 1999, as a member of the Cumberland County (IL) Historical Society. He had known of a local well-water site in Greenup which Abraham Lincoln and his father Thomas had helped dig with others during the family’s brief stopover to fix a broken wagon wheel. It sat at the corner of Cumberland and Mill Streets, next to the old Barbour Inn, a hotel which stood from 1815 until being razed in the early 1970s. Although the well was known, it was covered by overgrowth atop  a concrete slab which in turn covered the hole. Randall was working to install a split rail fence around the site’s perimeter when his shovel struck the hard surface. After prying up the concrete, he found himself peering into the deep opening, with about three feet of water still at the bottom. After measuring, he found that the hole was 19 inches wide and 13 feet deep. He was featured and pictured in the Decatur Herald and Review, in a story headlined “Lincoln Lore Runs Deep in Greenup” and authored by Tony Reed. Randall was quoted in the story, saying “Yes, it is just a hole in the ground. But it’s also history, too.” The article was distributed by the Associated Press and reprinted in the Mattoon Journal Gazette, Rock Island Argus, Moline Dispatch and Vincennes (IN) Sun-Commercial.
  
  Sadly, Randall passed away at home on Feb. 28, 2002. Burial was in Greenup Cemetery, with Rev. Tim Pearce leading the funeral service. His obituary was published in the Mattoon (IL) Journal Gazette, with the family requesting that any memorial donations be made to Lincolnland Hospice. Sarah has survived her husband and dwelled in Charleston, IL. She kindly has shared content for this biography.

  Great-grandson Randall Lee Shepard (1959-living) was born in 1959. Circa 2002, he was in Chapel Hill, NC.

  Great-grandson James Edward "Jim" Shepard (1962-2020) was born on April 10, 1962 in Mattoon, IL. He graduated from Cumberland High School. James was united in marriage with Maria ( ? - ? ). The couple appears not to have reproduced. James made his home in Greenup and Charleston, IL. He was employed by Three Z Printing in Teutopolis. Sadly, as a patient in Hilltop Nursing and Rehab Center, he passed away at the age of 58 on June 9, 2020.

  Great-grandson Rick Alan "Ricky" Shepard (1963-living) was born in 1963. He entered into matrimony with Kimberly ( ? - ? ). They resided in 1985 in Toledo, IL, with Rick working for Alexander's Auto Parts in Mattoon and Kimberly at International, Inc.  His home in 2002 was in Greenup, IL.

Stepson William Henry "Bill" Dalton Sr. (1899- ? ) was born on April 8, 1899, near Philippi. He was of medium height and build, with black eyes and black hair. At the age of 19, he was employed as a coal miner in Lillian, Barbour County, by the Mahoning Coal Company. He was required to register for the military draft during World War I, and declared that he was of the "Negro" race and that his father was "Jacob Henry Dalton." After the war, at the age of 20, in 1920, he lived with his father and step-mother near Philippi, and worked in a local coal mine. William married Helen McDonald ( ? - ? ), a daughter of Kate McDonald. They had children, including a son William Henry Dalton Jr., but details are sketchy. In 1940, their residence was in rural Grafton. Circa 1962, William made his home at 224 Barrett Street in Grafton, and was employed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Nothing more is known.

• Step-grandson William Henry Dalton Jr. (1939-1940) was born on July 19, 1939 in Taylor Count. He only lived for 17 months and 10 days, until a common cold leading to bronchial pneumonia caused his death four days after Christmas 1940. Burial was in Knottsville.

Stepson Huston Dalton (1903-1971?) was born on Feb. 2, 1903. At the age of 16, he resided with his father and step-mother near Philippi, and earned a living in a local coal mine. Later, he migrated to Canton, Stark County, OH. He died in Canton on March 1, 1971, at the age of 68.

Stepson Leonard Michl ( ? - ? ) lived in McLean, IL in 1971 and in Savannah, IL in 1981.

Stepson Loraine Michl ( ? - ? ) dwelled in 1971 in Willow Hill, IL and in 1981 in Newton.

Stepdaughter Bernadine Michl ( ? - ? ) married Bernard Foltz ( ? - ? ). The pair resided in 1971-1981 in Newton, IL.

