Minerd.com Biography of Herbert Matthias and Florence Maria (Rugg) Ream of Mill Run, PA

Herbert Matthias Ream
(1910-1991)

Herbert Matthias Ream was born Sept. 10, 1910 in Lower Turkeyfoot Township near Confluence, Somerset County, PA. He was the 10th of 16 children born to Joseph and Sarah Ellen (Harbaugh) Ream. He liked to joke to his children that the year he was born was the year when "the women ran after the men."

On Dec. 4, 1933, at the age of 23, Herb married 16-year-old Florence Maria Rugg (1917-1999), daughter of Thornton and Susie (Ohler) Rugg. They united themselves in wedlock.

They resided in Mill Run, Fayette County, PA and had seven children -- Delores "Jean" Stull, Helen June Harbaugh, Kenneth Dale Ream, Shirley Mae Hensel, Lois Marie Henry, Robert Gerald Ream and Linda Faye Henry.

At the time of marriage, Herb earned a living as a farmer. During his lifetime, Herb was known for being "an honest hardworking man but he never had a lot of patience (remember he had seven children)," said a daughter. "He was generous although he never had much money. He would work for people and then forget half the hours he put in when it was time to get paid. He was always giving the grandkids a quarter or later a dollar when a dollar seemed like a lot."

I remember seeing the carbine light forming a moving line (miners wore headgear with lights attached as they entered the mine) as the men started a shift at work. He had very little formal education but was sought after for all sorts of building projects, laying brick or concrete block, erecting houses as well as additions and repairs. I was amazed at the way he could calculate in his head when he could not do math on paper, how many concrete blocks or 2x4 lumber a project would need.

In 1940, the federal census shows the family living in Springfield Township, with Herb employed as a coal loader.

After retirement, Herb was employed by the Mastowski and Fullem Lumber Co. of Normalville, PA. In January 1964, for example, he obtained work loading pulpwood at the Western Maryland Railroad station in Ohiopyle. At the age of 60, in February 1971, he cut his right knee with a power saw and was taken for treatment to Connellsville State General Hospital.

He loved to hunt for raccoons and would take some of his children along, often bribing them with a small sum of money. He gained a reputation as a "waterwitch" who, said a daughter, "could take a branch in the shape of a Y from a tree, walk over the ground and when the branch would turn in his hands, find an underground stream of water. He could even tell how deep it was. This was valuable information for anyone needing to drill a well."

Herb and Florence enjoyed the annual Harbaugh Reunions. They are recorded to have been present in 1949, when their 11-day-old daughter Linda received the "Youngest in Attendance Award." Florence and baby Linda are seen here. They also attended in 1985-86-88 (when Florence opened the meetings with prayer); 1989-90 (when they received the "Longest Married Award"); and 1992 and 1995 (after Herb's death, when Florence attended and won the "Oldest Woman Award").

Florence and Herbert also were expert weavers of rag rugs and in July 1973 were recognized for their hooked rugs entered in the Pioneer Crafts Council's annual festival held at the Mill Run Grange.

He always liked to tease although we really felt he was tormenting us like hiding one of our shoes when we were getting ready to go someplace. He loved teasing us, stealing food off our plates or our eating utensils. We always figured out it was him because of the smile on his face.

The Reams were members of the Melcroft Assembly of God Church. In 1968, they celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary with an open house reception at the Indian Creek Valley Community Center. The party was arranged by their seven children and 12 grandchildren. On Dec. 5, 1990, they reached their 57th wedding anniversary.

Florence outlived him by more than eight years. She passed away on New Year's Eve 1999, the last day of the 20th century, in Eicher's Family Home in Normalville. An obituary in the Greensburg Tribune-Review said she was survived by 18 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Daughter Delores "Jean" (Ream) Stull (1934-2014) was born on April 19, 1934 in Mill Run.

On Nov.17, 1952, when she was 18 years of age, Jean married John Robert "J.R." Stull ( ? -living). The ceremony was held at a church parsonage in Oakland, MD.

They resided in Champion, Fayette County and had these children -- Beverly Rioux, John R. Stull Jr. and Russell Stull.

They relocated to Ohio and lived for many years in or near Mineral Ridge and Canfield, OH and were members of the Highway Tabernacle Church in Austintown. Jean also was an active volunteer with the Mobile Missionary Alliance Program. She worked circa 2002 at A New Beginning in Warren, OH. John served in the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army from 1949 to 1955. He was employed as an inspector with Commercial Intertech in Youngstown, retiring in 1989.

In August 1971, Jean was among 70 classmates who attended the 20th reunion of Connellsville High School, held at Shady Side Inn in Connellsville.

The Stulls celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Nov. 17, 2002 with a surprise party hosted by their children at the Oakhurst Tea Room in Somerset, PA.

In 2003, they endured the tragic death of their son John Jr. in Berlin Center, OH.

In their later years, the Stulls returned to Fayette County and made their home near their married son Russell in Champion. Suffering from dementia, Jean died in St. Anne's Home in nearby Greensburg, Westmoreland County on Nov. 18, 2014. Following funeral services in the Clyde Brooks Funeral Home, officiated by Rev. Ron Schaeffer, her remains were transported to Ohio for interment in Green Haven Memorial Gardens in Canfield. An obituary was printed in the Connellsville Daily Courier.

