Minerd.com Biography of Harold Earl and Esther (Hemerlin) Minor of Cleveland, OH

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Harold Earl Minor
(1893-1983)

Esther and Harold Minor

Harold Earl Minor was born on Dec. 29, 1893, at Pursley Creek, near Waynesburg, Greene County, PA, the son of Elias and Elizabeth (King) Minor.

When Harold was about age 15, his father left the family and moved away from home, after years of disputes and hard feelings. It's said that he was "vicious and mean, and did a lot of drinking," and that Harold's older brothers ran their father off at the point of a gun, or perhaps an axe.

Like his younger brothers Porter and Ross, Harold was an early teacher, likely in a one-room school in the rural Greene County area.

Always interested in sports, Harold was a catcher for the Brave Village baseball team as a teenager, circa 1920. He also played for the local Bluff village team.

While a very small community, Brave was well known as the site of one of the largest natural gas pumping stations in the world, operated by the Peoples Natural Gas Company. (In more recent years it became part of Dominion.) This industry would have provided employment for many local men involved in the construction of pumping facilities as well as their operation and maintenance. It's not known, however, whether Harold worked in this type of business in the years before his marriage, though several of his brothers did.

Harold, lower left, catcher on the Bluff village ballclub

Gas pumping station construction at Brave, PA

The old photographic postcard seen here shows workers laying cooling pipes at the gas pumping station in Brave in the early 1900s.

During World War I, Harold's brothers Porter and Ross both served in the U.S. Army. If the war had been extended, or one of the brothers would have been killed, Harold planned to be the next one to enlist.

After leaving the teaching profession, which did not pay well, Harold in about 1912 moved to Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH. He worked for many years as a railway mail clerk.

On Oct. 2, 1915, at the age of 23, Harold married Esther Hemerlin ( ? - ? ). They resided on Noble Road in Cleveland.

The Minors produced two children -- Donald Owen Minor and Carol Janke. The children were 19 years apart.

Harold and Esther are are known to have made occasional visits to the old Minor homeplace near Pursley Creek. The last visit was in 1928, during which Harold's brother Ross drove their son Don through the countryside in his new automobile.

Reflecting the hard feelings Harold felt for his estranged father, the topic was never discussed in the Minor home. Once, their son approached Esther and asked about this. Her response was harsh, and the subject was dropped.

Cleveland skyline, including Municipal Stadium at right

Their daughter Carol Anne is known to have been born in Detroit in 1936.

He also was a longtime season ticket holder for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. (The Browns were formed in 1946, as members of the old All America Football Conference.) He and his daughter attended many Cleveland Indians baseball games over the years.

Esther died in 1960. The day of her burial, the family received word that their nephew, James Minor (Porter's son), had passed away in Michigan.

Harold outlived her by nearly a quarter of a century. He left his apartment on Noble Road, and moved into the A.M. McGregor Home in East Cleveland, He passed away there at the age of 90 on Aug. 5, 1983. He is buried in the prestigious Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. (At least two other branches of our extended clan, the DeMoss/Lawrence family, and the Miner/Bishop family, also are interred there.)

The Minors in Washington, DC

~ Son Donald Owen Minor ~

Don Minor, left, and cousin Ed Miner

Son Donald Owen Minor (1918-1998) was born on Feb. 19, 1918.

On June 29, 1940, he entered into matrimony with Shirley Krause (Sept. 10, 1922-2008), a native of Cleveland and the daughter of William Carl and Celine (Stegner) Kause. Their union endured for 58 years.

The Minors made their residence in Kirtland/Willoughby, OH at 10118 Hillcrest Drive.

Four children produced by this union were Donald W. Minor, Donna Blankenburg, Diane L. Kopp and Jacqueline A. "Jackie" Anderson.

Said the News-Herald, Shirley "loved cooking and baking, and was noted for her German potato salad and pinwheels. She enjoyed listening to polka music, and enjoyed playing Bingo. She was a fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers."

In June 1990, Don and Shirley graciously hosted a visit by his second cousin, Edward John Miner, of Washington, PA, in company with his grand-nephew, Mark A. Miner, founder of this website. Don and Ed posed for a photograph at the marina in Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio. The Minors' gracious hospitality and information sharing during this visit, and subsequent correspondence, has been essential in our understanding of this branch of the family.

Don passed away at the age of 80 on April 17, 1998 at Willoughby, Lake County, OH. He rests in Western Reserve Memorial Gardens.

Shirley outlived her husband by more than a decade and remained in Kirtland. At the age of 86, she surrendered to the angel of death at home on Oct. 15, 2008. Her obituary was published in the News-Herald.