~ Daughter Ruth (Minard) Theodous (a.k.a. "Fedro") ~

Daughter Ruth Minard (1898-1926?) was born in 1898 near Philippi.

When she was 19 years of age, Ruth gave birth to a daughter Mary "Evelyn" Miner on Jan. 5, 1917. The name of the child's father is not known. 

Some 17 months later, on June 8, 1918, Ruth married 53-year-old Michael "Mickey" Theodous (also spelled "Fedoranis" or "Fedora" or "Fador" or "Fedro") (1865-1937?). He was a native of Italy, Hungary or Russia (depending on the source). Mike had emigrated to the United States in about 1905, and was naturalized in 1910. He may or may not have been Mary Evelyn's father.

Mike was either 19 years older, or 33 years older, than his wife, also depending on the source. The family resided in the north district of Philippi, where Mike labored as a coal miner. The family is shown in Philippi on the federal census of 1920, on Meriden Road.

They had three known children, Mike Fedro Jr. (born in 1919), Mary Julia Fedro (1921) and Lee Fedro (1923).

Tragically, after giving birth in late 1925 or early '26, Ruth contracted a post-partum infection. She died on Jan. 5, 1926, at the age of 28, leaving her husband with their four children. She was laid to rest in Pitman Cemetery. Ruth's married name shown in various state death records was wildly and incorrectly spelled "Fedru" and "Nedra." 

As a widower, Mike resided with the three youngest children, while the eldest -- Mary "Evelyn" -- was sent to live with a divorced aunt. The federal census of 1930 shows Mike and the three together under one roof, with Mike's occupation listed as "mining coal," and his birthplace named as "Itley." Evelyn, age 12, was marked in the home of her mother's sister, Sarah Dalton, in Wheeling, Ohio County, WV.

By 1937, with the children grown, Mike lived by himself near Independence School house several miles south of Philippi. On March 10, 1937, at the age of 73, Mike passed away at home of "natural causes" without anyone else present. Neighbor Arthur Burner discovered his body about six hours later, and notified authorities. The top-of-headline news of his passing was published in the Philippi Republican, which said "the funeral arrangements were incomplete awaiting word from some of his children. He is survived by about three children." 

Barbour Democrat

Daughter Mary "Evelyn" Miner (1917-1993) was born on Jan. 5, 1917 in Philippi. Evidence suggests that she occasionally used the "Fedro" name during her growing-up years. At the age of 16, she married 21-year-old Denver Mayle (Aug. 4, 1912-1968), the son of Eugene and Ocie/Ossie Mayle. Their wedding took place on May 24, 1933 at Flemington, by the hand of Rev. James C. Mayle, a Baptist minister. Denver stood 6 feet, 3 inches tall, with brown eyes and brown hair. The couple produced five known children -- James Braddock Mayle, Denver Lee Mayle, Randall S. Mayle, Frances M. Swalenberg and Joann Barnett Dietenbeck. Heartache blanked the family when newborn son James was born prematurely -- delivered by midwife Sylvia Daugherty of Philippi, but with no physician in attendance -- and died at the tender age of three days on Jan. 15, 1936. The child's remains were interred in Mt. Union Cemetery in Berryburg, Barbour County. Evelyn and Denver resided in the Independence community of Philippi, where he worked as a coal miner and construction laborer. Circa 1940, on the eve of World War II, Denver was required to register for the military draft. He disclosed that Mary Evelyn was his wife, that they resided in Philippi and that he was employed by the Works Progress Administration. He told the clerk that he was white, but she wrote on the card that "The name and looks indicate that they are colored." Later, the pair separated, with Denver moving to Chesterhill, Morgan County, OH while Evelyn remained in Philippi. Sadly, Denver was killed at the age of 56 on Dec. 17, 1968, when his automobile skidded on the snowy Ohio Route 266 a half mile west of Stockport, OH. Reporting on the accident, the Zanesville Times-Recorder said that he had sustained a broken neck and that he "apparently lost control of his eastbound car which veered off the road, struck a bank and flipped in the air, falling some 25 feet to the creek bed. [The sheriff] said about six inches of water was flowing in the creek." He was interred in the Chesterhill Cemetery. Evelyn outlived him by a quarter of a century. Said the Barbour Democrat, she "was a homemaker and a former cook for the Hanging Rock School. She was a member of the Olive Hill Wesleyan Methodist Church." She died in Broaddus Hospital the day after Christmas 1993 "following an extended illness," reported the Democrat. After a funeral led by Rev. Kermit Maley and Rev. Winfield Mayle, her remains were laid to rest in Welch Cemetery. She was survived by six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

