Minnie Etta Hesselgesser Newingham
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Biography/Pictures
Minnie is mentioned in the United Methodist Church Baptism record as having been baptised at Fisk Chapel on 5 Jun 1887 by Rev. John Thompson Steffy. She married at age 19 to Robert Didle Louden. Mr Louden was age 30.
Robert and Minne had a daughter around 1902 before Robert passed away in 1904 at the age of 36. Minnie then moved back into her parent's home in West Winfield along with her daughter. She evidently took dressmaking lessons from someone in Tarentum in order to earn her living as a seamstress. She was proficient at crocheting and cooking, Myrna recalls (from my mother Nancy Sutton's genealogical notes).
At the time she was seeing a widower, Mr. Jones (whose wife had died of tuberculosis) but before he and Minnie became serious, he contracted tuberculosis and also died, leaving Minnie money and she purchased a house. Later Minnie did marry Mr. W.H.L. Newingham and they lived at 1411 Freeport road, Natrona Heights. She kept a rather formal house (linens on the dining room table) and she rented rooms to school teachers and provided for some of their meals. Her mother (Grandmother Hesselgesser) moved in with them in 1934 and Minnie cared for her until she died in 1940. Minnie's husband died 5 years later.
References
Last data update: Sep 27, 2018.
1880 United States Census Document, Winfield T.P. , Butler County, PA; Enumeration date: June 16th, 1880, page 17, lines 47-49 Citation post date: 2009-07-04
1920 United States Census Document, Harrison Township, Allegheny County, PA; Enumeration date: Feb 14th, 1920, page 1B, lines 91-93 Citation post date: 2009-07-09
Personal genealogical research information and notes provided by Nancy Lee (Hesselgesser) Sutton, Citation post date: 2006-07-29