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Reflections on our Family - Jack Miller on David
Uncle David was a noted journalist and a priceless asset in my research. His memory was phenomenal and his journalistic expertise was inspirational. He became my mentor in those early days and I learned so much from him. His encouragement spurred me to embrace writing and genealogy research in a way I probably would not have had he not been involved. David Miller 1926 - 1988.
David was really the bright one in the family. About 180 IQ. Total recall.
He knew it and it showed. Breezed through school.
Had a bevy of kooky cronies who did all sorts of intellectual things. When he was 12 he made his own nitrogen gas, inflated about 100 balloons and was charting weather patterns and prevailing winds all over the nation just out of curiosity.
By the time he was 15 he quit high school, having aced all the courses he needed. Without a diploma (they refused to give him one) he sneaked into a private college (Emory at Oxford, GA) for a semester, then transferred his credits to the University of Ga which he also quit at the age of 17 for the same reason (and because Wayne died that year).
He was a sigma Chi. At the age of 18, after 11 months service, he returned to Albany (at the same time as I was working as a Bell Hop at Radium Springs).
He met Merri Hall at the Albany Herald. He was a Telegraph Editor ? handling all wire service information, but because she was 25, he convinced her he was the same age. She was a proof reader. They were married on July 5th 1947.
Mother and I attended, and they had a party at Radium Springs after the ceremony. It was a home wedding. Mother was miffed because Merri was a divorcee, and said so. Irene was ?persona non grata? with Merri thereafter. Merri had a five year old precious son, George.
His two uncles, Billy and Norton were his idols, having returned from the war with impressive combat records. David and Merri had little influence on him. He joined the army and spent 20 years in it.
He and Merri visited us in Italy in 1966. At that time he was stationed in Germany at a base called Dortmund Gemund. He was in the missile field. Returning from service, he relocated in West Texas near his Uncles. He was fond of guns. David adopted him as a child, but they never did get along well as adults.
POSTSCTIPT: I was able to meet George as an adult. He was married and worked as a corrections officer. He was friendly and seemed genuinely happy to reunite with his Miller family.
Reflections on our family - Jack Miller on Irene Rogers
Irene Rogers [1900 - 1978] was my father's [Frank miller 1929 - 1973] mother and my grandmother. She was a unique individual and one we were fortunate to be able to know. From flapper to church leader, her life was full and her memory is with us all. Here are some of Jack's [1930 - 2009]memories of his mother.
Irene Rogers Miller Went to William Woods College somewhere in Missouri.
Summers she went to a summer camp where Wayne Miller [1896 -1945] met her at Lake Geneva, near Delaven, Wisconsin, where there are still lots of far-removed cousins.
I think she was a liberal arts major, but can?t be certain. She was a flapper. Pictures make her look like a plump Clara Bow.
She graduated with a BA ? must have been around 1922 or so. Married Wayne on June 10th 1926. It was his second marriage after leaving his first wife and two children.
She and Wayne had spent several years prior to WWI as a team of Evangelists (Methodists). He was an ordained Minister, but lost the way as a result of four months service in the army from about June to November 1918.
After Wayne died, Irene got a job as a secretary connected with the new Boys? Club in Valdosta, working in the old city hall building on Hill Avenue, south of Ashley St. Then she got involved in fund raising for the new Boys Club. She worked there until about 1952 or so.
Meanwhile, she took in boarders overflowing from the Pines Camp Motel next door to our house at 1510 N. Ashley Street. She?d bought it with Dan?s insurance money in 1945 for about $4500.00 total. It had been built in 1942 for $2500.00 as part of the early GI housing for people on Moody Field Air Base. It was only 2 blocks from our old house at 306 E. College St. which we?d been renting since Dec 4, 1941, but were forced to buy during the war.
When Wayne died, we had a 1941 four door Chevy Master Deluxe which we?d bought for $1200.00 from Lee and Laura Maiden, a couple of Vermonters stationed at the base during the war. Laura is now 82(1990) and visits her son, Norman, in Ocala. I saw her in November. Irene had to sell the car to stay afloat, but chanced on about the only 1950 Ford Anglia in the USA.