• Grandson Denver Lee Mayle ( ? - ? )  was a graduate of Washington High School. He lived at 2915 Fifth Street NW in Canton in 1959. On June 4, 1960, he wed Audrey Schludecker ( ? - ? ), daughter of Lawrence Schludecker of Massillon, OH. News of the marriage was published in the Massillon Evening Independent, which reported that "The English custom of open church will be observed for the wedding" to be held at the First Christian Church. Audrey wore "a gown of silk organza designed with a fitted bodice, featuring a Peter Pan collar and long sleeves closed at the wrists with self covered buttons," said the Evening Independent. "The full skirt, with rose-bud appliques, swept into a chapel train. The bride carried a white Bible adorned with a white orchid and streamers of ivy and ribbons tied with lover's knots." At the time, Denver was employed in Canton at the plant of Republic Steel Corporation, while Audrey worked for Enterprise Aluminum Company. The pair's address in 1963 was 559 Montrose Northwest, Orrville, OH. A daughter was born in November 1963. Denver was still living circa 2019.

• Grandson Randall S. Mayle made his home in Washington, DC in 1968. He was deceased by 2019.

• Granddaughter Frances Mae Mayle (1937-2019) was born on Oct. 17, 1937. She also went by the nicknames "Fran" and "Sissy." She married Thomas Henry Swalenberg (May 14, 1929-1994), a native of Hubbard, Trumbull County, OH. The couple did not reproduce. In 1968, their home was in New Mexico and in 1986 may have been in Columbia, SC. In time they relocated to Winston-Salem, NC. Said an obituary, Frances "made friends where ever she went. She was a great cook and baker and was well known for her fruit cakes." Sadly, the 64-year-old Thomas died on March 27, 1994. He sleeps for all time in the mausoleum of Parklawn Memorial Park. Frances passed away in Winston-Salem at the age of 81 on Oct. 7, 2019. Interment of the remains was in Parklawn Memorial Park.

• Granddaughter JoAnn Mayle ( ? - ? ) appears to have been married twice. Her first husband was (?) Barnett, and her second was John Dietenbeck.   

Son Mike Fedro Jr. (1919- ? ) was born in 1919. He was deceased by 1993. Nothing more is known.

Daughter Mary Julia "Jude" Fedro (1921-1938) was born on April 10, 1921. Orphaned at the age of 16, she suffered a tragic fate. In October 1938, she contracted a deadly case of tuberculosis meningitis, which doctors confirmed with a spinal tap. Her illness was complicated by a case of syphilis. She was sent to the Hopemont Sanitarium in the rolling mountains of nearby Preston County. She was unable to recover, and died there at age 17 years, seven months and 22 days on Nov. 1, 1938. She was buried in Philippi. On her official death certificate, for which she was the source of information, Mary Julia declared that her father "Michael Fedro" was a native of Hungary, and that her mother "Ruth Meynard" was born in Philippi. 

Son Lee Fedro (1923- ? ) was born in 1923 near Philippi. He was deceased by 1993. More will be added here when learned.

Grafton's Main Street looking east, 1930s

~ Daughter Edna (Miner) Mayle ~

Daughter Edna Miner (1912?-1928) was born in about 1912. 

She married her cousin Reason Mayle Sr. (1904- ? ) on July 18, 1927, when she was age 15. He was the son of Lewis and Martha (Mayle) Mayle, and the grandson of Margaret (Minard) Mayle. Edna fibbed about her age on her marriage license by three years. 

Grafton Sentinel

They resided in Grafton, Taylor County.

