Memories of Maynard, Ohio

03/06/2026

05/22/2022

The original St. Stanislaus Church

11/11/2021

Plat of Fathermac (south end of Maynard), recorded August 1905. Fathermac was named after St. Stanislaus' priest at the time Fr. Roderick A. McEachen. The original Catholic school was located in lot 39 along Church St. (present-day Hall St.) between St. Stanislaus St. and Sister's St. Much of Fathermac's hillside was vacated in 1927.

02/15/2021

This is the third post chronicling a murder that took place north of Maynard, 1946

"OTHER WOMAN" IN MINETT CASE SEEKS PROTECTION FROM SLAYER

The Belmont Chronicle
October 16, 1946

"The other woman" in the Minett murder case of Maynard came to the county-seat Monday seeking "protection from a shot out of the dark" which she fears from the widow who already killed her husband as he lay asleep in their rambling old home in the country.
The "woman from Brooklyn" as Mrs. Minett told Coroner C. C. Hardesty and Deputy Sheriff Jules Carman was the "one Pete went out with and was at her house the night I killed him," walked into the office of Atty. W. J. Walker at Monday noon, removed a pair of dark glasses and a heavy veil and requester, "I've got to have protection from that Minett woman."
Attorney Walker announced later the "woman from Brooklyn" was Mrs. Irene Bobat Topazio, 30, whose husband arrived today from New York to assist his wife in established her innocence to being involved in the Minett affair.
Mrs. Topazio declared her absolute innocence of "any kind of an affair" with Peter Minett, 43, who was shot and killed by his wife when the latter believed he "was out until midnight with her."
"I merely knew him when I saw him. I was never out with him and on the night of the murder. I was visiting friends in another town and stayed until the next day. I have six witnesses who will all testify to this truth," Mrs. Topazio said.
Mrs. Topazio told her attorney that she feared the widow would attack and shoot her also and said that on several occasions she "had been followed." She came to St. Clairsville Monday with dark glasses and a veil, "because I thought Mrs. Minett would see me."
Mrs. Topazio said her husband, who works in Brooklyn, had been apprised of the murder and the charge Mrs. Minett had made against her.
At the time of the murder, Mrs. Minett told officers the other woman in the case was "the Bobat woman who married a man from New York." Mrs. Topazio has been staying at the home of her parents near Harrisville while her husband was in New York at his job.

02/15/2021

This is the second of several newspaper articles chronicling a murder that took place north of Maynard, 1946

The Belmont Chronicle
October 9, 1946

MRS. MINETT PLEADS GUILTY, FREE UNDER BOND OF $5,000

Mrs. Laverne Minett went back to her cows and chickens and hogs at last Thursday afternoon after giving a bond of $5,000 for a second degree murder charge lodged against her for the shooting of her husband the night before.
Mrs. Minett calmly told officials that she "wanted to get back to the farm to take care of the stock." Her attorney, John E. Costine told her to "plead not guilty" to the charge before Squire C. B. Bradford. This she did although previously she frankly related the details of the shooting.
Again during arraignment Mrs. Minett told of a life-long "misery and suffering at the hands of her husband, Peter Minett." When he came in late Wednesday night after "seeing another woman" she fired the fatal bullet that killed him, she said.
Some neighbors stayed with the saddened widow pending word from her relatives who live in Pennsylvania. "There are none cows, several hogs and many chickens to care for and no one except Mrs. Minett available.

02/14/2021

This will be the first of several articles chronicling a murder that happened just north of Maynard, 1946.

