Robert Thomas Hoag

Robert Thomas Hoag was born on March 3, 1900, in Fayette City, PA. We can verify this is his date of birth thanks to his World War 1 Draft Registration Card.

Fayette City is a small town located along the Monongahela River in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this area was part of the booming industrial and coal-mining region of southwestern Pennsylvania. Here’s what life would have been like during that time:

The coal and steel industries heavily influenced Fayette City and the surrounding areas. Southwestern Pennsylvania was rich in coal, and mines in the region supplied fuel for steel mills in cities like Pittsburgh. Many residents, including children, worked in coal mines or industries supporting mining operations.

Labor was tough and dangerous. Coal miners often worked long hours in hazardous conditions for low pay. The rise of organized labor in the early 1900s, including unions like the United Mine Workers of America, began to advocate for better wages and working conditions.

Outside of industrial work, some families in Fayette City likely engaged in small-scale farming or ran local businesses to support the town’s economy. Rural areas like Fayette County were home to tight-knit communities where neighbors often relied on one another for support.

• By 1900, electricity was starting to reach some towns, though rural areas like Fayette City may not have had it yet. Gas lighting and wood-burning stoves were still common in homes.
• Railroads were a critical part of life. Fayette City was connected to regional markets by rail, which facilitated the transport of coal, goods, and people.
• Medical care was rudimentary. Doctors made house calls, and many treatments relied on home remedies. Diseases like typhoid, cholera, and tuberculosis were common as public sanitation systems were still developing.

Robert Thomas Hoag married Emma Marie Assel on May 20, 1924, in Monessen, PA.

Together, they had four children, only three of which who lived: Minni Marie Hoag, Elsie Jane Hoag, and Robert Thomas Hoag Junior.

Here is a death certificate issued for a stillborn child born on October 23, 1931. This means the child would have been younger than Elsie and older than Robert Thomas.

He died on November 13, 1961. we know this because we have a copy of his death certificate.

This document also confirms for us that his father’s name is Walter Hoag. When Robert Thomas Hoag died he was living at 1614 Maple Avenue, in Monessen, PA. It’s a small 2-bedroom house that is still around to this day. (Directions)

His death certificate also tells us that he died of pancreatic cancer, something of which he was diagnosed with just two months before his death.