William was the eldest child of Arnold James McGinnis & Gertrude Wolfe McGinnis, and brother of Anna Belle, Jesse Boyd, Gordon James, and Harley Clifford McGinnis.
He was the husband of Isabelle Roe McGinnis, and the father
of five.
Pop was the Rock of the family. He helped anyone who needed something, frequently loaning money to the women of his family, especially the older ones; kept family pictures and mementos, took many photos himself, and answered every question asked by his grandchildren patiently. He was an extremely kind man, with a fine sense of humor. He made excellent beer, was a great hunter and fisherman, and seemed to be able to sleep anywhere. As a trackman for the B&O railroad, he was no stranger to hard work, and had little patience for laziness. He began on the RR as a waterboy, wages ten cents per day. His draft notice was deferred, to keep him on the railroad, and he worked many nights during the war, as a signalman, swinging a lantern. He was also the sole support, at that time, of the wife, children, and his mother.
Like his wife, he was redhaired.
Their children inherited this trait, and William's blue eyes.
He resembled his mother's family, the Wolfes, and didn't gain the tall stature of his sons or grandsons.
William retired as an employee of the B&O.
The railroad tie steps at the entrance to this rural cemetery were paid for by William, as was the portion where his family is interred.
One of his sons said that he thought William also paid for the cemetery's gate.
He sold the home place near Tunnelton after the death of Isabelle, living with his children at various homes until his own passing. He never remarried. His retirement was full of work - knives were set aside to be sharpened by Pop; he was the instrument by which hundreds of potatoes were peeled, fish caught & cleaned, fences painted, cars waxed, birthday cards sent, letters written, tears dried, toasts shared, hugs administered, and advice given- the world was an emptier place without him. The birthdays of his grandchildren were commemorated by a card arriving in the mailbox, each one containing a crisp, green dollar bill and a little note or letter. He wrote a fine, legible hand. He lived at Tunnelton most of his life, but made friends everywhere he went. Truly a good and well-loved man, he is missed daily.
*Photos, PROPERTY OF THE FAMILY - Pop is the one in the middle of the track.
He was the husband of Isabelle Roe McGinnis, and the father
of five.
Pop was the Rock of the family. He helped anyone who needed something, frequently loaning money to the women of his family, especially the older ones; kept family pictures and mementos, took many photos himself, and answered every question asked by his grandchildren patiently. He was an extremely kind man, with a fine sense of humor. He made excellent beer, was a great hunter and fisherman, and seemed to be able to sleep anywhere. As a trackman for the B&O railroad, he was no stranger to hard work, and had little patience for laziness. He began on the RR as a waterboy, wages ten cents per day. His draft notice was deferred, to keep him on the railroad, and he worked many nights during the war, as a signalman, swinging a lantern. He was also the sole support, at that time, of the wife, children, and his mother.
Like his wife, he was redhaired.
Their children inherited this trait, and William's blue eyes.
He resembled his mother's family, the Wolfes, and didn't gain the tall stature of his sons or grandsons.
William retired as an employee of the B&O.
The railroad tie steps at the entrance to this rural cemetery were paid for by William, as was the portion where his family is interred.
One of his sons said that he thought William also paid for the cemetery's gate.
He sold the home place near Tunnelton after the death of Isabelle, living with his children at various homes until his own passing. He never remarried. His retirement was full of work - knives were set aside to be sharpened by Pop; he was the instrument by which hundreds of potatoes were peeled, fish caught & cleaned, fences painted, cars waxed, birthday cards sent, letters written, tears dried, toasts shared, hugs administered, and advice given- the world was an emptier place without him. The birthdays of his grandchildren were commemorated by a card arriving in the mailbox, each one containing a crisp, green dollar bill and a little note or letter. He wrote a fine, legible hand. He lived at Tunnelton most of his life, but made friends everywhere he went. Truly a good and well-loved man, he is missed daily.
*Photos, PROPERTY OF THE FAMILY - Pop is the one in the middle of the track.