The Belmont Chronicle
October 2, 1946

MAYNARD WIFE SHOOTS SLEEPING HUSBAND

Mrs. Laverne Minett, 37, sipped at a cup of coffee beside the smokey coal stove in her farm home kitchen above Maynard early this morning and told Coroner Clyde C. Hardesty how she had fired a .38 revolver bullet into the head of her husband as he lay asleep in bed.
"I don't see how any human could live with a man for 24 years - like he was - and not do the same thing. I reached the end of my string."
And as Peter Minett, 42, lay on the blood soaked matress, his widow related a life of tragedy that ended, in the misty morning Thursday, when he came home "from seein' that other woman at her home."
Coroner Hardesty and Deputy Sheriff Jules Carman left Mrs. Minett at her big, rambling home "to do up the chores."
"Don't worry, Mr. Hardesty," she said in a flat toneless voice, "I'll be over to St. Clairsville as soon as I get somebody to tend to the cows and the pigs." And the reason the coroner let her stay was because she is facing a slow crawling death herself. She has cancer, has undergone one operation and needs another now.
The story of the murder was unique in the annals of Belmont County crime. Hardesty said that himself and he has spent a quarter century of investigating shootings and murders.
After leveling the revolver at her sleeping husband, Mrs. Minett donned a coat, got her car keys from her husband's pockets, got in the family car and drove to Harrisville for Dr. Richard Gallop. "I've shot my husband...maybe you'd better come over."
Then she called Mrs. Louis Watson at Maynard. Mrs. Watson's husband is an undertaker and Mrs. Watson is her friend. Mrs. Watson went to the Minett home and stayed there until the arrival of Hardesty and Carman.
"Mr. Hardesty," the widow said, "For many years I have been kicked, beat, slapped, hit and made to stand around. Peter has struck and knocked down my children...we have slaved and worked and went through privations. We just finished paying for a child he had by another woman 16 years ago and now he is out after another. I guess I just couldn't stand no more."
She related how she killed him.
"When he came home about 1 this morning I was asleep. I asked him where he had been and he said, "to a farm meeting at St. Clairsville." I know that was a lie because I went to St. Clairsville the other day and the AAA said they didn't have farm meetings.
"I asked him about the woman. He admitted being out with her. We talked awhile and then he went to sleep. I decided it was more than I could bear. I went to the bureau drawer and got the revolver."
"I knew I could never handle him awake because he was always able to beat us and we had to take it. I waited 30 minutes until he was asleep. Then I walked over to his bed. I signed the revolver at him. It was dark...I couldn't see exactly. I pulled the trigger. I was scared and my heart jumped...my finger pulled the trigger again although the second time was an accident."
"I lit the lamp and brought it over to the bed. Pete was dead. I had shot him through the forehead. Then I went to Harrisville. Yes, I think I would do it again tomorrow morning. I don't know."
Neighbors came to the moral rescue of the stricken widow. "What that woman has gone through a dog shouldn't," was the tenor of the testimony which Coroner Hardesty took from neighbors and witnesses at the scene of the shooting this morning.
The Minetts have two children, Gerald and Henry. Gerald, the 16-year-old whom the father knocked down a few weeks ago with a chair and broke his jaw is now with a traveling carnival. "I don't know where my sons are," the mother said, "But I want them home now that he's dead and can't harm them."
Mrs. Minett was calm this morning. She put coal in the kitchen shove and made coffee. Her face was a mask of suffering. No tears were shed and she answered Hardesty in a flat, hurt tone that was all business. She skipped no details nor did she try to avoid telling of the crime.
"We fought Monday over the milk check for $87.50. but as usual he took it after hitting me and pushing me around. I needed some things but he took the money." The house bore out her story. It is a large rambling house that must have some day, been a mansion. Today the chickens roam over the porches, the weatherbounding is loose and flapping, weeds grow up to the very doors and the yard is littered and dirty. The very house seems to be a pattern of the lives they led.
Mrs. Minett went as far as the door of her home when the coroner and deputy sheriff left. "Don't worry, Mrs. Hardesty, I'll come over when you want me." Then she went back to her ramshackled home to burn the blood soaked bed mattress and "tidy up the house a bit."
Mrs. Laverne Minett was freed today on bond on a second degree murder charge by the prosecutor.

09/08/2020

Some old photos of Maynard c.1910s

07/25/2020

Anyone playing in the crick today? It's a warm one!

05/21/2020

In case you missed it in the newspaper, our page has caught the attention of "The Times Leader" on Monday and Tuesday. Keep sharing those memories of Maynard!

05/10/2020

Great Lakes Mine, Maynard, c. 1918

Located along Cox Run in Wheeling Valley upstream from Blainesville. North Blainesville and Reise Hill was located near here where Great Lakes Road meets the vacated portion of Wheeling Valley Road.

05/10/2020

Mines along Cox Run (Wheeling Valley) up the creek from Blainesville:

Trolls No. 1

Located near Maynard, Ohio on the W&LE RR. Operated by the Troll Mining Company, St. Clairsville. Jesse Troll, St. Clairsville, superintendent; Burt Beatty, St. Clairsville, mine foreman. Drift; No. 8 seam, 5 ft. thick, machine mine, motor and mule haulage; 16 ft. Stine fan; 166 loaders. 18 machine men, nine pack miles and 52 day men. Four visits: March 13, May 13, August 6, and October 29. August 6, investigated death of Mike Sefeig, who was killed at face of working place by fall of stone. This mine is not in as good condition as it should be; the entries are in bad condition from mud and water. They have installed a small Jeffrey fan on the inside to act as a booster.

Trolls No. 2

Located near Maynard on the W&LE RR. Operated by Troll Mining Company, St. Clairsville, Ohio. Jesse Troll, St. Clairsville, superintendent; Evan Evans, Maynard, mine foreman. Drift; No. 8 seam, 5 ft. thick; machine mine; motor and mule haulage; 16 ft. Stine fan; 155 loaders, 20 machine men, 37 day men. Five visits: February 5, February 14, May 14, August 12, and November 12. One investigation: James Kadlecek, who had his back broken by fall at face of working place on June 5, 1911 and died June 11, 1912. I was called to this mine February 5; they had cut into an abandoned oil well. We succeeded in closing it up by concreting. Mine has been considerably improved by laying track in the intake air way and loading out the falls. Mine in general was in good condition.

Trolls No. 4

Located near Maynard, Ohio on the W&LE RR. Operated by Troll Mining Company, St. Clairsville, Ohio. Jesse Troll, St. Clairsville, superintendent; Earnest Devorsack, Maynard, mine foreman. Drift, No. 8 seam, 5 ft. thick; machine mine; motor and mule haulage; 15 ft. Clifford fan, 92 loaders, 12 machine men, and 21 day men. Four visits: March 12, May 10, August 9, and November 8. This mine is kept in fair condition.

Source: 38th Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Mines, Year ending December 31, 1912.