Josiah Christian Mankamyer Family

Janelle's maternal grandmother is Irene Belle Mankamyer. She married Paul Daniels Hines.

-- Janelle's great grandparents were Josiah Christian Mankamyer and Ida Belle Bittner.

-- Paul Daniels Hines was born to Harry L. Hines, and Hattie Vitter Thomas


Irene was born to Josiah Christian Mankamyer, and Ida Belle Bittner. Both families were from Sand Patch, Larimer Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

Josiah (Joseph) Christian Mankamyer was born August 6th 1865 to Christian S. Mankamyer and Mary Schmermund in the area of Sand Patch, Larimer Township Somerset County Pennsylvania.

In July 1891 Ida Belle was 22 years old when she and Josiah were issued a license to marry. On the record Ida was listed as a maid, and Josiah, age 26, as a carpenter. On February 11th 1892 Ida and Josiah were married by Richard Norris, Pastor of the Cumberland Street M. E. Church of Cumberland, Allegany County Maryland. Ida was born October 7th 1869 to Nathaniel Bittner, and Alice Lepley in Wellersburg, Southampton Township Somerset County Pennsylvania.

Joseph and Ida purchased a small farm from Mr. Brant, which bordered the borough line of Meyersdale, Somerset County Pennsylvania. They were members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The family farm was off Salisbury Road on the border of Meyersdale, Somerset County Pennsylvania.

While on the farm Ida Belle became ill with Typhoid Pneumonia and Fever, and after a month, she died Friday, November 11th 1898, at 30 years, 1 month, and 4days old. It would be at this farm that Joseph and Ida Belle Mankamyer had three daughters. She was laid to rest in the Evangelical Cemetery in Mt. Carmel Larimer Township Somerset County Pennsylvania.

Joseph and Ida had three daughters.

Eva Grace Mankamyer

Eva Grace Mankamyer was born August 23rd 1893. When her father married a 2nd time in 1902, Eva lived in the home as a servant in Meyersdale for a widower Jose Kimmel, age 66, and his single sister Mary, age 50. By 1913 Eva Grace at 20 years old married Thomas I. Mull, and for a time they lived in Wellersburg, Washington Township, Somerset County.

Thomas was born 1888 in Hyndman to Simon Mull and Lulu Kennell. He was the major of Wellersburg for 44 years, worked at the Celanese Corporation of America, and a member of the Wellersburg Fire Company.

Thomas was 82 years old when he died May 24th 1970. Eva was a member of Zion Lutheran Reformed Church of Wellersburg, and the Women's Guild of the church. She was 93 years old when she died Thursday, December 11th 1986, at Meyersdale Manor Nursing Home. She was laid to Lybarger Cemetery, Madley Bedford County Pennsylvania.

Thomas and Eva had four children, three died prior to 1986.

a. Hazel E. Mull was born April 1917 and married Eugene Often.
b. Dorothy I. Mull was born April 1919. She married Harold McKenzie.
c. Robert Mull was born about 1922.
d. Nellie Mull was born about 1925. She married William Drees.


Euda Ruth Mankamyer

Euda Ruth Mankamyer was born April 24th 1895. In 1902, she moved in with her grandparents; Nathaniel Bittner and Lydia Lepley in their Southampton Township Somerset County home. At 19 years old, Euda married August 1914 to Benjamin Harrison Beal in Meyersdale Somerset County.

Benjamin was born March 21st 1889. The Beal's would live in Larimer Township Somerset County, and Ligonier Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. In 1940 Benjamin was a fireman in Ligonier.

Benjamin died August 22nd 1956, and Euda when she was 86 years old, on March 24th 1982, while living in St. Louis Missouri. She was laid to rest next to her husband the White Oak Cemetery, Wittenberg Somerset County Pennsylvania.

Euda and Benjamin Beal had nine children, who were all born in Larimer Township Somerset County Pennsylvania. Ralph and Clinton Beal were mentioned in Euda's 1982 obituary; Clinton may be the middle name of George.


a. Ralph Beal born about 1915.
b. George Beal born about 1917.
c. Joseph J. Beal born about 1920.
d. Bruce Beal born about 1922.
e. Anna Grace (Grace Ann) Beal born about 1923.
f. Benjamin H. Beal born about 1925.
g. Alma J. Beal born about 1926.
h. Andrew J. Beal born about 1928.
i. Eleanor was born about 1934.