That was that funky little old black car in which the head liner in the roof kept coming down on everyone. It was a menace ? almost matching her lack of driving ability. [I , Barbara, remember that car as a playhouse' parked under the grape arbor in Irene's back yard. It was used as a 'green house' during the spring and summer months]
Then she bought a 1965 Chevelle ? her green car. Which lasted the rest of her life. In 1955 Irene made a trade of the Land Beneath Her House on Ashley St. in return for a Duplex and a separate house on Alden Avenue, just off Ashley St. plus a vacant lot at 2425 University Drive, plus she made the developer who traded her out of her house, move her old house onto the new lot.
By that time we?d all left home. I was just about the only person who lived any length of time in the Ashley St. house.
Tad and I (Jack) spent the school year, 1945-46, at Gordon Military College in Barnesville near Atlanta.
Pete went off to college in the dorm at Georgia State College for Women (GSWC) about four blocks from the house on Patterson St.
David went into the Navy, landing at Quonset Point, RI as Editor of the Quonset Point NAS base paper.
I spent my junior year in that house.
Tad returned for brief periods, but couldn?t stand taking orders from Mother, so lived with Botie Chitty in a rented room much of the time.
Pete was married to Frank on June 29, 1946 so was soon gone.
I left on June 9th, 1947 for a job at Raduim Springs in Albany. I was 16. I worked the prior summer in Atlanta at 15.
Read more about our family at My Family Genealogy Si8te
Reflections on our Family - Jack Miller on Frank 'Tad' Miller
Here are some more of the 'memories' my uncle Jack shared through his letters. Tad, was my father, Frank MILLER (1927 - 1973). These stories are especially precious as we lost our father so early in life. My gratitude to Jack and my other aunts and uncles is endless.
Tad and I were only 10 months apart. I was born on June 27, 1930 and Tad on August 18 1929. Mother had five children in 4 months(June, September, August )in only 5 years.
Go-Go (Ruth Josephine) was born in early September 1926. There were ten months between Tad (1929)and me (Jack - 1930), twelve months from him to Pete (1928), eleven months from Pete to David (1927), ten months from David to Go- Go (1926). (ascending order) It was competitive to say the least.
The week that Pete was born, Go-Go died of some rare disease. David never contracted it, and mother had Pete.
She was quite a gal when it came to tough going. So we never had more than four kids at one time in the family. We were quite well off when we lived in New York and Connecticut. We had live-in servants, first William and Mary, and elderly couple who lived in servant?s quarters on the grounds of what we call the O?Niel house. (It is still standing and in good shape. I visited it last November on the old Norwalk Road just outside of New Canaan)
As Tad and I grew up, we found ourselves dating the same girls. In fact, we had a schedule on the back of our door when Tad first lived in Ashley St. in 1946-47. He was out of school, but I was still in High School. We both dated high school seniors and college freshmen and made up a chart so we weren?t competing over the same girl at the same time.
Learn more about the adventures of our family at FamilyGenealogy, My family site
Reflections of childhood - Jack Miller
During the early days of my research, like any new genealogist, I bombarded all family members with requests for information. I was quite lucky. Most responded with more than I ever could have asked for in a Q & A session. It appears I am not the only family member with a penchant for family memories. Here is an excerpt from a very long missive I received from my uncle, Jack Miller (27 June 1930 - 10 October 2009). While Jack msy be gone, his memories will live on through this and his other letters, stories, and of course his life's work and the many publications he produced.
I have added additional details within the [brackets]
I(Jack) entered the service on July 25th, 1947, about six weeks after leaving high school, and a month after turning 17.
I met D.D. [Dorothy Dora Sundin 1932 -2004] on March 18th, 1953 and nine days later was whisked away to Pilot Training in San Antonio, Texas from New Jersey.