Tragically, as she neared her 16th birthday, Edna and their infant son Reason Mayle Jr. both died in childbirth on March 2, 1928. The Grafton Sentinel newspaper reported that "The young woman was admitted Tuesday night [to the city hospital] and gave birth to a child Wednesday morning in the early hours. The infant survived only a short time. Little could be learned concerning the family of the unfortunate young married woman. She is a native of Barbour county, and a member of the Minard family, well known in the neighboring section." The Barlett Funeral Company handled her funeral arrangements. The infant was buried in Bluemont Cemetery in Grafton, while Edna was laid to rest in Pitman Cemetery south of Philippi. 

The fate of widower Reason is unknown, but will be reported here when learned.

~ Daughter Gertrude (Minard) Costilow ~

Daughter Gertrude "Gerta" Minard (1914- ? ) -- shortened to "Miner" -- was born on June 21, 1914 in Philippi, Barbour County, WV. Her first name also has been spelled "Gordio" in one known instance. She received a public school education through the fifth grade.

On Nov. 5, 1935, when she was 21 years of age, Gertrude married 26-year-old Carl Costilow (Aug. 26, 1909-1995), also spelled "Costollo."

The Costilows dwelled in Philippi in the 1935-1940 timeframe. When the federal census enumeration was made in 1940, they were childless, and Carl was employed with the Works Progress Administration. The WPA was one of the ways President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the federal government tried to overcome unemployment during the Great Depression. It's widely considered one of the Roosevelt's largest and most ambitious undertakings of his "New Deal" to get the nation back on sound economic footing. Over the years, the WPA hired millions of out-of-work individuals to build public works projects, such as roads, bridges, retaining walls and buildings.

Canton's Market Avenue shopping district at nighttime

They later relocated to Ohio and in 1970 resided in Canton, Stark County, OH.

She died in Canton on March 20, 1989. Interment of the remains was in Sunset Hills Memory Gardens in North Canton.

In January 1994, she was mentioned by name in the Barbour Democrat newspaper obituary of her sister Lena Freeman.

Carl lived another six years as a widower. He passed away in Beach City, OH on Oct. 4, 1995.

Granville Miner Courtesy Pam Wilkerson

~ Son Granville "Gran" Miner ~

Son Granville "Gran" Miner (1916-1970) was born on Sept. 8, 1916 in Philippi, Barbour County, WV. He had no middle name.

Granville received a grammar school education. In young adulthood, he stood 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighed 140 lbs. He sported blue eyes and black hair, with a light complexion. At some point he lost the first joint of the little finger of his right hand.

Granville was married twice. His first bride was a step-cousin, Georgia "Georgie" Mayle (May 7, 1921-2001), a native of Boylen, Barbour County. Georgia was the daughter of Columbus "Lafayette" and Augusta Lurene (Mayle) Mayle and stepdaughter of Hulda "Jane" (Croston) Newman Mayle of the family of Mary (Mayle) Croston Hunter.

The couple together bore two children -- Clifford Minard/Miner and Mary Jane (Minard) Norris.

According to the 1940 federal census enumeration and his World War II draft registration card, he and Georgia made their residence on Chestnut Street in Philippi, where Granville labored as a coal miner for Malone Coal Company of nearby Meriden.

Several months before America's entry into World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, traveling to do so in Huntington, WV. Photographic evidence suggests that he was deployed to Europe and served in France. He remained in the service until after the close of the war, receiving his honorable discharge on Aug. 16, 1945.

Granville and Georgia divorced during the war years. She wed again on July 30, 1945, when both were age 24, to Virgil Alvin Jackson Sr. (May 23, 1921-1985), son of Harvey and Addie Jackson of McConnellsville, Morgan County, OH. The wedding was led by Rev. E.D. Banks, of the Methodist Church, in Meriden. The couple resided in Guernsey County, OH and produced an additional 11 children. Virgil died at age 63 on Jan. 3, 1985, with burial in Old Washington (OH) Cemetery. Georgia outlived Virgil by 16 years. She surrendered to death at age 80 on Nov. 12, 2001. For more on Georgia, see the Croston-Hunter biography.

