By the 1930 U.S. Census, five-year-old Minnie was living with her parents, her baby sister Elsie Jane Hoag, and a relative named James. James is likely her paternal uncle, James William Hoag (1894–1940), the brother of her father, Robert Thomas Hoag. The household was part of a close-knit extended family, a hallmark of life in the early 20th century. Her younger brother, Robert Thomas Hoag Jr., had not yet been born at the time of this census but would join the family in the years to come.

Family Life and Marriage
Minnie grew up during the Great Depression, a period that demanded resilience and resourcefulness from families across America. These formative years likely shaped her strength and dedication to family.

As a young woman, Minnie married Samuel Caruso, a man with whom she would share her life and build a family. Together, they had at least two children: Samuel Caruso Jr. and Paula Marie Caruso. Family remained central to Minnie’s life, and she was deeply devoted to her role as a mother, wife, and grandmother.

Later Years
In her later years, Minnie lived in Bridgeton, New Jersey. Bridgeton, known for its historic charm and vibrant agricultural community, became a fitting backdrop for Minnie’s final decades. She remained a pillar of her family, imparting lessons of love, resilience, and dedication to her children and grandchildren.

Minnie passed away on February 10, 2000, at the age of 75. Her passing marked the loss of a cherished family matriarch, but her legacy lives on through the generations that follow.

Legacy and Reflections
Minnie’s life spanned a period of immense change in American history. She was born during the Roaring Twenties, grew up during the hardships of the Great Depression, came of age during World War II, and witnessed the profound social transformations of the postwar era. Through it all, Minnie remained deeply rooted in her family, finding joy and purpose in nurturing the people she loved.

Her life is a testament to the values of family, hard work, and perseverance, and her memory is preserved in the hearts of her descendants.

Emma Marie Assel is the wife of Robert Thomas Hoag. 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 issue for a stillborn child, born on October 23, 1931. This means the child would have been younger than Elsie and older than Robert Thomas.

The death certificate didn’t list the sex of the child but did bury him (or her) at the Grandview Cemetery in Monessen, PA.

This death certificate is important because it verifies other facts for us such as the fact that Robert Hoag was born in Fayette City, PA and that Emma Assel was born in Pittsburg, PA and they were the parents. It also tells us that on the date of the child’s death they were living at 105 Reed Ave., in Monessen, PA (directions) –  a house that still exists to this day.

It’s a small 2 bedroom house