Harry George Meinel
(1859-1921)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
1. Keziah Alverta Beecher

Harry George Meinel 3 4

  • Born: 25 Dec 1859, Hartford, Hartford, CT 3 4 5
  • Marriage (1): Keziah Alverta Beecher on 9 Jan 1887 in Glen Rock: Emmanuel United Methodist Church, York, PA 1 2
  • Died: 22 Jan 1921, York, York, PA at age 61 3 4 5
  • Buried: 25 Jan 1921, York: Greenmount Cemetery, York, PA 3 4 5

   Other names for Harry were George Christian Henry Meinel,2 6 Henry G. Meinel 5 and George Christian Henry Meiner.

   FamilySearch ID: 96DS-N34.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1900 in York, York, PA. 7 The 1900 census recorded renting a home at 30 S. Water St: Henry Minel, repair shop, 41, born Dec 1859, living with wife Kesiah, 45, sep 1855; Carrie, 11, Jan 1889; Annie, 9, Jan 1891; and Charles, 7, Sep 1893. Henry was born in Connecticut and his parents in Germany. Kesiah, her parents, and all children were born in Pennsylvania. Kesiah and Henry were married for 14 years and she had birthed 6 children, 3 alive in 1900.

2. Cause of Death: He died at York Hospital from myocarditis and chronic nephritis, acute pulmonary edema, 22 Jan 1921, York, York, PA. 4

3. Obituary: York Dispatch: obituary of Harry G. Meinel on 22 Jan 1921 in York, York, PA. 8 H. G. MEINEL DEAD; A PIONEER SOCIALIST
CITY'S FIRST "SOAP BOXER" AND EARLY MEMBER OF LOCAL YORK COUNTY
LATER LEFT THE PARTY
Harry G. Meinel, 51 South Newberry street, died at the York hospital at 12:30 o'clock this morning from a complication of diseases, following a prolonged illness.
Mr. Meinel was 62 Years old and for many years was an optometrist. His wife, who was admitted to the institution at the same time on Jan. 12 last, died a few days after her admission. Mr. Meinel leaves two daughters, Mrs. Carrie Brillhart, this city, and Mrs. Rhoades, of Reading, and a stepson, C. H. Meinel of Williamsport. His body was removed from the hospital by L. A. Shive's Sons, undertakers, who will prepare it for burial.
Mr. Meinel was a man of strong intellectual force and deep learning. His learning was self acquired. He held no college diplomas and his school days were few, because at an early age it devolved upon him to begin working.
He was a natural student, endowed with keen perception and a retentive memory. He took to books early in life and became an omnivorous reader. Science and political economy appealed to him but he was well read in history and general literature as well. As a young man, Mr. Meinel had been a Republican. In 1896 he was on the side of the Democrats as an ardent Bryanite. A few years later he embraced Socialism.
Mr. Meinel, after having lived and worked in various parts of the country, located in York in the late '80s and opened a general repair shop on South Water street. He was a skilled mechanic and soon established for himself a liberal patronage. His repair shop and his ability as a musician brought him an income and he reared a family. Becoming interested in lenses, he took up the study of optometry. He eventually became a graduate optometrist. For many years he had his offices on West Market street, near Water street. A few years ago he moved to a location on North Water street and more recently lived and practiced at 51 South Newberry street.
Mr. Meinel was a pioneer in the Socialist movement in York. He was this city's first "soap boxer" and as an advocate of Socialism became known to everybody in York. He helped to organize Local York County Socialist party. It was largely through his efforts that the first Socialist club rooms or headquarters was opened in York in 1905. In 1913 he detached himself from Local York County to become a member of the Socialist Labor party.
He organized a local of that party at Columbia, and attempted to organize a local here, but meeting with scant encouragement. He abandoned his efforts. He finally lost interest in Socialism and ceased to be active in its behalf. "American working people are beyond redemption," he used to say. "If younger men think they can save them from the capitalist system, they are welcome to try it so far as I am concerned. As for myself, I'm through."

4. Occupation: optometrist on 22 Jan 1921 in York, York, PA.

5. Residence: 51 S. Newberry St., York, Pa. on 22 Jan 1921 in York, York, PA. 4

6. Newspaper: York Dispatch: Meinel Estate $3,000, 26 Jan 1921, York, York, PA. 9 Henry George Meinel, 61 South Penn street, left an estate valued at about $3,000. Letters testamentary have been granted to Harry M. Dressier, whom Dr. Meinel named as executor. In the will, Mr. Meinel bequeathed everything to his wife, Keziah Alverta Meinel and at her death was to be sold and divided among the children as he directs. The wife having died one week before her husband, distribution of the property will be made according to the following clause In the will: A son. Clarence, residing in Wllliamsport, $1, the balance to be equally divided between two daughters. Mrs. Carrie E. Brillhart, of York, and Annie E. Rhoads, of ReadIng. The will was made on October 28, 1920.


Harry married Keziah Alverta Beecher, daughter of Paris Epler Beecher and Rebecca Guth, on 9 Jan 1887 in Glen Rock: Emmanuel United Methodist Church, York, PA.1 2 (Keziah Alverta Beecher was born on 14 Sep 1855 in Lower Windsor Twp., York, PA,10 11 12 13 14 died on 13 Jan 1921 in York, York, PA 12 13 14 and was buried on 16 Jan 1921 in York: Greenmount Cemetery, York, PA 12 13 14.)


Sources


1 Marriage License, D 41.

2 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 (Ancestry.com. Original data: Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Historical Society of Pennsylvania.), Emmanuel United Methodist Church, Glen Rock, York, Pennsylvania.

3 Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1968 (Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates. Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.), Certificate 11204. Harry G. Meinel.

4 Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1968 (Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates. Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.), Certificate 11204. Harry G. Meinel, parents not known. Widower. Informant C. H. Meinel.

5 Find A Grave, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=88883505.

6 Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1968 (Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates. Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.), Certificate 13181. Carrie Brillhart. Father Harry Meinel. Mother Keziah Beecher. Informant: Frank Brillhart.

7 1900 United States Census, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3H4-TVN Henry Minel, York city Ward 4, York, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 190, sheet 5A, family 105.

8 The York Dispatch (York, PA), 22 Jan 1921, page 8. Obituary of Harry G. Meinel.

9 The York Dispatch (York, PA), 26 Jan 1921, page 9.

10 1860 United States Census, Pennsylvania, York County, Lower Windsor Township, Series: M653 Roll: 1201 Page: 502.

11 1880 United States Census, Pennsylvania, York County, Lower Windsor Township, Family History Library Film 1255207, NA Film Number T9-1207 Page 501D.

12 Find A Grave, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=88883514.

13 Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1968 (Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates. Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.), Certificate 11181. Keziah A. Meinel. Father Paris C. Beecher. Mother Rebeca Good.

14 York County History Center (250 E Market St, York, PA 17403 https://www.yorkhistorycenter.org/), Newspaper obituary for Mrs. Keziah A. Meinel dated 14 Jan 1921, name of newspaper for clipping not cited, found in library's Beecher surname file.



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