Later, in the late 1950s or early '60s, Granville entered into the bonds of holy matrimony with Blonda Pauline Norris (1928-2006), the daughter of Cleveland "Clee" and Lucilla (Croston) Norris.

Blonda brought to the marriage a son, Karl "Brent" Norris. He grew up considering Granville as his father.

Together, the Miners produced two daughters of their own -- Sherry Lynn Hall and Diana Gail Miner

Granville earned a livong over the years as a truck driver, residing in Philippi. They received their mail at P.O. Box 104.

The Barbour Democrat said he "was a member of the Philippi VFW Post, and was last employed by the State Road Commission. He was a Methodist by faith." 

Barbour Democrat, 1970

Sadly, Granville died of bronchio pneumonia resulting from cancer of the right lung at age 53 on June 23, 1970, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Clarksburg. His remains were transported back to Philippi for burial in the sacred soil of Norris Cemetery. Rev. Winfield Mayle led the funeral ceremony.

Blonda outlived her husband by more than a quarter of a century. She spent her final years residing near her daughter in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV. 

She passed away on June 15, 2006, at the age of 78, and was laid to rest beside her husband. Rev. Rustin Seaman led the funeral service.

Her obituary was published in the Clarksburg Telegram, which noted that she was survived by brothers Herbert Norris and Charles Norris had been preceded in death by her sister Thelma Mayle and brothers Robert Norris, Burl Norris and Harold Norris.

Daughter Mary Jane Minard (1941-1997) was born on Jan. 2, 1941. She may have taken her mother's maiden name of "Mayle" and/or adopted the "Jackson" name after her mother married Virgil Alvin Jackson Sr. She is said to have been raised in Cambridge and Columbus, OH by her mother and stepfather. On March 26, 1958, at the age of 17, she was united in marriage with Russell Henry "Rusty" Norris ( ? -1990). They produced together a brood of five known children, among them Terry Jane Withers, Russell Lee Norris, William Alan Norris, Katherine "Kathy" Quilter and Linda Gail Stanley. Russell served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, serving in country for five years with the rank of sergeant first class. He was stationed in Germany in 1962, where their son Russell was born, and in Fitchburg, MA in 1964. Upon retirement from the Army in 1978, he and Mary Jane relocated to Las Vegas. Due to combat-related injuries, both of his legs were amputated in about 1988. Russell passed away on Jan. 5, 1990. Mary Jane survived him by nearly eight years. While in Cambridge, OH, she entered eternity on Jan. 12, 1997. Burial was in Boulder City National Cemetery in Las Vegas.

• Granddaughter Terry Jane Norris is believed to have resided in Cambridge, OH. She married Corey Withers ( ? - ? ). Their home in 2021 was in Kimbolton, Guernsey County, OH.

• Grandson Russell Lee Norris (1962-living) was born on Nov. 24, 1962 in Frankfurt, Germany. On April 10, 1982, he was united in wedlock with Marilyn Renee Burt ( ? - ? ). Their two children were Telia Shav'elle Norris and Keenon Lee Norris. The couple divorced in 1997. Russell is known to have made his residence in Las Vegas in 2021.

• Grandson William "Alan" Norris (1964-2021) was born on April 2, 1964 in Fitchburg, MA. He was the father of Jon-Erick Nicholson and Nikki Jones. On Sept. 14, 2001, at the age of 37, Alan entered into marriage with Blanche Tucker ( ? - ? ). They resided in Quaker City near Cambridge, OH. He was an avid follower of the Pittsburgh Steelers and enjoyed watching Western movies. Sadly, he died a home on Sept. 5, 2021.

Great-grandson Jon-Erick Nicholson made his home in 2021 in New Concord, OH.

Great-granddaughter Nikki Jones dwelled in Zanesville, OH circa 2021..

• Granddaughter Katherine "Kathy" Norris ( ? - ? ) was joined in matrimony with (?) Quilter. She has dwelled in Las Vegas.

• Granddaughter Linda Gail Norris ( ? - ? ) wedded Sidney Stanley ( ? - ? ). The pair has lived in Las Vegas.

