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Stella
(Gaither) McFarland |
Stella Mae (Gaither) McFarland was born on July 30, 1891 near Chalk Hill, Fayette County, PA, the daughter of William Alexander and Hannah Maria (Minerd) Gaither.
On Aug. 26, 1912, when she was 21 years of age, Stella married 28-year-old Edward J. McFarland (1884-1975), the son of James P. and Alcinda (Rumble) McFarland of Greensboro, PA.
They produced four known offspring -- Hannah Marie McFarland, Elsworth Albert "Dutch" McFarland, William Alexander McFarland and Florence "Ruth" Ramsey.
Edward earned a living as a machinist, employed by the Monongahela Railroad in Brownsville, Fayette County. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, a union organization.
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| Monongahela Railway operations in Brownsville, PA |
When the federal census enumeration was made in 1920, the family lived on Broad Street in South Brownsville, with Edward's occupation listed as railroad machinist and Stella's widowed mother living under their roof.
By 1930, the McFarlands relocated to Uniontown, with Edward now working as a coal and coke laborer. Their home for decades was at 508 Braddock Avenue.
They remained in Uniontown during the 1930s, and by 1940, Edward was back to working in his trained skill as a railroad machinist. The family's telephone number in the 1940s was Uniontown-3718.
Edward died of cancer at age 90 on July 23, 1975. Rev. Dr. Earl P. Confer led the the funeral service, with an obituary appearing in the Uniontown Evening Standard.
Stella outlived him by two years, and passed away in Uniontown Hospital at age 86 on Nov. 12, 1977. Rev. Dr. Confer again preached the funeral sermon. They are buried at Sylvan Heights Cemetery in Uniontown.
~ Daughter Hannah Marie McFarland ~
Daughter Hannah Marie McFarland (1912-1988) was born on Nov. 9, 1912 and was named for her mother's mother.
She never married and made her home with her parents for decades.
Circa 1940, when she was 27 years of age, she worked as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone. She was still working there in 1951.
In March 1975, she traveled to Largo, FL to attend the funeral of her sister Ruth Ramsey.
Hannah died in Uniontown on April 17, 1988.
~ Son Elsworth Albert "Dutch" McFarland ~
Son Elsworth Albert "Dutch" McFarland (1915-1997) -- also spelled "Ellsworth" -- was born on June 16, 1915.
Dutch was a plumber in Uniontown, PA. Circa 1940, when he was age 24, he earned income as a plumber's helper, working for J. Roy Baer of 163 East Main Street in Uniontown.
He was 5 feet, 10 inches in height, with blue eyes and brown hair.
By 1958, he became employed by the Rhodes and White Plumbing Company.
He resided with his parents in Uniontown and enjoyed visiting his sister Ruth Ramsey in Florida.
Elsworth passed into eternity on April 8, 1997, in Uniontown.
~ Son William Alexander McFarland ~
Son William Alexander McFarland (1916-1963) was born on Sept. 14, 1916 and named for his maternal grandfather.
He stood 6 feet tall and weighed 175. His eyes were blue, his hair blonde, and he carried a scar above one eye.
At the age of 23, in 1940, he worked at Sanitary Dairy in Uniontown, providing labor, and lived with his parents at 508 Braddock Avenue in Uniontown.
William joined the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. He may have been wounded at some point.
William was united in matrimony with Blanche ( ? - ? ). The couple did not reproduce.
They relocated to Florida in about 1958. From then until his death in 1963, William suffered an extended illness.
He belonged to the American Legion and Military Order of Purple Hearts in St. Petersburg.
Toward the end, he was admitted to Bay Pines Veterans Administration Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. Death carried him away at the age of 46 on Jan. 6, 1963. Interment of the remains was in the Bay Pines Cemetery. His brother Ellsworth and sister Hannah traveled from Uniontown to attend the funeral.
~ Daughter Florence "Ruth" (McFarland) Ramsey ~
Daughter Florence "Ruth" McFarland (1918-1975) was born on March 31, 1918.
She wedded William F. Ramsey ( ? - ? ), son of Frank G. Ramsey of 46 West Fayette Street in Uniontown.
The couple were the parents of Lawrence "Larry" Ramsey and Lee Ramsey.
During World War II, in May 1942, William joined the Maritime Commission and was stationed at the U.S. Merchant Marine facility in Baltimore. After he left home, Ruth moved in with her parents on Braddock Avenue.
William trained at Fort Trumbull in New London, CT and then received additional technical education at a diesel school in Milwaukee, where Ruth was able to rejoin him. Circa August 1944, he was posted in San Francisco, and Ruth again went to stay with her parents. He remained with the Merchant Marine after the war. Circa 1957, he was in Brazil and was transferred to St. Petersburg, FL. After the transfer, Ruth and their sons made a home with him in St. Petersburg and in Clearwater.
By 1967, he had completed 20 years of service with the Merchant Marine and had traveled to Vietnam, the Middle East and Europe. The Ramsey home at that time was in Largo, FL. They moved to Seminole, FL and were there in 1973.
Sadly, Ruth died in Pinellas County on March 15, 1975. Her sister and brother Elsworth traveled from Uniontown attend the funeral.
William's fate is not yet learned.
Son Lawrence "Larry" Ramsey (1942- ? ) was born in about 1942 in Milwaukee. He moved about in the military family. He was married and in 1966 dwelled in Key Largo, FL. He was the father of Kenneth "Kenny" Ramsey. The Ramseys were in Seminole, FL in 1977.
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Grandson Kenneth "Kenny" Ramsey
Son Lee Ramsey ( ? - ? ) was born in (?). His home in 1977 was in Seminole, FL.
Copyright © 2001, 2020 Mark A. Miner