Meanwhile, we?d become engaged, and kept up a whirlwind romance by mail until I was transferred to Kinston Air Base in North Carolina. I had four days to drive the trip, so naturally took the ?short route? from Texas via New Jersey, driving all night, spending two days there, and driving all night to make it just in time. We met one more time over Labor Day weekend in Richmond, VA where her parents and sister, Joan, drove down and I drove up.
We decided to get married after the Air force started to transfer me to West Texas to finish up my pilot training in Bombers. We married in secret (at least from the service). Ninety two guests were at the New Jersey wedding including Mrs. Maiden from Vermont, Mother from Valdosta, Pete and Frank from Marietta.
I returned from our honeymoon at the NJ shore (in December yet), only to pass out on my first solo acrobatic flight. D.D. had relocated to Kinston where she shared a room with another girl whose husband also had to live on base. We sang in the choir to get Saturday nights off (until 10pm) and formed a drum & bugle corps to get Wednesday nights in town to see our brides.
During that time I made $59 per month , and lived on it! I first met your [Barbara] mom (Anne Elschner, Miller [1927 - 2008]) at Kinston where she and Tad [Frank Miller 1929 - 1973] came to visit in his 1936 Mercedes Benz when they first came back to the USA from Germany. I spent the remainder of my time in service as an enlisted man, 20 years, 2 months and 11 days in all.
I left as a Senior Master Sergeant (E-8 pay grade) and retired from Italy. Went through basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas where I also trained as a Cadet. I was on the ground crew of the first airplane that ever went completely around the world non-stop. I spent seven years living overseas out of 20, and 11 years in schools, graduating from the University of Omaha with a bachelor?s degree in 1965.
I?m the only one of my generation in the family who actually graduated from college even though both mother and dad had graduated together with most of my uncles and aunt Fern.
Learn more about our family at MY Family Genealogy Site
JONES family joins the MILLER line
Recently at the request of my former brother-in-law, I began researching his family line. Although he is no longer 'officially' a member of our family due to divorce, he will always be integrated through the child he fathered with my sister.
Recently this child welcomed a child of his own. Almost 3 months early, she is doing well and growing stronger each day. You are now probably noticing that I have omitted names. This is for the privacy of living members however, I have some ancestors that I can report on from this new avenue of research.
Our 'Jones' is the son of JAMES LINCOLN JONES (1863 - 1957) and HALLIE ROOF (1917-1977), the daughter of JOHN R ROOF and DELPHA COATES.
Delpha Coates (1900-1971) is the daughter of THOMAS C. COATES and PHOEBE A. STURGEON.
Thomas C. Coates(1852 - ???) is the son of SIMEON COATES and SARAH ELIZABETH ???.
The mother of John R Roof (1890-1955) is HARRIET FRANCES DAVIS (1866-1922).
Harriet Frances Davis is the daughter of JOHN WHITE DAVIS (1842 - 1909) and MARY ANN HAZELIP (1841 - 1904)
and Here the wall emerges. If you have any information that can help me move through this family line, it would be appreciated.
Meanwhile, back to the research.
If you haven't visited my Family Genealogy site yet, you are welcome to drop in and see what has been added, including the new section, MyTrees which I am building to include the majority of results I have gathered in my research. Grab a free gift while you are there and you can also access the documents I have uploaded, such as the BOZEMAN family tree book.
Our Family is Growing Again!
First, let me apologize for my infrequent visits to this forum. I have been up to my eyeballs in genealogy as well as maintaining several other websites and writing books. BUT, as we have some new information I have re-registered at Ancestry.com and am updating my files. Look for Millerfull2011 (tree/31758862/family) for the most recent updates there.
New additions:
Richard F. Scott (my eldest son) and his wife Leah Noem Scott, now have a new daughter, Livia Scott. She was born in mid-June and is an absolute baby-doll. Growing like the leaves on a young tree. LOL.
We now have word that my nephew, Brandon Jones, son of my 2nd sister, Cynthia and Wayne Jones (div) is expecting his first child in August 2012. We wish them well.
