Hester
(Minerd) Wortman
(1855?-1939)
Hester Ann (Minerd) Wortman was born between 1855 and 1858 in Dunbar, near Uniontown, Fayette County, PA, the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Rankin) Minerd.
When the federal census was taken in 1870, Hester was recorded as a 14-year-old, residing in the household of her mother in Dunbar Twp., near Connellsville, Fayette County. The census-taker noted that she could neither read or write.
Hester married
Ross Wortman (also occasionally spelled "Workman"). They had five
children -- Erskin Wortman, Daisy
Belle Cather, Mrs. J.W. Sisk, Mrs.
Edward Collins and Maud Lewis.
At some point, the Wortmans moved to Cumberland, Allegany County, MD. They resided at 36 Mary Street.
Ross's occupation is unknown.
In October 1907, Harriet's sister Harriet Louise Lowe of Hopwood, Fayette County, traveled to Hester's home in Cumberland for a visit. The news was reported in the Hopwood Chronicle newspaper, published by cousins William A. and Bertha (Ingles) Stone.
Seen here is the
famed 'Narrows' gap near Cumberland with a criss-crossing network of railroad
tracks.
In 1921, Hester was mentioned in the Uniontown Morning Herald newspaper obituary of her sister Mary Belle Dean, and in 1923 was named in the Connellsville (PA) Courier obituary of her brother, James Valentine Minerd, of Dunbar, Fayette County.
Ross is believed to have died sometime before Hester. The details of his fate will be reported here when learned.
At the age of 84, on the Fourth of July 1939, Hester passed away at her home. Funeral arrangements were handled by L. Stein. She was laid to rest in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Cumberland. The Cumberland Evening Times said that she was survived by 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. The article also erroneously gave her father's name as "James" Minard, rather than "William," but correctly pointed out that she was "a native of Pennsylvania." Old issues of the Evening Times are on file at the Lewis J. Ort Library at Frostburg State University in Maryland.
Copyright © 2000, 2006-2007 Mark A. Miner