Charles Franklin Minter was the fifth child of Charles McClellan Minter and Mary Ann Powell, Minter. He was born November 7, 1887 in the small community of Kellogg, Douglas County, Oregon. He received the equivalent of an eighth grade education in a one room school his father helped build. When he was just past twelve years old, his father was drowned in the Umpqua river. His mother was determined to keep the family together and it fell on him and his older brother, Cy to work and help support them. For the most part he worked as a farm laborer. In later years when he was older he worked in a Thrashing crew operating a thrashing machine. When he was 25 years old he met and married Lucy Emma Seals. They were married April 15, 1913 in Roseburg, Oregon.
Although his given name was Charles Franklin, the family always called him Frank. To all his nieces and nephews, he was always Uncle Frank. The only time in memory that I can recall him being called Charles or Charley, was at the railroad where we worked.
A short time after his marriage, he went to work for the Southern Pacific Railroad as a pipe-fitter helper in the shops in Roseburg, Oregon. After a time working there and other odd jobs in southern Oregon, He ended up in Dunsmuier, California where he served his apprenticeship as a machinist on the Southern Pacific Railroad. He also worked for a time in the Sacramento General Shops learning welding. Sometime before 1920 they moved to Portland, Oregon and he was working in the Albina Shops on the Union Pacific Railroad when they went out on strike in 1923. After the strike was over he moved to Bakersfield, California and hired out as a Machinist Welder on the Southern Pacific Railroad. He was working in Mojave, California in 1924 when his wife’s mother, Rhoda (Powell) Seals Passed away. She had been living with them for several years.
Throughout the several years of their marriage, Lucy and Frank were childless. They wanted a family, but Lucy was never able to carry a baby to term. Finally, their first child was born October 19, 1925. He was injured in birth and only lived a few hours. His name was Leo Franklin Minter. Needless to say they both were heart broken. In 1927 they were able to adopt a boy, born January 12, 1927. They named him Charles Elmer Minter. With the busy schedule of a small child and their happiness of finally having a family, Lucy discovered she was pregnant with their second child. She went to bed and took it easy and on June 28, 1929 their second son was born by cesarean section. This was a very serious procedure for that day in time. I come into this world at the San Joaquin Hospital in Bakersfield, California. They had wanted a girl, but gladly accepted a boy and named him Dennis Lee Minter. This was 16 years after their wedding and they had almost lost hope of ever having children.
Times were hard in the early thirties. Frank was cut back to three days a week at the railroad. We lost our home and had to move to a rental house. Through the tough times financially our home was full of love. We did not have extras, but there always was food on the table and our clothes were clean. When things picked up in the late thirties, Dad seemed to work all the time. The relatives who lived near by always seemed to gather in our home. We always had a house full at Christmas, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins etc.. Summer brought Pot-Luck dinners and card games, 20 or more was not uncommon. Dad was always the quiet one and extended peace and love to all. Many cousins looked to him as a second father. In fact Lucy and Frank took in many family members and clothed and fed them as they were their own children.
Frank retired from the railroad in the spring of 1953. He worked as a school crossing guard for several local grammar schools. He was grand-pa to many children, they all loved him. When he turned 70 he was no longer eligible to work as a crossing guard. His retirement was a reality then. He and Mom traveled some, but for the most part they stuck around home.
In writing this I have fond memories of my father. He was a loving and caring person, very protective of his wife and children. Mother was always the person to carry out discipline, he never raised his hand in anger to his children. This is only a partial review of my fathers life, but I felt this family genealogy would not be complete without it.
Dennis L. Minter, September 12, 1989