Martha Jane 'Peter" Miller Wesley McArther is still with us and holding to her promise to reach 90. However, we said goodbye to my mother, Anne Elschner Miller on 12 Dec 2008, My Uncle Jack Miller on 10 Oct 2009, and my cousin, Peter's son, Doug Wesley, in Feb 2009.
I think that about updates most of what was missing (I hope). I have also begun researching Cindy's ex-husband's "Jones" family at his request so his information is now included. Additionally, the Cagle line is growing as well as I research my husband's family.
Have a wonderful Christmas season everyone. I'll be back in January with more info, I hope.
Barbara.
Elschner Connections - research updates
UPDATE TO RESEARCH -
This is translated from german using google translate. Please overlook grammar or language diversions.
Ancestor list Hans and Liselotte Elschner
1a. Elschner, Hans Friedrich Wilhelm, cand.med. in Jena, * D?hringshof 09.05.1900, + St.Andresberg - Resin 03.04.1946, [] St.Andresberg - Resin
oo Landsberg Warta 15.03.1927 Sophie Kl?nne
1b. Elschner, Liselotte, * D?hringshof 12.03.1905, + 14.03.1905 D?hringshof
1. Ancestry
2. Elschner, Johannes Karl Emil, Protestant, MD. u. prakt doctor * Prettin 09/12/1869, 10/06/1869 Prettin ~, + D?hringshof, Brandenburg?
oo Brandenburg, Havel 10/03/1899 Anna Wegener
3. Wegener, Anna Elsa Matilde, * Brandenburg 2/25/1881 (or 2/12/1867?), + F?hringshof 01/26/1930
oo Brandenburg, Havel John Elschner 10/03/1899
2. Ancestry
4. Elschner, Emil Theodor, Protestant Pastor, * Wessnig 08/03/1835, ~ Wessnig 03.10.1835, + 09.07.1905 Bleddin
Pastor to Prettin, Elster and Bleddin
oo Dommitzsch 17/09/1867 Hedwig Hengesbach
Sources: progenitor of the line Wessnig - Bleddin
5. Hengesbach, Hedwig Wilhelmine Clara, Protestant, * Dommitzsch 28/02/1846, ~ Dommitzsch 16.03.1846, + 06.24.1918 Dommitzsch
oo Dommitzsch 17/09/1867 Emil Elschner
6. Wegener, Julius, sawmill owners, *?, + Brandenburg?
3. Ancestry
8. Elschner, Johann Karl, Protestant, cantor and teacher, * Schildau 10/21/1803, ~ Schildau 10.24.1803, + 07.17.1893 Lossnig
oo Beck joke 11/05/1828 Johanna Schultze
Sources: progenitor of the line Wessnig
9. Schultze, Johanna Dorothea, Protestant, Taura * 10/01/1800, 03/19/1800 ~ Taura, + Wessnig 11/03/1860
oo 05.11.1828 Johann Beck joke Elschner
10. Hengesbach, John, Cath., Merchant, Siedlingshausen * iW 05.08.1819, + 01.03.1896 Dommitzsch
and Senator
oo I. Dommitzsch 12/10/1843 Johanne Hoffmann, II Emilie Thekla
11. Hofmann, Johanne Caroline Louise, Protestant, Dommitzsch * 04/11/1819 + 30/08/1890 Dommitzsch
oo Dommitzsch 10/12/1843 John Hengesbach
4. Ancestry
16. Elschner, Johann Georg, Protestant, hoof-and weapons master blacksmith, * 02/19/1768 Taura, Taura ~ 19.02.1768, + 11.22.1813 Schildau
The hoof-and weapon smith and citizens Johann Georg Elschner Schildau has a family or domestic character, the hammer and tree as a sign of his craft contained. He died at the age of 45 years and his fourth Son Johann Christian Elschner, who later also learned the blacksmith trade, was the death of his father's only 12 years old. The forge was therefore not in the family but was sold. This course was also the old house characters are lost. Through oral traditions we were the characteristics of the sign. Johann Karl Elschner (6th child of Johann Georg) helped in 1900 than 90 years in the reconstruction of today's family coat of arms ...
