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1924 - 1982 (58 years)| 1. | Betty L SANTMYER was born 15 Jun 1924, Irwin, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania (daughter of Roy James SANTMYER, Sr and Gertrude HURST); died 1 Jul 1982, Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. Notes: Betty lived in North Huntington, Pa., Westmoreland Co. Betty married Robert E HADEN 7 Nov 1947, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet] |
| 2. | Roy James SANTMYER, Sr was born 21 Jul 1901, Vanderbilt, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania (son of William Harrison SANTMYER and Sarah Jane GHRIST); died 28 May 1960, Irwin, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. Notes: Roy J Santmyer Roy married Gertrude HURST 15 Aug 1923, Irwin, Pennsylvania (?). Gertrude was born 27 Feb 1902, Irwin, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; died 1980. [Group Sheet] |
| 3. | Gertrude HURST was born 27 Feb 1902, Irwin, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; died 1980. Notes: Gertrude M. Santmyer
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| 4. | William Harrison SANTMYER was born 12 Jun 1876, Allegany Co., Maryland (son of James Jacob SANTMYER and Helen Marr SHAW); died 16 Nov 1923, Fairmont, Marion Co., West Virginia; was buried 21 Nov 1923, Mt Washington Cemetery, Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Notes: William Harrison (Harry) was probably born in Moscow/Barton area of Allegany Co., MD. (There is a slim chance that the family lived in the Keyser, WV area at the time of his birth). Family lore tells that the Santmyer boys were "real hell raisers" and Harry was certainly not one to pass up a good time. Harry supposedly was a well-meaning roustabout who felt obligated to share himself with all the girls. As well as a drinker, it seems that Harry was also a gambler. In fairness to Harry, perhaps with the loss of his young wife and third child, he was "drowning his sorrows" in women, booze and gambling. They lived their life on the wild side, worked hard and died tragic deaths. From the tales I heard, I imagined the Santmyer brothers donned in cowboy boots and hats, and always chewing a wad of tobacco - but the few pictures I've seen, portray them more like refined bankers. William married Sarah Jane GHRIST 6 Nov 1897, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Sarah was born 1880, E. Huntington Twp, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; died 25 Feb 1904, Vanderbilt, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania; was buried Feb 1904, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Dickerson Run Cemetery. [Group Sheet] |
| 5. | Sarah Jane GHRIST was born 1880, E. Huntington Twp, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; died 25 Feb 1904, Vanderbilt, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania; was buried Feb 1904, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Dickerson Run Cemetery. Notes: Sadie gave birth to their third child soon after she had contacted small pox. Both Sadie and the child died during or shortly after the birth. She was staying at her mother's home in Vanderbilt, PA at the time of death.
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| 8. | James Jacob SANTMYER was born 5 Nov 1854, Hardy Co., Virginia (West Virginia) (son of William Harrison SANTMYER and Leah CHILCOTT); died 24 Aug 1922, Star Junction, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania; was buried 26 Aug 1922, Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Mt Washington Cemetery. Notes: When James and Helen married they were both living in Allegany Co., MD. James listed his occupation as a miner on their marriage application which was issued on 20 August 1875. There was no record of the marriage as the minister did not return the license. Helen was listed as a maid of 17 and James as a 21 year old. When they were first married, the couple lived in Keyser, WV. They were probably in Keyser until about 1884. From Keyser, the family moved to MT. Pleasant, PA. It's confusing as to how long they remained in MT. Pleasant. Interview notes show the family in Scottsdale, PA from 1890 to 1895. But, these same notes list Minnie's 1888 birth in Scottsdale, F. Ethel's 1890 birth in Scottsdale and Margaret's 1895 birth in Star Junction, PA. F. Ethel Santmyer Rowley supplied all the above information. However, the copy of Ethel's and Stephen's marriage certificate gives MT. Pleasant as her place of birth. I think she probably remembered her place of birth better at age 21 than at age 85. This would place them in MT. Pleasant until May 1890 and would still allow for the move to Scottsdale in 1890. Margaret's birth in June of 1895 places them in Star Junction and still allows for them to be in Scottsdale in the earlier part of that year. They remained in Star Junction until 1918 when they moved to Homestead, PA. The family lived on a rented farm in Scottsdale. James was working for the B&O Railroad. He was an engineer on the passenger train that ran from Scottsdale to South Bend (an area in Westmoreland Co.). B&O wanted to move the family to South Bend, but before the move transpired there was a train wreck at South Bend. His wife, Helen, then refused to move as she didn't want him to have that dangerous run. James then took a more local run and the family moved to Star Junction. It appears that the family attended the Methodist Episcopal Church during their early years in Star Junction. Somewhere around 1902 they were attending the Baptist Church, Helen was baptized here on 17 December 1905. I had no record of James being baptized, but would have to guess, he was. Around the 1920's they became Christian Scientists - perhaps when they moved to Homestead. James belonged to the Knights of Pythias, Prospect Lodge 507, Star Junction and to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Tygarts Valley Lodge No. 284. Upon moving to Homestead, James operated a grocery and confectionery store at 141 East 16th Avenue from 1918 until January 1922, when he retired. He and Helen then went to live with their daughter Ethel and family in Hayes, PA. He died while visiting at his son Oscar's home in Star Junction. The Ira Blair Funeral Home in Perryopolis handled the funeral arrangements. James was buried in MT Washington Cemetery in Perryopolis, PA. James married Helen Marr SHAW 24 Aug 1875, Moscow, Allegany Co., Maryland. Helen was born 17 Jan 1859, Morgantown, Monongalia Co., Virginia (West Virginia); died 27 May 1927, Pittsburgh (Crafton), Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania; was buried May 1927, Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Mt Washington Cemetery. [Group Sheet] |
| 9. | Helen Marr SHAW was born 17 Jan 1859, Morgantown, Monongalia Co., Virginia (West Virginia); died 27 May 1927, Pittsburgh (Crafton), Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania; was buried May 1927, Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Mt Washington Cemetery. Notes: There is a great possibility that Helen's family relocated to Morgantown, VA (now WV) shortly after Helen's birth. Her father, William Burns Shaw, enlisted in the Union Army at New Creek, VA (now Keyser, WV) and joined for duty on 23 September 1861 in Morgantown. They probably stayed with Helen's uncle - her mother's brother, Andrew Jackson Koontz, who lived in Morgantown with his family. By late 1862, the family was back in Barton/Moscow, MD. The Civil War must have had a tremendous effect on Helen, for even though she was very young (she was only four when the war ended in 1865), she had vivid memories of a Confederate raid on the town. The soldiers ransacked and burned all the businesses, except the general store (which her father ran) and this was because it had bars on the windows and they mistook it for a jail. While the buildings were burning, the soldiers rode through the town with bolts of material that were unrolled and flowing like a long flag behind them. Helen was raised a prim and proper young lady. The family had at least one slave, Mary Perry, who helped raise the children. Helen dearly loved her; Mary was more like a member of the family, than a slave. At the end of the Civil War, she chose to remain with the Shaw family. Even though, Helen came from a well-to-do family and had a lot of advantages, there was a certain amount of sadness during her growing up years. Helen was the fourth child, but her two older brothers were buried even before her birth. Then her younger brother, Millered Stewart, not quite two, died in 1867. Less than a year after her marriage, her father died. Her brother Oscar K. died in 1884 and her little sister, Minnie, in 1886, followed by her mother a few months later. By the time Helen was 26, she had lost her entire family, except for her older sister, Fannie Susan.
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