Son Clifford Minard/Miner ( ? - ? ) was born in (?). After his parents divorced in the early 1940s, he apparently was raised by his mother's step-mother Hulda Jane, as she considered him as a "son." He resided in 1970-1975 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH.

Stepson Karl Brent Norris (1957-2013) was born on Sept. 28, 1957 in Philippi. He was a member of the 1976 graduating class of Philip Barbour High School and closely followed West Virginia University Mountaineers sports teams. At the age of 18, on May 18, 1976, he was joined in wedlock with Lisa Ann Holbert ( ? -living). The couple did not reproduce. Over the years, he was employed by KDE Construction and then went to work as a construction superintendent for Scott Long Construction. In their spare time they liked to travel. Their final residence was in Charles Town, Jefferson County, WV. He contracted a serious illness and, after suffering for an extended time, passed away at home at the age of 56 on Nov. 29, 2013. The body was brought back to Philippi for interment in Norris Cemetery, with Rev. Ruston Seaman officiating.

Daughter Sherry Lynn Miner ( ? - ? ) was born in (?). She wed Robert Hall ( ? - ? ). Their home in 2006-2013 was in West Union, Doddridge County, WV.

Daughter Diana Gail Miner ( ? - ? ) was born in (?). Circa 2013, she dwelled in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV.

~ Daughter Kathleen (Miner) Goodwin ~

Daughter Catherine/Kathleen Miner (1918-1964) was born in 1918. 

She married (?) Goodwin ( ? - ? ).

They bore one son together, John Goodwin. 

The couple later divorced. She made her home in the Hacker section of Philippi in the early to mid 1960s, working as a restaurant helper. 

Tragically, Kathleen was severely burned in a home accident in late March 1964, and never recovered. After suffering for three weeks, she died at the age of 46 in Philippi on April 18, 1964. The funeral was held in the West Hill Methodist Church, led by Rev. Winfield Mayle, and followed by burial in the West Hill Cemetery.

Son John Goodwin ( ? - ? ) - Circa 1964, he made his home in Kingwood, Preston County, WV.

~ Son Jacob Minard ~

Son Jacob Minard (1921-1933) was born in 1921. 

He died of acute nephritis -- kidney failure -- at the age of 12, in Philippi, with interment on Sept. 27, 1933. Burial was at Pitman Cemetery. 

No obituary has been found in the local newspaper, the Barbour Democrat.

~ Daughter Lena (Miner) Freeman ~

Barbour Democrat

Daughter Lena Miner (1923-1993) was born on March 10, 1923, in Barbour County.

At the age of 40, in 1963, she married Charles Robert Freeman ( ? - ? ).

They helped raise two foster children, Katrina Alth and Raymond L. Freeman.

As of 1970-1994, they lived near Philippi, where Lena was a member of the Barbour Church of Christ. 

Lena died at the age of 70 on Dec. 30, 1993, in Broaddus Hospital. Following funeral services, her remains were interred in the Mt. Liberty Cemetery. Her obituary was published in the Barbour Democrat.

Foster daughter Katrina Alth ( ? - ? ) is believed to have been a 1998 graduate of Philip Barbour High School in Philippi.

Foster son Raymond L. Freeman ( ? - ? )

Wilma Jean and (presumably) Ernest Courtesy Brandon Mayle

~ Son Ernest Miner ~

Son Ernest Miner (1925-1986) was born on Feb. 17 or March 3, 1925 in or around Morgantown, Monongalia County, WV. His first name also has been spelled as "Earnest."

During World War II, Ernest was required to register for the military draft at age 18. At the time, he was unemployed, lived on Beech Avenue in Philippi and listed his mother Effie Norris as someone who would always know his whereabouts. He stood 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighed 135 lbs, and had brown eyes, black hair and a ruddy complexion.

On April 18, 1948, the 23-year-old Ernest married a cousin, 14-year-old Wilma Jean Newman (Jan. 27, 1934-2001), a native of Volga, WV and the daughter of Robert and Ethel (Mayle) Newman of the family of Mary (Mayle) Croston Hunter. Rev. M.C. Harris, of the African Methodist Church in Philippi, led the nuptials.