oo Schildau 7/31/1791 Juliana Herber
Sources: 1 Family and domestic character of the "family Elschner" came from Johann Georg Elschner
17. Herber, Juliana Johanna, * 20.1.1772 Schildau, + Schildau 26/05/1817
oo 07.31.1791 Johann Schildau Elschner
18. Schultze, Johann Christoph, Protestant, linen weaver, H?fner and church leaders and Taura * 07.26.1769, + 01.20.1843 Taura
oo Taura 07/10/1796 Hanna Rohland
19. Rohland, Hanna Dorothea, * 1774, + Taura 05/31/1834
Taura oo 07.10.1796 Johann Schultze
20. Hengesbach, Henry, Cath., Baker, * Siedlingshausen iW 29/02/1780, 03/01/1780 ~, + Siedlingshausen i.W. 09.03.1862
oo Siedlingshausen i.W. 23/06/1805 Regina Ritter
21. Knight, Regina, Cath., * Siedlingshausen i.W. 12.19.1779, + Siedlingshausen i.W. 21.10.1857
oo Siedlingshausen i.W. 23/06/1805 Heinrich Hengesbach
22. Hofmann, Johann Gottlob, Protestant, innkeeper, * Roitzsch 09.04.1776, + 27.01.1847 Dommitzsch
Owner of the inn "Zum red deer" in Dommitzsch
oo Roitzsch 09/30/1804 Johanne Richter
23. Richter, Johann Christian, Protestant, Roitzsch * 13/06/1782 + 24/11/1844 Dommitzsch
oo 09.30.1804 Johann Hoffmann Roitzsch
5. Ancestry
32. Elschner, Johann Christian, landlords, Taura * 01.05.1741, + 08.25.1816 Taura
Owner of the parent material in Taura "half-H?fner"
oo Taura 16/01/1766 Hanna Beyer
33. Beyer, Hannah Sophia, * 18.5.1746 Taura, Taura + 03/16/1811
Taura oo 01.16.1766 Johann Elschner
34. Herber, Johann Christian, hoof-and armourer, * Hohenroda?, + Schildau 04/19/1791
oo Schildau 01/10/1769 Johanna Kauffert
35. Kauffert, Johanna Magdalena, * 16.11.1739 Schildau, + Schildau 04/19/1791
oo 10.01.1769 Johann Herber Schildau
36. Schultze, Johann Georg, neighbors and residents, Taura * 08.19.1741, + 21.12.1804 Taura
oo Sitzenroda 10/01/1764 Anna Hempel
37. Hempel, Anna Marie, * Sitzenroda 17.10.1744, + 25.01.1809 Taura
oo 01.10.1764 Johann Schultze Sitzenroda
38. Rohland, Johann Gottfried, Huefner, * 11.2.1739 (or 1734), Taura + 28/08/1813
oo 1770 Dorothea?
39. ?, Dorothea Elizabeth, * 13.11.1747, + 09.05.1820 Taura
oo 1770 John Rohland
40. Hengesbach, Caspar, *?, + 01/09/1824
oo Siedlingshausen i.W. 09/15/1774 Gertrude Ricker
41. Ricker, Gertrud
oo Siedlingshausen i.W. 09/15/1774 Caspar Hengesbach
42. Ritter, Johann Christoph, * Siedlingshausen i.W. 1746 + Siedlingshausen i.W. December 1814
oo Theresia G?rdes
43. Gordes, Theresia, *?, + Siedlingshausen i.W. ?
oo Johann Ritter
44. Hofmann, Johann Gottlieb (or Gottfried), H?usler, * 1738, + Roitzsch 04/19/1815
oo Waidenhain 28/11/1775 Marie Thiemich
45. Thiemich, Dorothy Marie, * 1750, + Roitzsch 19/03/1816
Waidenhain oo 28.11.1775 Johann Hofmann
46. Richter, Johann Gottlob, bartender, gardener, Roitzsch * 11.17.1757, +?
oo Roitzsch 17/04/1781 Anna Heyne
47. Heyne, Anna Marie Mueller, * Roitzsch 06.30.1750, + 08.10.1797 Roitzsch
oo 17.04.1781 Johann Richter Roitzsch
6. Ancestry
64. Elschner, George, landlords, Taura * 1698, + before 1766
Owner of the parent material in Taura. Stood as a young dragoon with the Saxon troops, assaulted the success together with Prussian and Danish troops in 1715 Stralsund.
oo late married before 1741? ?