Son Donald W. Minor (1943- ? ) was born in 1943. He married Martha Miller ( ? - ? ). One daughter in this family was Kimberly Minor. Circa 1990-2008, they were in Mentor, OH.

Granddaughter Kimberly Minor (1970- ? ) was born in 1970.

Daughter Donna L. Minor (1945- ? ) was born in 1945. On Dec. 14, 1963, she tied the knot with Dennis Blankenburg (1940-2017). The marriage survived a remarkable 54 years. They became the parents of three sons -- Dale Blankenburg, Daniel Blankenburg and Dennis Blankenburg. They made their dwelling-place in Parma. Said an obituary, Dennis "was a Journeymen Plumber for Local 55 since 1960. He worked for Feldman Bros. Construction and later for the Ford Motor Company until his retirement in in late 2002... He survived many trials and tribulations throughout his life with regards to health issues but never let that stop him from helping one family or otherwise with anything they may have required." Dennis was a loyal fan of the Cleveland Indians baseball team. Sadly, at the age of 77, having battled Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and overcome with the burdens of chemotherapy, he died on Oct. 20, 2017. Interment was in Hope Memorial Gardens.

Grandson Dale Blankenburg (1966- ? ) was born in 1966. He married Beverly Sabol ( ? - ? ), daughter of Andrew V. and Ann (Juhas) Sabol.

Grandson Daniel Blankenburg (1968- ? ) was born in 1968. He wed Melanie.

Grandson Dennis Blankenburg (1972- ? ) was born in 1972. He tied the knot with Renee.

Daughter Diane Minor (1947- ? ) was born in 1947. On Oct. 15, 1966, she was united in matrimony with William Kopp ( ? - ? ). Together, they bore a son, Michael Kopp. Diane graciously provided a list of family names and dates to the founder of this website. The Kopps' home in 2008 was in Willoughby.

Grandson Michael Kopp (1972- ? )

Daughter Jacqueline A. "Jackie" Minor (1952- ? ) was born in 1952. On June 2, 1973, she wed Ed Anderson ( ? - ? ). The trio of offspring of this marriage are Robert Anderson, Kristin Anderson and Michelle Anderson. The marriage ended in divorce, and Jackie took back her married name. She and her children made their home with her parents circa 1990. As of 2008, she dwelled in Kirtland.

Grandson Robert Anderson (1977- ? )

Granddaughter Kristin Anderson (1979- ? )

Granddaughter Michelle Anderson (1981- ? )

~ Daughter Carol Anne (Minor) Janke ~

Daughter Carol Anne Minor (1936-2021) was born on April 7, 1936 in Detroit.

She relocated to Cleveland with her parents and brother when she was a girl. She was a 1954 graduate of Cleveland Heights High School.

On Oct. 20, 1956, at the age of 20, Carol was joined in wedlock with John A. Janke (Feb. 28, 1934-2022), originally spelled "Jankowski." John was an immigrant from Johannesburg, Germany, having come to the United States in 1953. They remained together for an extraordinary 64 years.

Together, they bore a family of two -- William Janke and Linda Miller.

For many years Carol was employed as a collections agent with the credit central department of Sears Roebuck and Company. She retired in 2002. John earned a living in the meat industry. He is said to have been "well known for his candor and his character and would strike up a conversation with anyone."

She and John spent their retirement in a vacation home in Espyville, PA. There, she joined the North Shenango Presbyterian Church. Said the Meadville (PA) Tribune, "Carol enjoyed traveling with John to many destinations, including Alaska, Canada and the Grand Canyon. Her family enjoyed her love of baking by eating the fruits of her labor, such as banana bread and rhubarb pie! She was a die hard Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Browns fan, and attended many games with her dad growing up."

Carol was a two-time survivor of cancer. She suffered a debilitating stroke in 2012 and went to live in St. Paul's Nursing Home in Greenville, PA, and stayed for her remaining nine years. She passed away at the age of 85 on May 2, 2021. Pastor Julia Fraser presided at the funeral. Interment was in Espyville Cemetery. In an obituary, the family asked that any memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the Crawford County Humane Society.

The widowed John outlived his bride by 18 months. Toward the end, he moved to North Carolina to be with his son. Death spirited him away in Garner, NC at the age of 88 on Nov. 5, 2022.

Son William Janke was united in matrimony with Diane. They settled in Garner, NC.

Daughter Linda Janke was joined in wedlock with Brad Miller. They relocated to Florida and put down roots in Lake O'Lakes.