Irene Belle Mankamyer

-- Janelle's grandparents were Irene Belle Mankamyer and Paul Daniel Hines.


Irene Belle Mankamyer was born November 3rd 1896. She was 25 years old when she was formally adopted on February 4th 1922 in Somerset County by her mother.s Aunt and husband; William Blume and Alice Lepley. Irene married';Paul Daniel Hines on September 29th 1926. She died March 9th 1957 while living in York, York County, Pennsylvania. She was laid to rest in the Mt. Rose Cemetery, Section J, Lot 195 York Pennsylvania.

After Ida died, in 1900...

Joseph and his three daughters moved out of the farm, and went to live with relatives in Myersdale: their mother's Aunt, Alice Lepley, and her husband William Blume, Alice's brother; Edward Lepley, and their mother's brother and sister; Emma and Grant Bittner.

On August 6th 1902 Joseph applied for another marriage license, and on August 22nd 1902 36 year old Josiah, of Meyersdale, and 27 year old Margaret (Maggie) McQuain, of Boynton, Elk Lick Township, Somerset County, applied to be married in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland.

Maggie was born in 1875 to William Grooms and Elizabeth Showalter in Augusta County, Virginia. Maggie was 20 years old when she 1st married on September 4th 1895 to Edward D. McQuain in Staunton County Virginia. Edward was born in 1860 to George McQuain and M. J. Kiracofe in Pendleton County, West Virginia. Edward was previously married, but obtained a divorce prior to marrying Maggie. Edward died prior to 1900. Edward and Maggie had a daughter named Stella McQuain.

-- In 1900 Maggie and Stella lived in Elk Lick Township Somerset County Pennsylvania with her mother Elizabeth Grooms-Thomas, and stepfather Abraham Thomas.


Joseph adopted Maggie's daughter, Stella, and together he and Maggie had three more children.

iv. Stella McQuain-Mankamyer was born December 1896 in Virginia. She would marry Malvin Wallace of Marlon, Marion County. Ohio. Sometime after 1961, Stella remarried to a Mr. Griffith, and she died prior to her half sister, Thelma's, death in 1989.


Together Joseph and Maggie had three more children.

v. Thelma E. Mankamyer was born April 20th 1903 in Meyersdale. In 1957 and 1961 she was still single living in Carnegie, Allegheny County Pennsylvania. Thelma was a teacher, and she remained unmarried, and at 86 years old, while living in Orlando Florida, Thelma died November 27th 1989. Services for Thelma were held at 11 a.m. Friday, September 29th 1989 at the Price Funeral Home in Meyersdale, with Pastor James Fish officiating. She was laid to rest in the Union Cemetery in Meyersdale.

vi. Edmond (Edward) A. Mankamyer was born about 1905. He married Catherine L. Mager. In 1957, 1961, and 1989, he lived in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

vii. Joseph Mankamyer was born about 1907. In 1957 he lived in Cleveland Ohio. In 1961 he lived in Avenel, New Jersey. He died prior to his sister, Thelma's, death in 1989.


Joseph and Maggie were members of the Meyersdale Methodist Church, and a florist.

Joseph was 91 years old when he died April 16th 1957, in his home in Meyersdale. Services were held at 2:30 p.m. April 18th 1957 at the Price Funeral Home by Rev. E. Wilson Kelley, pastor of the Meyersdale Methodist Church. Joseph was laid to rest at the Mankamyer family cemetery, White Oak Evangelical Cemetery, Salisbury-Meyersdale Somerset County Pennsylvania

Maggie was 87 years old when she died on September 22nd 1961, while living in Wayne Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Services were held at 10:30 a.m. September 25th at the Price Funeral Home by Rev. E. Wilson Kelley, pastor of the Meyersdale Methodist Church. Maggie was laid to rest next to her husband in the Union cemetery Meyersdale, Somerset County Pennsylvania.