James Jacob SANTMYER

1854 - 1922  (67 years)

• Name	James Jacob SANTMYER
  Birth	5 Nov 1854	Hardy Co., Virginia (West Virginia)   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Death	24 Aug 1922	Star Junction, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania   [5]
  Burial	26 Aug 1922	Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Mt Washington Cemetery   [6, 7, 8]
  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 was a red head. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Records vary with date and even name for the birth of James: *Family Bible: James Jacob Santmyer b. 5 November 1854 *Marriage application dated 20 August 1875: James Santmyer age 21 *Death certificate #78827 James J. Santmyer dob 5 November 1854 *Courthouse records in VA, Rockingham Co.: Birth - James S. Santmyers 14 September 1858 Father Harrison Santmyers - Occupation Blacksmith Mother Lad Santmyer Residence Portsmouth Furnace *Charted Information from Fred M. Chilcott: James Isreal Santmyer b 5 November 1854 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1880 CENSUS WEST VIRGINIA, Vol. 2, Mineral Co. K023 (Keyser-New Creek area) Santemier, James - age 24 - RR Fireman - VA - VA - GR " Helen 21 - Keeps house - MD - MD - MD " Harry 4 - MD - VA - MD " Oscar 1 - MD - VA - MD Neff, David - boarder - 28 - RR Fireman - MD - MD - MD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1900 CENSUS PENNSYLVANIA, FAYETTE CO., PERRY TWP. Santemeyer, James P. age 54 b. MD " Y Helin age 50 b. WV " William age 33 b. " Oscar Y age 31 b. MD Other children: Mimi, Ethel, Donald and Margaret ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For his 53rd birthday a number of his friends presented him with a "magnificent chair". I wonder if this is the same chair that appears in many photos of him in his later years? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ref: Family records and papers located in the family Bible Interviews with Fanny Ethel Santmyer Rowley Death cert. 10935 File No. 78827 Marriage Application from Allegany Co., MD Newspaper articles
  Person ID	I0013	Zentmeyer Main Tree | Descendants of Jacob Santmyer
  Last Modified	21 May 2015

  
  

  Father	William Harrison SANTMYER,   b. Aug 1828, Shenandoah Co., Virginia d. 1905, Mt Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania (Age 76 years)
  Mother	Leah CHILCOTT,   b. 8 Nov 1823, Lost River, Hardy Co., West Virginia d. 1868, Westernport, Allegany Co., Maryland (Age 44 years)
  Marriage	23 Dec 1849	Lost River, Hardy Co., Virginia (West Virginia)   [9]
  Family ID	F003	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Helen Marr SHAW,   b. 17 Jan 1859, Morgantown, Monongalia Co., Virginia (West Virginia) d. 27 May 1927, Pittsburgh (Crafton), Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	24 Aug 1875	Moscow, Allegany Co., Maryland   [8, 10, 11]
  Children	+ 1. William Harrison SANTMYER,   b. 12 Jun 1876, Allegany Co., Maryland d. 16 Nov 1923, Fairmont, Marion Co., West Virginia (Age 47 years)   2. Oscar Thomas SANTMYER,   b. 7 Oct 1878, Keyser, Mineral Co., West Virginia d. 26 Oct 1925, National, Morgantown, Grant District, Monongalia Co., West Virginia (Age 47 years)   3. Clyde SANTMYER,   b. 10 Jul 1881, Keyser, Mineral Co., West Virginia   4. Robert Burns SANTMYER,   b. 17 Jul 1881, Keyser, Mineral Co., West Virginia d. 24 Mar 1884, Mt Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania (Age 2 years)   5. Minnie Louisa SANTMYER,   b. 22 Jan 1888, Scottdale, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania d. 16 Aug 1974, Salinas, Monterey Co., California (Age 86 years) + 6. Fanny Ethel SANTMYER,   b. 8 May 1890, Scottdale, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania d. 8 Jun 1980, Coraopolis, Moon Twp, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania (Age 90 years) + 7. Donald Eugene SANTMYER,   b. 7 Jun 1892, Scottdale, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania d. 4 Feb 1942, Seattle, King Co., Washington (Age 49 years)   8. Margaret James SANTMYER,   b. 8 Jun 1895, Star Junction, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania d. 19 Jul 1965, Sacramento, Sacramento Co., California (Age 70 years)   9. Charles Albert SANTMYER,   b. 30 Aug 1897, Star Junction, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania d. 17 Feb 1901, Star Junction, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania (Age 3 years)
  Family ID	F002	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	21 May 2015

  
  

• Sources

  [S05261] Family Records and Papers - Santmyer, Shaw and Rowley. Gives only date and state of VA [S05165] . Does not give Rockingham Co as place of birth [S05786] Information contributed by Fred M. Chilcott (deceased). Gives only date of birth [S06849] News Article - Connellsville Daily Courier - 7 November 1907 - Surprise Party for J.J. Santmyer's 53 Birthday. [S04625] Death - Certificate - # 10935. Death Cert. 10935 [S05165] . [S08269] Tombstone - PA - Fayette Co - Perryopolis - Mt. Washington Cemetery. [S05772] Information contributed by Fanny Ethel Santmyer Rowley [deceased]. [S05786] Information contributed by Fred M. Chilcott (deceased). Information contributed by Fred M. Chilcott Marriage Application. [S05261] Family Records and Papers - Santmyer, Shaw and Rowley.