Philip Minehart

MINEHART

Posted By: Sheila Federspiel (email)
Date: 1/17/2008 at 17:06:21

THE MINEHART FAMILY HISTORY, Complied by Jay Hart Rosdall, submitted by Sheila Federspiel

The first Minehart of which we have definite record is one, Philip, born on the 13th day of March, in the year 1791, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. At an early age he removed to Basil, Fairfield County, Ohio, where he married Christina Fenstermaker, who was born on the 25th of February the year 1804. Both were of German ancestry. To this union seven children were born as follows: Mary Elizabeth, born Sept. 6, 1820; Lydia Ann, born Nov. 5, 1822; Sarah, born March 27, 1824; Israel, born March 30, 1827; George Washington, born June 11, 1829; John, born Sept. 11, 1833; and Philip, born January 7, 1840. Approximately three years after the birth of the latter or on November 24, 1843, the Mother, Christina, departed this world. She was interred, Basil Fairfield County.

Grandfather Philip, remarried sometime during the period 1843 to 1850. His second wife, who had a little girl, was the second wife of one Jake Shoemaker, the Grandfather of William Shoemaker, Jr. who now resides on a farm just south of Central City., Iowa and is well known by a great number of the present day “Mineharts”. One son was born as a result of adventures in life. The mother died and is buried at Fairfield County, Ohio.

The story of the Mineharts would not be complete without a few personal notes regarding Grandfather Philip. He was spoken of, as a very interesting and dependable old gentleman. He was of average height,, stocky but not fat. His eyes were blue, deep set and far apart. His complexion was fair. His gray hair was shaggy over his ears and he wore side and chin whiskers in the conventional fashion of his day. He wore the customary white linsey shirt and homespun “Jeans” upheld by very wide muslin suspenders. Prior to his coming to Iowa in 1850, he had never had his picture taken, although the children had wanted one for sometime. George took him to town one day without revealing his purpose. Grandfather Philip tried several excuses for not being photographed, the principal one being that he did not have his good coat on. However, a coat and vest were borrowed for the purpose and today the picture is one of my greatest treasures.

Grandfather Philip was a wood worker by trade. He used to hew things such as a wingless out of a post to wind up a clothes line. He made small wagons for his grand children, after the pattern of a large wagon, one was presented to each family. He had a turning lathe and would turn out rolling pins, potato mashers, rolls for fish nets and similar knick-knacks. He was often spoke of as a fine cabinet maker and made several sets of chairs.

Grandfather Philip’s principal pastime was that of fishing. He used to fish a great deal and was quite an expert in the use of the spinner. He stayed among the children and whenever he left one family to visit the next, he went along the river in order to catch a mess of fish to celebrate his arrival. He stayed a great deal with Aunt Betsy Brown. While there he sometimes went out in the garden on moonlight nights and shot a deer. On the second forty purchased by John Brown was a place called “Sugar Camp”, Grandfather Philip would tap the trees and make sugar candy. Tow of the trees are still standing.

It was while at the home of Aunt Betsy Brown that he contracted lung fever and on March 3, 1864, Grandfather Phili Minehart departed this life at the age of seventy two years, eleven months and eighteen days. His remains were laid to rest in the second grave to be made in Boulder Cemetery. (Grandfather Philip thought born in Germany)