May Cemetery

 

May Cemetery in Maysville, WV (Grant County) was neglected and overgrown.

In search of Dad's maternal grandfather Millard Whetsell's grave, i was thrilled when I thought I found it. I did not. What I did find was the marker for Millard's mother-Mary Whetsell and her niece, Lillie E. Iman. Lillie was born the same year as Millard's daughter Mae and also died young.

It was Millard who erected the large stone for his mother and niece.

Mary lived with Millard in 1900. Mary and Lillie lived with Millard in 1910. After Mary died, Lillie was back with her parents (Frank and Rosa) and siblings in the same dwelling as Millard. At that time (1920) Millard was a postmaster in Emoryville, an unincorporated coal town in Mineral County.

Looks like Mary had 4 kids with husband Israel: Millard, John, Rosa and Albert.

I hope to get back to this cemetery again, maybe next spring when the leaves are not out on the trees and the light is better. Next time we'll park at the bottom of the hill across from the Fire Department and walk up the rut filled road.

Henry and Anna

 

J. Henry Fier was born in 1867. His parents came from Germany. He and Anna married in 1894. Henry lived in Allegany County Md. until 6 years before his death when he moved to Akron. He worked in the coal mines and farmed. In 1920, Henry worked as a janitor in the Public Schools.

Henry had red hair and brown eyes. He had 2 sisters. Carrie was the oldest and never married. In 1910 she lived in Woodland (near Frostburg) with Henry and family, then again with the family on Hammond Street. Henry's middle daughter is named Carrie.

Henry and Anna Fier had 8 children-5 boys and 3 girls.

Anna Ferrens Fier was born in 1870 and died in 1949. Her parents came from Scotland. Anna married Henry when she was 23.

Grandma Fier had brown hair and dark eyes. She was short and wore a lot of petticoats. Grandma made her clothes and her kids' clothes. She even made umbrellas. Anna was wiry-always on the move. She ate oatmeal everyday.

Mom stayed with her in Akron Ohio. Grandma Fier carried her groceries 6 blocks. On Sundays, she would not work. When it was time for the boys to go home she would say "Nighta".

When Henry died in 1930, their son Christopher was living with them in Akron. In 1940 Anna lived in Akron with her son James, his wife Nell and their son James.

Effie

The inscription on Effie Elizabeth's stone reads "Mother". She was 20 years old when Dad's Mom Mae was born. Son Harry came 2 years later. When Effie divorced Millard Whetzel in 1907, she married James Poland, a widower with children. Mae raised 4 step children (the youngest was 1 year old) with Mae and Harry, then had 6 more kids with James. James was a miner.

Effie and Millar's son Harry Whetzel worked as a laborer at the paper mill.

One of Effie & James' sons, John Louis, was in several battles of WW II.

Miller Cemetery is at the end of Stoney Run Road on a hill by what may be a reclaimed strip mine. It is not visible from the house at the end of the road. The only sounds heard here were those of the birds.

2021