3. | 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.
Helen married at 17 to James J. Santmyer, who was employed as a coal miner, and most likely worked in the Shaw Mines. In 1882, her mother, along with Oscar and Mary (Minnie), moved to Keyser, WV. Her brother, Franklin, was managing a hotel in Keyser, and they possibly went to live with him or near him. It is also possible that Helen and James moved to Keyser around that time - however by 1884 they were in MT. Pleasant, PA. Even though the move to PA put many miles between Helen and her family and relatives, she always kept close ties to them. Helen frequently traveled the great distance by train to join her relatives for weddings, funerals or other special occasions. In her later years, Helen joined the Christian Scientist religion. In 1927 she came down with pneumonia - following the beliefs of her religion, she refused medical treatment. Helen died from the pneumonia. The Wm. I. Stewart Funeral Home in Swissvale, PA handled all the arrangements; she was buried in MT. Washington Cemetery in Perryopolis, PA.
Ref: Family records and papers located in the family Bible
Interviews with Fanny Ethel Santmyer Rowley
Death Cert. 10919 File No. 58700
NATIONAL ARCHIVES - pension records for service of her father in the Civil War
MARRIAGE APPLICATION - on file in Allegany Co., MD
Baptismal Cert. - Star Junction Baptist Church
Children:
- William Harrison SANTMYER was born 12 Jun 1876, Allegany Co., Maryland; died 16 Nov 1923, Fairmont, Marion Co., West Virginia; was buried 21 Nov 1923, Mt Washington Cemetery, Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania.
- Oscar Thomas SANTMYER was born 7 Oct 1878, Keyser, Mineral Co., West Virginia; died 26 Oct 1925, National, Morgantown, Grant District, Monongalia Co., West Virginia; was buried 28 Oct 1925, Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Mt Washington Cemetery.
- 1. Clyde SANTMYER was born 10 Jul 1881, Keyser, Mineral Co., West Virginia.
- Robert Burns SANTMYER was born 17 Jul 1881, Keyser, Mineral Co., West Virginia; died 24 Mar 1884, Mt Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; was buried Mar 1884, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania (off 119 just south of Greensburg, PA).
- Minnie Louisa SANTMYER was born 22 Jan 1888, Scottdale, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; died 16 Aug 1974, Salinas, Monterey Co., California; was buried Aug 1974, Sacramento, California.
- Fanny Ethel SANTMYER was born 8 May 1890, Scottdale, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; died 8 Jun 1980, Coraopolis, Moon Twp, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania; was buried 11 Jun 1980, Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Mt Washington Cemetery.
- Donald Eugene SANTMYER was born 7 Jun 1892, Scottdale, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; died 4 Feb 1942, Seattle, King Co., Washington; was buried 7 Feb 1942, Seattle, WA Cemetery.
- Margaret James SANTMYER was born 8 Jun 1895, Star Junction, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania; died 19 Jul 1965, Sacramento, Sacramento Co., California; was buried Jul 1965, Sacremento Memorial Lawn Cem.
- Charles Albert SANTMYER was born 30 Aug 1897, Star Junction, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania; died 17 Feb 1901, Star Junction, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania; was buried Feb 1901, Perryopolis, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania at Mt Washington Cemetery.
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