Minerd.com Biography of John and Catharine (Brant) Weyand of Somerset and Berlin, PA

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John Weyand
(1818-1883)

John Weyand was born in about 1818 in Somerset County, PA, the son of Michael and Mary Anne (Ream) Weyand Sr.

When he was 32 years of age, in 1850, he was unmarried and lived at home with his parents in Somerset Township, Somerset County, earning a living as a laborer.

John in time married Catharine Brant (1828-1909) -- also spelled "Brooks" -- during the decade of the 1850s. An immigrant to the United States, she was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Prussia.

Their four known children were Mary L. Weyand, Lucy Weyand, William Weyand and Henry Weyand. Sadly, daughter Mary died on Aug. 21, 1861, at the age of six, with burial in the family plot in Wills Church Cemetery.

The family apparently spoke the German language and/or carried on German customs, and while their grandchildren knew Catharine had been born in Germany, they believed John had as well.

The 1860 United States Census shows John and Catharine and family living on a farm in Somerset Township next to his parents and brother Joseph. As well, 15-year-old Elizabeth Brook resided in the household as a servant as did 19-year-old Henry Frank as a farm laborer.

In 1870, after his father's death, John was paid $798 as an inheritance from the estate. The federal census of 1870 shows the family in Somerset, with sons William (age 14) and Henry (11) living under their roof in addition to six-year-old Anna Rubright.

John is known to have traveled to Illinois in September 1878 to visit his brother William in the town of Bloomington, McLean County. The news was published in the gossip columns of the Bloomington Pantagraph.

By 1880, U.S. Census records show that the couple had moved from Somerset Township to a farm in Berlin, Somerset County. They were empty-nesters that year.

John succumbed in Berlin on Nov. 30, 1885. A short death notice was published in the Somerset Herald, which noted that he was in age 68 years, five months and three days, and that in "accorance with his request, he was buried at Will's Church, near the Somerset and Bedford Pike." [Find-a-Grave]

Catharine survived him by more than a quarter of a century. She died on Aug. 10, 1909.

~ Daughter Lucy Weyand ~

Daughter Lucy Weyand (1855- ? ) was born in about 1855 in Somerset Township.

In 1870, when she otherwise would have been age 15, she was not shown in that year's federal census in her parents' household, and may have been deceased.

~ Son William Weyand ~

Son William Weyand (1857- ? ) was born in about 1857 in Somerset Township.

When he was age 14, in 1870, he lived with his parents in Somerset and is known to have attended school. His whereabouts in 1880 are not known.

Research suggests that he is not the same William Weyand who migrated to Hancock County, IL -- married Mary F. Miller (April 9, 1856-1897) -- moved to Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa -- died on June 2, 1900 -- and is buried in Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk.

~ Son Henry Weyand ~

Son Henry Weyand (1859-1941) was born on Feb. 22, 1859 in Somerset Township.

He was united in marital union with Arminta Forney (Feb. 11, 1860-1928), daughter of Franklin and Mary (Musser) Forney of Berlin.

They produced two children -- John F. Weyand and Mary Catherine Earhart.

Henry earned a living at one time as a salesman. The Weyands are known to have hosted the wedding of her sister Annie Forney to Ira S. Nicholson in their home in November 1903.

In about 1917, they left Berlin and relocated to the Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh, making a home at 240 Hazelwood Avenue. They stayed in Hazelwood for the remaining years of their lives.

The federal census enumeration of 1920 shows Henry working as an elevator operator, with a married couple living under their roof as boarders. Residing just a few doors away on Hazelwood Avenue were his son and daughter-in-law John and Catherine Weyand and Arminta's presumed kinfolk Henry and Ellen Forney.

Arminta was diagnosed with cancer of the duodenum, stomach and liver and admitted to Pittsburgh's South Side Hospital. Also burdened with anemia, she succumbed there at the age of 68 on Oct. 14, 1928. Son John of the family home provided vital information for the death certificate.

Henry lived for another nearly 13 years. He went to live with his married daughter Mary Catherine Earhart in Wilkinsburg and was enumerated there in the 1930 census. At the age of 71 that year, he had no occupation. Circa 1940, he made a home with his son John on Hazelwood Avenue.

Suffering from hardening of the arteries, Henry died at the age of 82 on April 8, 1941. The remains were transported to Berlin for burial. An obituary in the Somerset Daily American reported that Rev. D. Snider Stephan, of the Trinity Reformed Church, preached the funeral sermon, with burial in the Berlin Odd Fellows Cemetery. Son-in-law Lawrence C. Earhart, of 1456 Franklin Avenue in Wilkinsburg, was the informant for the official Pennsylvania certificate of death. [Find-a-Grave] A short death notice also appeared in the Pittsburgh Press.