Son John R. "J.R." Stull Jr. lived in Niles, OH. Sadly, he died at the age of 48 in July 2003 in Berlin Center, OH.

Daughter Helen "June" Ream (1936-living) was born on Valentine's Day 1936. As a young woman, she worked for G.C. Murphy Company in Connellsville.

On March 14, 1955, at the age of 19, June eloped to Oakland, MD to marry a distant cousin, Ronald Harbaugh ( ? - ? ), the son of Evans and Faye Harbaugh of Mill Run, believed of the family of James and Sarah "Ellen" (Sands) Harbaugh. Rev. J.E. Johnson oversaw the nuptials. June wore a pink satin gown with matching hat. Shirley Linderman was bridesmaid, and Clyde Rugg the best man. "After the ceremony," reported the Connellsville Daily Courier, "the bridegroom's parents entertained the bridal party at a chicken dinner."

At the time of marriage, Ronald was employed by George Burnsworth as a timberman.

Over the decades, their home was in Mill Run. Their children were Kathy Harbaugh and Vickie Kay Harbaugh.

Daughter Kathy Harbaugh (1956- ? ) was born in about 1956. She married George Colborn ( ? - ? ), son of Eugene and Jane Colborn. They lived in Mill Run. They had a son and a daughter, Richard Colborn and Denise M. Colborn.

Daughter Vickie Kay Harbaugh (1959- ? ) was born on Sept. 22, 1959. She was pictured in the Daily Courier on her first birthday. On March 19, 1977, she was united in wedlock with construction worker Mark A. Martin ( ? - ? ), son of Richard Martin of Indian Head. The ceremony was held at Millertown Community Church in Indian Head for 125 guests.

In 1968, Kenneth lived in Niles, OH; in 1991 in Confluence; in 1999 in Indiana, Indiana County, PA; and in 2018 in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, PA.

She married Homer Hensel ( ? -living), son of Ralph Hensel, and dwelled in Mill Run.

They bore four known children -- Randy Keith Hensel, Rickie Lee Hensel, Jerry Hensel and Jodie Hall.

Son Randy Keith Hensel (1959-2024) was born on July 16, 1959 in Connellsville Hospital. At age one, he was pictured in the Daily Courier. He was a 1977 graduate of Connellsville High School. Randy served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm and attained the rank of staff sergeant. He was employed by Leru Storage Inc. in work performed for Heartland Homes. Randy entered into marriage with Laurie Sabat ( ? -living). She brought a stepdaughter into the union, Samantha Shultz. They also raised children Rachel King and twins Charles Hensel and Frank Hensel. Randy was a devout Christian. Sadly, he contracted pancreatic cancer and died at home at the age of 64 on March 10, 2024. The funeral jointly was conducted in the Calvary Assembly of God Church by Pastors Michael Cogley and Jason Lamer, with burial in Mount Nebo Cemetery.

Son Rickie Lee Hensel (1962- ? ) was born in November 1962. He too was pictured in the Daily Courier upon reaching his first birthday. Rickie has been a companion of Patti Hull.

She was united in wedlock with Donald M. Henry ( ? -living), son of Gilbert Henry of Normalville and grandson of John Henry of Rockwood.

The couple produced three sons --Michael Scott Henry, Barry Allen Henry and Stephen Douglas Henry.

Lois was employed over the years with Seven Springs Mountain Resort, C.W. Resh Store in Indian Head and in Uniontown at Michael Berkowitz Company. They attended Mt. Zion Community Church followed by Faith Bible Church in Connellsville. They endured the untimely deaths of sons Barry and Stephen.

Lois was admitted to Mt. View Specialty Care Center where she succumbed to the spirit of death on the Fourth of July 2018. An obituary was published in the Connellsville Daily Courier. Rev. Barry Witt led the funeral service with burial at Mt. Nebo Cemetery.

Son Michael Scott Henry (1968- ? ) was born in February 1968. He was named after a great-grandfather. On his first, second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh birthdays, his photo appeared in the Daily Courier. He resided in Normalville in 2018.

He married Linda Sue Keller (1951-2016), daughter of Samuel "Earl" and Dorothy (Brahs) Keller of Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County.

They resided in Mill Run and had two children -- Dawn Elizabeth Shultz and David Robert Ream.

Linda Sue was employed at Scottdale Bank & Trust Company followed by the First National Bank branch in Indian Head.

She passed away at the age of 64, in UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, on Feb. 5, 2016.

Daughter Dawn Elizabeth Ream (1971- ? ) was born on June 28, 1971. She was pictured in the Daily Courier upon reaching her second birthday. Dawn married Charles "Chuck" Shultz and lived in Indian Head.

Son David Robert Ream (1973- ? ) was born on Aug. 15, 1973. He dwelled in Mill Run.

She was united in wedlock with Lawrence Wesley Henry Sr. ( ? -living), son of Gilbert Henry of Normalville and grandson of John Henry of Mill Run.

Son Lawrence Wesley Henry Jr. (1971- ? ) was born on Dec. 5, 1971. On his first, second and third birthdays, the Daily Courier published his photo.

Son Mark Alan Henry was born on July 2, 1973. He was pictured in the Daily Courier on his first birthday.

Minerd.com extends gratitude to the late Doris (Sands) Hawker for her assistance in the preparation of this biography.