65. ? Woman *?, +?
oo married very late before 1741 George Elschner
66. Beyer, Michael, resident, * 8.2.1705, + Taura July 1761, [] Taura 18/07/1761
oo Maria K?rner
67. Grains, Maria Elizabeth, * 18.2.1708 Taura, Taura + December 1773, [] Taura 10/12/1773
oo Michael Beyer
68. Herber, Samuel, neighbor and Pferdner in Hohenroda, *?, In summer 1758 +
70. Kauffert, Johann Christian, city and town musician Pfeifer, *?, + Schildau 06/03/1765
oo Johanna?
71. ?, Johanna Magdalena, * 1700, + Schildau 06/08/1779
oo Johann Kauffert
72. Schulze, Johann Christian, Huefner, * Taura about 1715 (or 1719), + Taura March 1779, [] Taura 03/28/1779
oo Anna?
73. ?, Anna, *?, +?
oo Johann Schulze
74. Hempel, Johann Gottfried, linen weaver
and alderman in court Sitzenroda
82. Ricker, Conrad, *?, +?
oo Maria K?ster
83. Koester, Mary, *?, +?
oo Conrad Rickers
84. Ritter, Rudolph, *?, +?
oo Magdalena Schumacher
85. Schumacher, Magdalena, *?, +?
oo Rudolph Ritter
90. Thiemich, Johann Christian, Huefner, * 1722, +1798, [] willow grove 20.07/09.1798
and neighbor in Willow Grove
oo Anna?
91. ?, Anna Rosine, *?, + Weidenhain 04/01/1800
oo Johann Thiemich
92. Richter, Johann Paul, gardener, * 1731, + Roitzsch 11/06/1808
and church father Roitzsch
oo Roitzsch 02/06/1757 Marie Mueller
93. Mueller, Marie Elisabeth, *?, + Roitzsch 12/05/1760
oo 02.06.1757 Johann Richter Roitzsch
94. Heyne, Johann Christoph, gardener, * 1722, + Roitzsch 02/23/1773
and residents in Roitzsch
oo Maria before 1750?
95. ?, Maria Elizabeth, * 1720, + Roitzsch 07/11/1802
oo before 1750 Johann Heyne
7. Ancestry
128. Elschner, George, landlords, Sitzenroda * 1654, + Taura 06/03/1717
Owner of the parent material in Taura, Taura H?fner and residents in
oo 1687 Maria F?rll
129. F?rll, Maria, Taura * 1662, + 1726 Taura
1687 oo Georg Elschner
134. K?rner, Andreas, *?, +?
married to a ... Elisabeth,
184. Richter, Johann Heinrich, gardener, * 1704, + Roitzsch 12/30/1772
and residents in Roitzsch
oo Sabine?
185. ?, Sabine, *?, + Roitzsch 23/09/1764
oo Johann Richter
186. Mueller, Gottfried, gardener, *?, +?
on 07.19.1757 mentioned in Roitzsch, full translation in Wittenberg and gardeners in Roitzsch
8. Ancestry
256. Elschner, Johann Georg (II), landlords and Huefner, * Sitzenroda around 1623, + before 3.1.1698 Taura
erwab in 1666 the family estate in Taura, residents in Sitzenroda and Taura, later H?fner
oo I. Dorothea Thimich, II Magdalena?
257. Timich, Dorothea, *?, +?
oo Johann Elschner
258. F?rll, Peter, resident, *?, + Taura?
oo Maria?
