- Date Of Birth: August 15, 1918
- Date Of Death: July 12, 2017
- State: Maryland
Ellen Jean was a Scottish lass who was born in Staunton, VA. Lintithglow, Scotland was the birthplace of her father, Andrew B. Mann, who was called to become a minister and go across the seas to preach after he completed his education in Edinburgh, Scotland. Lacy Margaret Wolford was her mother who was born in Westernport, Maryland and was a school teacher. Jean was from a family of 7 children – 4 boys and 3 girls. The other 6 children passed on before her. Throughout her life she loved her family, her church and people of all ages – but especially children. As the oldest daughter of the Presbyterian minister in Thomas, WV, she was active in the church from a very young age, even singing a duet with her brother before the age of 4. Through the years she worked in the church teaching Sunday School, Bible School, and later singing in her home choir for many years. She organized the first young ladies circle in Thomas during the war years. She married Wayne Monroe Cornwell on December 22, 1940. They became the parents of two daughters: Sheila Jean Baumgardner and Tamara Lynette Harris. Sheila was their biological daughter and Tammy was their adopted daughter who was also their biological granddaughter. They also were blessed with two loving grandchildren / great grandchildren: Ben and Rachel Harris. Wayne and Jean were married for 57 years.
Jean graduated from Fairmont State College becoming an elementary school teacher. Her teaching years were in several states:
(1) Her first experience was in a one-room school in Jenningston, WV.
(2) Her second teaching job was in Fellowsville, WV teaching 4th grade music.
(3) Next was a teaching job as Travis Elementary School in Mineral Wells, Texas where she taught music to all eight grades.
(4) The next teaching job was in Piedmont, WV teaching 4th grade.
(5) Beginning in 1956, she taught 3rd grade in Anne Arundel County Schools, Maryland. Her schools were Richard Henry Lee, Glendale, and Glen Burnie Park Elementaries.
Health issues necessitated that she stop teaching. This time was very difficult for her since she could not be as active as in the past. Luckily, it was at this time in her life that Tammy came along and gave her joy. While in Fairmont, Jean was active in her church as a Superintendent of both the Nursery and Kindergarten Sunday Schools. She worked with children in a weekly group called “Happy Hour”. She was a Brownie group leader as well during this time.
Wayne and Jean moved to Maryland in 1956. Upon her arrival she talked to Rev. Robert Bower telling him she wanted to do church work at Harundale Presbyterian Church. She was teaching school at this time. The chairman position had just opened in the church, so she accepted it, reorganizing the kindergarten department and the children’s choirs after just one month. She organized at least two choirs for children aged 5 years through 6th grade, including the “Wee Choraliers” (ages 5 – 3rd grade) and the “Choristers” for children in grades 3 – 6 which was run by her sister, Janice Peters.
Jean wrote many poems in her lifetime. During her last years, she would often make up rhymes. She loved to laugh and often would paraphrase the poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox when she would say, “If you laugh, the whole world laughs with you; if you cry, you cry alone!” Her sense of humor was still intact during the last few days of her live.
Some of the poems she penned were entitled:
(1) “Ode to an Astronaut” about John Glen’s landing on the moon; she sent a copy to him, and it was published in the newspaper.
