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Descendants of Wilhelm Minnir

Generation No. 4

5. JOHANNES (JOHN) GEROGE(MINEAR)⁴ MINNIR (JOHANN (HANS) GEORGE³, CHRISTIAN², WILHELM¹) was born February 11, 1729/30 in Michelfield, Norbadin, (palentine) Germany, and died April 16, 1781 in Hackers Creek, Barbour County, west Virginia. He married MARIE URSALA Abt. 1750 in Virginia. She was born Abt. 1738, and died in St. George, Randoph Coounty, west Virginia.

Notes for JOHANNES (JOHN) GEROGE(MINEAR) MINNIR:
Notes on John Minear, born 1730 in Germany; His first 6 children were born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Pension Papers of son, David, also give his birth place as Bucks County. In 1773, John Minear first went to the area that is now Tucker County, West Virginia. In 1774 he led a party of 40 settlers to the Cheat River area. It is reported that he assisted Col. Joseph Cresap survey land in Holly Meadows, (now Tucker County) in 1774 and while there saw the Cheat River Valley. About 1774 he brought a colony from the South Branch, (Hampshire County), to Tucker County and built a Fort on the land later owned by S. E. Parsons. On account of Indian trouble the entire colony went back to Hampshire County but returned to Tucker County and went to the south branch of the Potomac River in 1776. This latter date is definitely known, for it that year John made a settlement and built a fort on Miller Run, the site of the present day, St. George. But in 1775 he had settled a tenant on some land in the Tygert's Valley (now Barbour County) at the mouth of Pleasant Creek. In 1781 he obtained title to both these tracts. (his reason for not staying on the land where the first fort was built in 1774 was that James Parsons had made an improvement on it in 1769 which gave him a claim to the land. Several families came with John , among them were two Millers, Cooper, Salathiel Goff and two Camerons. John's first land was along the north side of the Cheat River and extended down the River about 2 miles. South of the River, but a mile or so lower down, was the land of his son Jonathan; Coopers land was two miles still further down at the foot of Miller Hill; Cameron located on the opposite side of the River from Miller Hill; Salathiel Goff's land was just above that of John Minear. These locations are mentioned to help locate the grants of land to the Minear's. John Minear seems to have been the leader of the settlers and on him placed the general management of the colony. Fort Minear was built with logs, notched and fitted close together so the Indians could not shoot between the crevices; there was no windows and light came through port holes, as openings between the logs were called. The door was of heavy split boards thick enough to stop bullets. The chimneys were on the inside so Indians could not climb them; the fort was surrounded by palisades or line of stout posts fitted closely together and about twelve feet high. The colony prospered for about four years with but little disturbance from but much fear of the Indians. In 1776 John built the first saw mill west of the Alleghenies, carrying machinery piece by piece from near Red Horse, Maryland. He was killed by Shawnee Indians at Hackers Creek, Randolph County, West Virginia, April 5, 1781. He was returning from Clarksburg, where he filed land claims (Harrison County, West Virginia, Land Entry Book 1:52-53). The Minear Farm, at St. George, West Virginia, contains 400 acres. It is still believed to be in the family to this day. It is better now than when it was first formed. John's birth name was "JOHANNES GEORGE MINNIR"

From the book "The Monongalia Story - A Bicentennial History, II the
Pioneers", by Earl L. Core, p.p. 74-76:

"Battle at Pringle's Ford. On April 5, six men from the Fort Minear settlement (now Saint George) were returning home on horseback from Clarksburg, where they had appeared before the board of land
commissioners. They had located on valuable lands in the Cheat River valley and wanted to establish their ownership. The party was composed of John Minear, Daniel Cameron, Frederick Cooper, Salathiel Goff, Andrew Miller, and Henry Miller.
      The trail ("Pringle's Packroad") from the West Fork and Buckhannon River areas crossed the Tygart Valley River at what was called Pringle's Ford (just below present Philippi); Ford Run flows into the river at that point. Here the Indians, hiding in thickets, ambushed the party.
Fansler tells the story: 'The Indians....had been on a raid... where they killed several persons, and practically exterminated the Schoolcraft family, fifteen of which had either ben killed or carried into captivity within a space of seven years....
      'The Indians hung a leather gun-case over the trail and positioned themselves in the thickets on either side. The Minear party....were riding single file with Minear in the lead. He was almost beneath the decoy when he saw it and stopped, which also halted the five riders behind him. The fact of an ambush flashed to his mind and he yelled out 'Indians!' but, too late, the momentary halt had given the Indians time to aim and, as Minear called out, the firing commenced. Horses and men fell together, Minear, Cameron and Cooper being killed on the spot. Goff and Andrew Miller were unhorsed and took to the woods. Henry Miller, who was riding the rear file, turned and fled back to Clarksburg without much
difficulty, since he was mounted on a fleet horse and the Indians were afoot.
      Andrew Miller ran up a steep hill with several Indians in pursuit, armed with knives and tomahawks, and yelling and gesticulating wildly. Had they exerted their energy in the chase instead of using it up by yelling and flinging their arms about, they undoubtedly would have caught Miller, but he made good his escape by reaching the crest of the hill fist and, with a downhill run, was able to outdistance them while they were still struggling to the crest.
      Salathiel Goff, German immigrant, soldier of the Revolution, and 33 years of age at the time, made one of those storybook escapes. He ran for the river, in the opposite direction from the Millers, under the assumption that if the Indians chased them all it would divide their forces and reduce their effectiveness. Several Indians pursued him, confident of a speedy capture. At the river bank he doffed his coat to swim and then perceiving that it would be useless to do so, tossed his coat into the river and crawled into an otter den that just happened to be conveniently at hand. When the Indians reached the bank above him he learned, from their conversation, that they thought he had dived into the river and expected to see him rise at any moment. They saw his coat floating down the river and moved off to keep pace with it, thinking,perhaps, that he had either drowned or was floating beneath his coat. As soon as they were out of sight Goff crawled from concealment and headed for Saint George, thirty miles away, which he reached that night, bringing the startling intelligence of the massacre to the astonished settlers."

