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When Lawson and Lutitia (Steyer) Minerd decided to retire from active farming in 1926, they held an auction sale of their old family housewares. Their farm, along the mountainous border of Fayette and Somerset Counties, PA, was part of a 290-acre tract originally purchased in 1867 by his parents, Charles and Adaline (Harbaugh) Minerd, and was just down the Turkeyfoot Road from the 393-acre tract where Lawson's great-grandparents -- Jacob and Maria (Nein) Minerd Sr. -- had settled in 1791.
This rare poster lists the items for sale -- leading with three head of horses and three cows due to be "fresh" (having given birth) the next March. Also offered were a two-horse wagon, spring wagon, McCormick mower and rake, bob sled, one-and-two horse sleds, an Oliver chilled plow, single and double shovel plows and a springtooth harrow. Among the other items were a set of blacksmith tools, grindstone, cider mill, wheelbarrow, 25-gallong copper kettle, Sharpless cream separator, two grain cradles, two pair of tongue chains, two spreader chains, one lot of singletrees and chains, one lot of forks and a set of harness. The last of the possessions were one lot of crocks and jars, a sausage grinder and lard press, two cupboards, a dresser and table, one lot of homemade carpet, a 9-inch by 12-inch rug, oats by the bushel, hay and straw by the tone, a heating stove "and other articles too numerous to mention."
As the son of first cousins who had married each other, Lawson had a deep love for his Minerd-Harbaugh heritage. In 1913, he and Lutitia attended the first Minerd Reunion at Ohiopyle's Ferncliff Park, the first of many over the years. In 1922, he was elected president and then in 1925 was re-elected, with Joseph Ward Ream voted secretary-treasurer and Otis "Freed" Minerd, David "Ross" Hyatt, L.L. Mountain, Daniel Martin Younkin and Joseph M. Luckey named to the executive committee. Lawson again was named president in 1927, at Confluence Park, and joined cousin John Ross Miner and nephew-by-marriage Frank Zearfoss that day in giving what the Connellsville Daily Courier called "interesting talks... There were eighty members of the family attending. The gathering this year was quite small, but all who attended reported having a fine time." He also is known to have gone to the 1930 reunion at Shady Grove Park with his sisters Martha Emma "Mattie" Gorsuch, Sarah Catherine "Sadie" Luckey and Rebecca Jane "Jennie" (Minerd) Conley Woodmancy.
When Lawson died in 1944, his grandson Delbert Minerd was away serving in the U.S. Army in the Hawaiian Islands. Delbert penned this letter home to his widowed grandmother:
I know you have been praying for all of us who [are] over here doing our little bit to win this war. I don't want you to quit for one minute because it looks like it is about over, but just keep right on. I'm sure that is the reason we are making such progress... I sure wish I had seen Grandfather before he was laid away but we know he is happy where he is. We have no need to worry about him. If every one was like him, we wouldn't be at war today.
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Copyright © 2024 Mark A. Miner |