259. ?, Maria, *?, +?
oo Peter F?rll
Secrets in the Attic
Have you discovered a box of secrets in the attic? I did, and boy what an interesting addition to my research.
After the death of my grandmother Rogers- MILLER in 1978, my aunt received a trunk full of old letters, photos and things from her estate. This got placed in her attic and forgotten. It was not until after the death of her husband and her decision to sell the huge 6BR family home and downsize, that the trunk was rediscovered.
I can remember that saturday morning. "Barbara, do you want this old trunk of my mother's. It is just full of old letters and stuff?"
Well, duh. YES! By this time I was actively researching our family history and had been pestering my aunt, among others,for information. So, I set out to get the trunk, wondering if the content my open some new secrets for me to explore.
Sure enough, as I excitedly anticipated the possible content I hurried home and tore into the chest. Of course, I only glanced at most of the documents and letters, placing them in neat piles on the table so that I could sort and catalogue them later, but I just could not stop, until I found it.
Imagine my shock when I found my grandfather's divorce papers and learned that, not only had he been married before my grandmother, but he had two children by his first wife! OK, back to the phone to grill my aunt. No, she knew nothing about this and was quite curious to find out. So together we set out to learn all about this closely guarded secret my grandparents kept from all of os for over 50 years.
Well, it took some time but we found out what we wanted to know and shared the information, but there are other secrets waiting for me in those old letters, carefully tied into packages and stored for others to find some day.
My grandmother knew that eventually these letters and documents would be discovered. Perhaps she hoped no one would care and they would be tossed, but, either way, I am so grateful that she kept them for all those years and that my aunt was absent minded enough to forget to toss them out.
What secrets await you in your search? Don't discount those faded old letters and papers stuck in a box in a corner of an attic or closet. The treasures they contain may be your life's golden discovery.
We now have two more major branches and a slew of new relations to get to know. Isn't it just wonderful?
Understanding History in Genealogy
I am a genealogy AND a History buff. I quickly discovered the benefits of combining my understanding and knowledge of history with me genealogy research. Now, my Family Tree is full of people I have come to know, and not just a bunch of disconnected names on a list.
Let me explain what I mean. When beginning my research I learned the my paternal ancestors, Miller and Rogers were primarily from the mid-western farming region. This led me to look at the history of the region during the times that my father's family lived there. I discovered that many of the 'traits' in our family such as hard working,adaptability,studious,crafty, and so on seemed to stem from lives spent working from sun-up to sundown. Adapting to the adversity of farm life and unpredictable weather, a desire to learn how to work smarter not harder, and a need to create many of the tools and other things needed for everyday life.
This is a somewhat simplistic example,but understanding the horrors of the age of the dust bowl and the frustration of dealing with drought and trying to hang on till the rains came, gave me a little more insight.
Similarly, the horrors of WWI and WWII that directly impacted my family, especially my German born mother, Anne Elschner (1927 - 2008) and maternal ancestors, helped me to understand much of the skepticism we all seem to have with regards to politics, our frugality, and a desire to look beyond color or nationality. It explains our love of baked goods as these were a staple in my mother's and her ancestors diets. These are traits and direct lessons, if you will, that our parents learned the hard way and passed along to us.
By connecting the events of history to your genealogical time line and especially, uncovering personal histories and connecting them to the 'accepted known history' of an era or a location, can open your eyes to the people that are represented by those names on your family tree.
Take a look at history - climb your family tree and uncover your roots.
Update on Miller Family losses
Here is a brief update to the genealogical info on the Wayne G. Miller branch of the Family.
Jonathan Lloyd Miller death Oct 2009
Anne Elschner Miller death Jan 2008
Frank Douglas Wesley III death Feb 2008
The last remaining member of W. G. Miller's immediate family (children) is Martha Jane "Peter" Miller Wesley. She is now 80 and quite spry and I have forbidden her to have any terminal illness or accident for at least 10 years. She promised to try to comply.
Please update your records as I do not have time at the moment to update the genealogy records online. I will get it done as soon as I possibly can.
