Bio-Minerd, Lela Ada-Warman

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Lela "Ada" (Minerd) Warman
(1877-1930)

Lela "Ada" (Minerd) Warman was born on March 29, 1877 at Dunbar, Fayette County, PA, the daughter of Isaac F. and Frances Caroline (Jordan) Minerd.

In the summer of 1892, when she was age 15, Ada married 20-year-old Albert Warman (1872-1944), the son of John Wesley and Margaret (Ogle) Warman, of Leisenring, Fayette County.

(Albert's father John W. Warman, a Civil War veteran, is said to have been killed when he fell down a 350-foot mine shaft, fracturing his skull.)

Ada and Albert's marriage license was reported in the Uniontown Genius of Liberty.

At the time of his marriage to Lela, Albert was a fireman at Leisenring No. 2 Mine near Uniontown, PA. The tipple of the mine is seen here in a rare old photograph.

The Warmans had four children -- Anna Swaney, Nevada Catherine Christman, Edna Miller Wright Beck and John W. Warman.

Ada and Albert lived at Haydentown near Smithfield, Fayette County. He was a member of the White Stone Tribe of Red Men No. 286.

In an interesting twist, Ada's cousin James Valentine Minerd was married to Albert's aunt, Nancy Warman, and they also resided in Dunbar.

Sadly, Ada died at age 51 on Aug. 2, 1930 "following a lingering illness of a complication of diseases," reported the Connellsville Daily Courier. She was buried at Maple Grove Cemetery, Fairchance, with her cousin, Rev. David E. Minerd, handling her service.

John outlived Ada by more than 14 years. He is believed to have married again, to Julia Ash ( ? - ? ). They resided in Point Marion, PA.

John passed away on Dec. 5, 1944, at the age of 72. He is buried with Ada at Maple Grove Cemetery in Fairchance.

~ Daughter Anna May (Warman) Swaney ~

Daughter Anna May Warman (1893-1980) married Joseph Howard Swaney ( ? -1965). They lived in Washington, Washington County, PA circa 1930 and later in the Smithfield and Fairchance vicinity.

After Joseph died in 1965, Anna moved to the home of a daughter in Baltimore, MD.

She died there in 1980. The Swaneys are buried in Maple Grove Cemetery near Fairchance. They are mentioned in the revised edition of Kathryn Cooley Miller's book, My Cooley-Walters Ancestry from Fairchance Penna. and Surrounding Areas.

~ Son John Wesley Warman ~

Son John Wesley Warman (1896- ? ) was married three times. His first wife was Edna Smith ( ? - ? ). They had three children -- Blake Wesley Warman, Rex William Burton Warman and Albert Warman.

John married his second wife, Kate Sybil Lee, and had five more children -- Robert Duane Warman, John Marvin Warman, Shirley Nevada Warman, Delores Lee Ann Warman and Janice Warman Franklin.

In May 1938, the Warmans made headline news in the Uniontown Morning Herald when they lived in Point Marion, Fayette County, and their home was hit by lighting. "With a deafening crash that could be heard for several blocks John Warman and members of his family narrowly escaped death or serious injury when a bolt of lightning struck their home ... during the evening's unseasonal storm," said the Morning Herald. "Mr. Warman's two children Robert and Jackson together with their grandfather Albert Warman were on the front porch and other members of the family were in the house when there came a blinding flash and the terrific crash which rocked the entire house shattering a large front window into small fragments as well as a reading lamp inside the room. The plastering was knocked from the ceiling and wall of the living room as were pictures and other small objects. Fortunately the two boys and grandfather were at the opposite side of the porch from which the bolt struck and no one was in the living room..."

John resided in Guyaux in 1946 and lived in North Miami, FL circa 1980. He apparently married a third time, to Helen Rosen ( ? - ? ) in Florida.

Son Albert Warman (1920-1946) married Betty Callahan ( ? - ? ) and had three children -- Albert Warman Jr., Rex Warman and Carol Lou Warman. Formerly residents of Uniontown, they moved to Baltimore, MD. There, he obtained employment at a factory of National Plastic Corporation. Tragedy struck on April 16, 1946, when the 26-year-old Albert was fatally burned in an accident while at work. His charred remains were returned to Uniontown, with the funeral held at the Minerd Funeral Home, followed by burial in Park Cemetery in Uniontown.

Son Blake Warman ( ? - ? ) made his home in State College, PA in 1946.

~ Daughter Nevada Catherine ( Warman) Christman Gorman ~

Daughter Nevada Catherine Warman (1901-1960s?) was born in 1901.

She was married twice. Her first husband was Troy Christman ( ? - ? ). They had one son, Troy Christman, born in June 1921.

They made their home in 1930 in Washington, Washington County, PA. Unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce on Sept. 27, 1933.

Nevada owned a beauty shop in Washington circa March 1939. That month and year, she filed a marriage license application in Washington County to wed 40-year-old Raymond S. Gorman (1899- ? ), son of Matthew and Anna (Hanley) Gorman. Raymond was employed in the "steel business" and resided in the Pittsburgher Hotel.

Nevada is believed to have died in the 1960s.

~ Daughter Edna Pearl ( Warman) Miller Wright Beck ~

Daughter Edna Pearl Warman (1903-1990) is seen at left. She was married twice and possibly thrice. Her first husband was Henry Devina Miller (1897-1976), the son of Henry Ellsworth and Anna Cynthia (Swaney) Miller. Edna and Henry had two children -- Phyllis Nevada Miller and Henry "Edson" Miller. The Millers lived in Smithfield and Fairchance, Fayette County, but later divorced, and children Phyllis and Edson were sent to live for a time with their grandmother, Anna Miller. Edna also was married to (?) Wright and lived in Akron, Summit County, OH circa 1930. Later still, she wed Louis Beck. Henry married again to Julia and they had a large family of five or six children. Henry passed away on May 1, 1976, in Pennsylvania. Edna moved to Florida, and resided there in Hobe Sound, Martin County, circa 1980. She died in Florida in 1990.

Granddaughter Phyllis Nevada Miller (1919-2003) is seen at right. She was born in Georges Township, Fayette County. She was married twice. In 1930, she resided in Fairchance, Fayette County, PA. Her first husband was Sydney Roger Vezie (1916-1981), of Washington, Washington County, PA. They had five children -- Blaze Vezie, Dianna Vezie, Joyce M. Vezie, Roger Sydney Vezie Jr. and Sherry Vezie. Phyllis and Sydney divorced in 1967. She married again in 1992, to Phillip Selby, in Harris County, TX. They made their home on South East Bunker Hill Drive in Hobe Sound. Phyllis passed away on Oct. 26, 2003, in Hobe Sound, Martin County, FL. Her granddaughter Kimberly Schwartz came to our 2009 reunion -- see Kimberly's pages on Ancestry.com.

Grandson Edson Miller (1921-2005) - ?

For information on the Warman genealogy, contact Barb Lewis Hardung, and for Swaney information, contact Chris Lilley.