The couple bore two known children, Cynthia Sue Mayle and Earnest Miner Jr.

Obituary, 2001 Courtesy Brandon Mayle

Tragically, son Earnest Jr. was found dead at the tender age of two months, 26 days, having suffocated in bed on Feb. 28, 1950. The state's official certificate of the child's death listed his race as "white." Burial was in the Chestnut Ridge Cemetery.

The Miners relocated to Canton, Stark County, OH sometime in the early 1950s, but eventually divorced.

After the divorce, Ernest migrated from Canton to Apopka, near Orlando, FL in 1956.

He married again to Leola Nora (1916-1991). Leola was a native of Elco, Alexander County, IL, had been married before and resided in Missouri. Thus she brought two daughters to the union, Joyce Riley and Doris Wilkerson.

The Miners were in California in 1964 and returned to Apopka by 1970, where he earned a living as a greenhouse supervisor. Their address was 625 East Orange Avenue in Apopka. Leola was a Baptist by faith.

Ernest did not have much contact with his daughter from the first marriage. He is named in the 1970 Barbour Democrat obituary of his older brother Granville, and was said to be in Orlando, FL.

Ernest died on April 13, 1986, in Seminole County, FL, at the age of 59. An obituary was published in the Orlando Sentinel, which said he was survived by seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Interment of the remains was in Highland Memory Gardens in Forest City, Seminole County.

In January 1994, Ernest was mentioned by name as deceased in the Barbour Democrat newspaper obituary of his sister Lena Freeman.

Former wife Wilma married again to Walter A. Henry ( ? - ? ). She spent her final years in Canton and endured the deaths of her son-in-law Phil Smith and granddaughters Missy Smith and Amy Mayle. Following what a newspaper called "an extended illness," she passed into eternity on Jan. 13, 2001 in Canton's Aultman Hospital. She was survived by six grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Her remains were interred in Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Canton, with services officiated by Rev. Jack Mayle.

Leola spent her final widowed years at 530 Carlisle Avenue in Altamonte Springs, Seminole County, FL where her daughter Joyce made her home. At the age of 74, she died on Feb. 25, 1991.

Cynthia "Sue" Mayle Courtesy Brandon Mayle

Cynthia Sue and Jacob, Christmas 1964 Courtesy Brandon Mayle

Daughter Cynthia "Sue" Miner (1948-living) was born on Nov. 16, 1948 in Philippi, Barbour County. On her birth certificate, her maiden name was misspelled as "Minear" -- a common name in the region but not ours'. At the age of 17, in 1965, she was united in holy matrimony with a distant cousin, Jacob Mayle Jr. (Oct. 29, 1947-2010), believed to have been the son of Jacob and Permelia (Jones) Mayle Sr. of the family of Elsworth "Elza" and Sarah E. (Kennedy) Mayle. Their four children were Rodney Mayle, Theresa K. Davis, Paula Mayle and Amy Mayle. They also raised a grandson, Brandon Mayle. Born in Grafton, Jacob relocated to Canton, OH in his youth and graduated from McKinley Senior High School. He went on to serve in the U.S. Navy, followed by a career as a longtime operator of construction equipment. Grief cascaded over the family when their youngest, Amy, died in 1976 at the age of about one. After raising their children, Cynthia Sue began volunteering daily at Fairmount Park Elementary School in Canton in about 1993. She went on to serve in the roles of president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer of the parent group, and in 2000, she was hired into Fairmount as the Family Involvement Coordinator. Sadly, Jacob was afflicted with cancer and died at home in Canton at the age of 62 on May 20, 2010. That same year, Cynthia Sue was tapped to be Site Coordinator for the Fairmount After School Program and organized the neighborhood group FANA (Fairmount Area Neighborhood Association). Wrote her grandson Brandon Mayle, "She retired from Fairmount in 2013 and now helps raise her great-grandchildren."

• Grandson Rodney Mayle (1965-living) was born on Nov. 15, 1965. On Aug. 30, 1986, at the age of 20, he married his first wife Katherine Vanicek ( ? - ? ), daughter of Ernest and Patricia Vanicek. Their children are Brittnee Randall, Zackery Mayle and Dylan Mayle. The couple divorced on June 21, 1999. After a dozen years, on June 4, 2011, Rodney wedded his second bride, Diana Fisher, daughter of Howard and Betty Fisher.

