Minerva Sloan Heck was the oldest daughter of Stephen and Judith (Ent) Sloan, born in Monroe County, Ohio in 1815.

Minerva had two older brothers, Hiram and George, and nine younger brothers and sisters, a large farm family not uncommon to the times.

Minerva married Fredrick Heck; I am guessing they married approximately 1835 as their first child was born in 1837. It appears they had six children: Lydia, Judith, Matilda, John C., Andrew J., and Cordelia. Matilda, John C., and Andrew J. died in infancy or childhood and are buried near Minerva.

I know very little about Minerva's life which was fairly short. I suspect her husband was a farmer with land near Minerva's parents in Caldwell County, Missouri since Minerva and her three babies are buried in the family cemetery on her parent's farm.

Minerva died at age 39 and I suspect she may have died trying to give birth as her youngest child at the time had been born 2 years earlier.

Finding Minerva's grave was almost a miracle. The Sloan Cemetery is not what most people would call a cemetery. It is located on a corner of the Sloan family's farm which was established in the 1840's. It is long-abandoned and a wild, overgrown area without fences or boundaries of any type as of my Fall 2013 visit. It is currently situated inside a wedge of property between two cattle farms. This property is full of pine and other evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and vines. Only a minority of markers are clearly visible when walking in the cemetery and these are all headstones, i.e., vertical markers.

I did not know I had discovered Minerva's grave until after I returned home and was reviewing photos I'd taken during my 4 hour search of the area. I simply photographed all stones I found or uncovered. This marker was buried about an inch deep and only had two symbols on it. I did not realize until I magnified my photo of the marker that I'd been trying to read the symbols upside down.

Although M. H. could also apply to Minerva's toddler daughter Matilda, because there was another marker nearby that was badly broken and unreadable, I'm guessing this better stone belonged to the mother and was purchased and placed by her husband or other family member.

Because a photo of Minerva's grave had been requested, the person who requested the photo contacted me and it turns out we are connected thru Minerva. We have shared information about the Sloan family which has been wonderful and I have another cousin!

Because Minerva Sloan Heck was the sister of my Great Great Grandfather Asa H. Sloan, Minerva is my Great Great Great Aunt.