In book I of this five part series, titled, "The Monongalia Story - A Bicentennial History, Prelude", p.p. 320- 321, there is more: ( the parts in single quotes are italicized in the book, as it is taken from
another source, with the original spelling)
John Menior is in titled to four hundred acres of land in Monongalia County on Cheat River opposite the mouth of Clover Run to include his Settlement made Theron in the year 1776.' " John Minear was leader of the colony that settled at the mouth of Minear Run, Tucker County (Withers, 126). He supervised the construction of Fort Horseshoe and Fort Minear and was killed by the Indians in 1781 (Withers, 311; Fansler,
34, 53, 55, 58, 60, 61; Maxwel, 34-68)."
He is buried on the Frank Norris Farm above the B&O Railroad Bridge on Route 38 just across the river.
'Jonathan Manier is In titled to two hundred acres of land in Monongalia County on the Cheat River below the mouth of Clover Run to include his Settlement made there on in the year 1776.' "Tucker County. Jonathan Minear was a son of John (p. 320), and was killed by the Indians at Jonathan Run in 1780 (Fansler, 31-35)."
There is also a great picture of a roadside historical marker at Saint George. (this book was published in 1974). The marker reads, "FORT MINEAR Erected by John Minear in 1776, who with a group of immigrants later founded Saint George. Settlement attacked by Indian bands in spring of 1780 and in 1781. Minear and his son Jonathan among killed."

More About JOHANNES (JOHN) GEROGE(MINEAR) MINNIR:
Burial: Frank Norris Farm, 700 yards above the B&O Railroad Bridge

More About JOHANNES MINNIR and MARIE URSALA:
Marriage: Abt. 1750, Virginia

Children of JOHANNES MINNIR and MARIE URSALA are:

7.	i.	DAVID⁵ MINEAR, b. July 31, 1755, Buck County, Pa; d. November 20, 1834, St. Georg , Tucker County, West Virginia.
8.	ii.	PHILLIP MINEAR, b. March 31, 1761, Pennsulvania; d. October 17, 1846, Ross County, Ohio.
9.	iii.	ADAM MINEAR, b. 1763, Buck County, Pa; d. 1838, Clay Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana.
10.	iv.	JOHN MINEAR JR., b. 1756, Bucks County, Pennsylvania; d. 1786, Tazwell County, West Virginia.
11.	v.	JOHNATHON MINEAR, b. 1753, St. George, Randoph County, west Virginia; d. 1780, St. George, West Virginia.
12.	vi.	SARAH MINEAR, b. 1779, Tucker County, West Virginia; d. 1839, Tucker County, West Virginia.
13.	vii.	KATHERINE MAE MINEAR, b. September 09, 1757, North Hampton County, Pennsylvania; d. 1842.
	viii.	ELIZABETH MINEAR, b. Abt. 1774; d. Bet. 1756 - 1862; m. PHILLIP WASHBURN, Bef. 1790; b. Bet. 1741 - 1778; d. Bet. 1752 - 1856.

Notes for ELIZABETH MINEAR:
The dates of her marriage to Philip Washburn are not known but she joined him in 1790 in a deed.

Notes for PHILLIP WASHBURN:
Philip was with Jonathon Minear when he was killed by Indians and Philip was taken prisoner in 1783. On April 29, 1789 he was appointed the administrator of the estate of Jonathon Minear.

More About PHILLIP WASHBURN and ELIZABETH MINEAR:
Marriage: Bef. 1790

14.	ix.	MARY ANN MINEAR, b. Abt. 1775; d. December 21, 1858, Athens County, Ohio.
15.	x.	SAMUEL MINEAR, b. 1780, St. George, Randoph County, west Virginia; d. December 21, 1858, Athens County, Ohio.
	xi.	DAUGHTER MINEAR, m. PETER BUCKALEW.

6. LORENZ⁴ MINIER (CHRISTIANUS³ MINNIR, CHRISTIAN², WILHELM¹) was born 1753.

Child of LORENZ MINIER is:

16.

JACOB⁵ MINIER, b. August 06, 1780.

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