Rodney and Diana (Fisher) Mayle, 2011. Courtesy Brandon Mayle

Great-granddaughter Brittnee Mayle (1987-living) was born in 1987. On April 4, 2009, she married John Randall Jr. ( ? - ? ). Their four children are Joslynn Randall, Madalynn Randall, Brooklynn Randall and Remington Randall.

Great-grandson Zackery Mayle (1997-living) was born in 1997. He and Nahla Walker have a son, Carson Mayle.

Great-grandson Dylan Mayle (1998-living) was born in 1998.

• Granddaughter Theresa Kay Mayle (1967-living) was born in 1967. In 1987, unmarried at the age of about 20, she gave birth to a son, Brandon Mayle. Then on May 6, 1989, she wedded Timothy J. "Tim" Davis, son of Jim and Peg Davis. The Davises produced a daughter, Jessica Kay Davis.

Brandon Mayle

Great-grandson Brandon Mayle (1987-living) was born in 1987 and raised by his grandmother Cynthia Sue (Miner) Mayle. In August 2020, he wrote: "I'm a 2006 graduate of Canton City Schools. I planned on a degree in Computer Networking but those plans were put on hold when we learned my grandfather Jacob had cancer. After his death, I realized my passion wasn’t in computer networking and I spent several years working in public schools alongside my grandmother Cynthia. I’m an avid book reader and film buff. I currently work from home as an online moderator and I’ve found my passion in writing again. I hope to publish the book I’m working on someday."

Great-granddaughter Jessica Kay Davis (1990-living) was born in 1990.

• Granddaughter Paula Mayle (1969-living) was born in 1969. When she was 25 years of age, on Aug. 5, 1995, she was joined in wedlock with Howard "Robbie" Dean Mayle ( ? - ? ), son of Howard Lee and Delores Mayle. The two offspring born to this marriage were Robin Lynn Niedenthal and Jacob Lee Mayle. Paula and Howard divorce after seven years of mariage on Jan. 28, 2003.

Great-granddaughter Robin Lynn Mayle (1989-living) was born in 1989. She and Randy Scott Palmer Jr. produced two sons, Tyler Palmer and Randy Scott Palmer III. Then on July 28, 2012, she was united in matrimony with Nicholas James Niedenthal (Sept. 28, 1986-2020), son of Thomas Hiedenthal and Tina Haas and stepson of Bobbi Niedenthal. The couple bore two more sons of their own -- Ayden James Niedenthal and Nicholas Jacob Niedenthal. Robin and Nicholas separated in 2015, but remained friends. Sadness covered the family when Nicholas died at the age of 33 on June 8, 2020. An obituary appeared in the Canton Repository.

Great-grandson Jacob Lee Mayle (1993-living) was born in 1993. At the age of 22, in July 2015, he was joined in the bonds of marriage with a distant cousin, Cortney Mayle (1990-2017), daughter of Cornelius and Denise Mayle of the family of George Riley and Sarah Ann "Sally" (Croston) Minard of Philippi. One daughter was born to this union, Aryah Mayle. The family was plunged into grief when Cortney, a 27-year-old nurse's aide at Midwest Health Center of Massillon, and a new mother, died suddenly at home on Feb. 5, 2017 after being stricken with a brain aneurysm. Eight months later, on Oct. 7, 2017, Jacob married his second bride, Kristian Weaver ( ? -living). Their two children are Landon Dean Mayle and Layla Mayle.

Stepdaughter Joyce married Ronald A. Riley, son of Robert Riley of Cape Girardeau, MO and dwelled in Apopka. Sadly, their seven-month-old daughter Deborah Susan Riley died in a hospital in Gainesville in late January 1962, with a death notice published in the Orlando Sentinel. She made her home in Altamonte Springs in 1986.

Stepdaughter Doris Wilkerson (1938-2012) was born in 1928 in St. Louis. She dwelled in the mid-1980s in Clarksville, TN.