William was the eldest child of Arnold James McGinnis & Gertrude Wolfe McGinnis, and brother of Anna Belle, Jesse Boyd, Gordon James, and Harley Clifford McGinnis.
He was the husband of Isabelle Roe McGinnis, and the father
of five.
Pop was the Rock of the family. He helped anyone who needed something, frequently loaning money to the women of his family, especially the older ones; kept family pictures and mementos, took many photos himself, and answered every question asked by his grandchildren patiently. He was an extremely kind man, with a fine sense of humor. He made excellent beer, was a great hunter and fisherman, and seemed to be able to sleep anywhere. As a trackman for the B&O railroad, he was no stranger to hard work, and had little patience for laziness. He began on the RR as a waterboy, wages ten cents per day. His draft notice was deferred, to keep him on the railroad, and he worked many nights during the war, as a signalman, swinging a lantern. He was also the sole support, at that time, of the wife, children, and his mother.
Like his wife, he was redhaired.
Their children inherited this trait, and William's blue eyes.
He resembled his mother's family, the Wolfes, and didn't gain the tall stature of his sons or grandsons.
William retired as an employee of the B&O.
The railroad tie steps at the entrance to this rural cemetery were paid for by William, as was the portion where his family is interred.
One of his sons said that he thought William also paid for the cemetery's gate.
He sold the home place near Tunnelton after the death of Isabelle, living with his children at various homes until his own passing. He never remarried. His retirement was full of work - knives were set aside to be sharpened by Pop; he was the instrument by which hundreds of potatoes were peeled, fish caught & cleaned, fences painted, cars waxed, birthday cards sent, letters written, tears dried, toasts shared, hugs administered, and advice given- the world was an emptier place without him. The birthdays of his grandchildren were commemorated by a card arriving in the mailbox, each one containing a crisp, green dollar bill and a little note or letter. He wrote a fine, legible hand. He lived at Tunnelton most of his life, but made friends everywhere he went. Truly a good and well-loved man, he is missed daily.
*Photos, PROPERTY OF THE FAMILY - Pop is the one in the middle of the track.
He was the husband of Isabelle Roe McGinnis, and the father
of five.
Pop was the Rock of the family. He helped anyone who needed something, frequently loaning money to the women of his family, especially the older ones; kept family pictures and mementos, took many photos himself, and answered every question asked by his grandchildren patiently. He was an extremely kind man, with a fine sense of humor. He made excellent beer, was a great hunter and fisherman, and seemed to be able to sleep anywhere. As a trackman for the B&O railroad, he was no stranger to hard work, and had little patience for laziness. He began on the RR as a waterboy, wages ten cents per day. His draft notice was deferred, to keep him on the railroad, and he worked many nights during the war, as a signalman, swinging a lantern. He was also the sole support, at that time, of the wife, children, and his mother.
Like his wife, he was redhaired.
Their children inherited this trait, and William's blue eyes.
He resembled his mother's family, the Wolfes, and didn't gain the tall stature of his sons or grandsons.
William retired as an employee of the B&O.
The railroad tie steps at the entrance to this rural cemetery were paid for by William, as was the portion where his family is interred.
One of his sons said that he thought William also paid for the cemetery's gate.
He sold the home place near Tunnelton after the death of Isabelle, living with his children at various homes until his own passing. He never remarried. His retirement was full of work - knives were set aside to be sharpened by Pop; he was the instrument by which hundreds of potatoes were peeled, fish caught & cleaned, fences painted, cars waxed, birthday cards sent, letters written, tears dried, toasts shared, hugs administered, and advice given- the world was an emptier place without him. The birthdays of his grandchildren were commemorated by a card arriving in the mailbox, each one containing a crisp, green dollar bill and a little note or letter. He wrote a fine, legible hand. He lived at Tunnelton most of his life, but made friends everywhere he went. Truly a good and well-loved man, he is missed daily.
*Photos, PROPERTY OF THE FAMILY - Pop is the one in the middle of the track.
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William T.
1901-1977
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