Berlin's picturesque Odd Fellows Cemetery, where the Henry Weyands are buried

Berlin IOOF Cemetery

Son John F. Weyand (1882-1958) was born on July 27, 1882 in Berlin, Somerset County. He married Catherine Croner (1882-1973), daughter of John and Ellen (Kimmel) Croner of Stonycreek Township, Somerset County. The couple produced one child, who sadly died in infancy. During the late 1910s, the Weyands had migrated to Pittsburgh and resided in Hazelwood at 240 Hazelwood Avenue, perhaps a duplex shared with the family of her married sister and hisband, Ida and Elmer Rettman. The United States Census of 1920 shows them living just a few doors away from his parents. John was employed for many years by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, working as a painter circa 1920-1930. Circa 1940, still on Hazelwood Avenue, John's aged father resided under their roof. John eventually retired from the B&O. He died on May 14, 1958. Funeral services were held in Pittsburgh and Berlin, with Rev. Donald R. Yost officiating. An obituary was printed in the Meyersdale Republican. Catherine remained in Pittsburgh as a widow. She outlived her spouse by 15 years. Death took her away at the age of 91 on March 31, 1973. Her remains also were brought back to Berlin to rest for all time. An obituary was published in the Somerset Daily American, naming her surviving relatives on the Croner side of the family.

Daughter Mary Catherine Weyand (1890-1966) was born on Dec. 1, 1890 in Berlin. She wedded automobile mechanic Lawrence Cleveland Earhart (June 30, 1888-1964), son of William H. Earhart of Dunbar, Fayette County, PA. They were the parents of sons James Weyand Earhart and Clarence "Herbert" Earhart. Their home in 1928 was in Wilkinsburg, believed to be on Franklin Avenue. Lawrence was in the news in 1938 when fired from his job as a salesman/mechanic from the Hodson Motor Company on Baum Boulevard in Pittsburgh's Oakland section. He claimed that in his role as union local 521 president, he had enrolled 32 co-workers in the union but that he was let go as punishment. The company countered that he was dismissed for "inefficiency." A grievance was filed with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board and reported in the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Evidence suggests that was able to find another job as a mechanic. In the 1960s, their address was 1334 Meadowlark Drive in Pittsburgh's Scott Township. Lawrence was afflicted for many years with chronic asthma and emphysema. He suffered a heart attack and passed away at the age of 76 on Dec. 11, 1964. Mary outlived him by a little more than a year. Suffering from heart disease, she was admitted to John J. Kane Hospital in Scott Township. She died there on Feb. 2, 1966 at the age of 75. Her remains were returned to Berlin for burial in the IOOF Cemetery, with Rev. Walter L. Brandau officiating. Obituaries in the Somerset Daily American and Pittsburgh newspapers noted that she was survived by her son Herbert of Scott Township and two grandchildren.

Grandson James Weyand Earhart (1913-1964) was born on Jan. 13 or 28, 1913 in Berlin. He grew up in Wilkinsburg and was a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. During World War II, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed at Camp Beale, CA. He was married thrice. At the age of 25, he wedded his first spouse, 26-year-old Elizabeth "Mae" Hamilton (July 21, 1911- ? ), daughter of Charles S. and Elizabeth I. (McMaster) Hamilton of Penn Avenue in Wilkinsburg. They tied the knot in Wilkinsburg on June 19, 1938, officiated by Rev. Hugh Leith of the Presbyterian Church. His second bride was Anne S. Hunter ( ? - ? ), daughter of Joseph and Isabelle J. (Hadden) Hunter of Pittsburgh. Their wedding was performed on Oct. 27, 1943 by Rev. Warren W. Wiant in the Emory Methodist Church. News of the marriage was printed in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. But nearly two years later, in September 1945, Anne filed for divorce, announced in the Pittsburgh Press. Later, he was joined in wedlock with Catherine Wooldridge ( ? - ? ). The couple did not reproduce. For 27 years, he was employed as a bank teller and clerk by by Pittsburgh National Bank. Socially, he belonged to the Beta Lodge of the Masons. The family address in the late 1950s and early 1960s was 29 Locust Lane in Upper St. Clair suburb of Pittsburgh. Sadly, at the age of 51, James was stricken by an acute heart obstruction and was admitted to St. Clair Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to death at age 76 on March 31, 1964. His remains were lowered into eternal repose in Jefferson Memorial Park. Obituaries were published in the Pittsburgh Press and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Grandson Clarence Herbert "Herb" Earhart (1920- ? ) was born in about 1920. While in his early 20s, he dwelled on Franklin Avenue in Wilkinsburg and worked for a bank. On Aug. 16, 1941, when he was 21 years old, he was united in matrimony with 22-year-old clerk Rita C. Miller ( ? - ? ), daughter of C. Joseph and Anna (Finnegan) Miller of Marion Street in Crafton. The nuptials were held in Washington County, PA, presided by Rev. William Kelly. They went on to become the parents of Ronald Herbert "Bones" Earhart, Steven Earhart and Linda Ann Earhart. The family lived in Scott Township near Pittsburgh in 1966.

Great-grandson Ronald Herbert "Bones" Earhart ( ? -1997) was born in about 1944. He graduated from Chartiers Valley High School and learned the machinist's trade. During the Vietnam War, he served in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in Wyoming as a guided missile technician. Ronald was employed by the Unique Machine Company of McKees Rocks and later by the Gennison Corporation Carnegie. He also loved motorcycling and was an officer with ABATE Motorcycle Association. Herbert married Linda ( ? - ? ). The family dwelled in Imperial, and their children were David Cleric, Jason Pacyna and James Pacyna. Sadly, at the age of 53, Ronald died on Feb. 19, 1997. His funeral mass was celebrated at St. Columbkille Roman Catholic Church in Imperial. A death notice appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Great-grandson Steven Earhart ( ? - ? ) moved to South Carolina and was there in 1997.

Great-granddaughter Linda Ann Earhart was deceased by 1997.