The Millers in the Windy City

From about 1910 until about 1918, Peter and Dora Miller and their young children lived on the near north side of Chicago, Illinois.

In 1978, while attending a meeting in Chicago, I hired a cab to take me to 4504 N. Kasson Avenue, where -- according to their oldest daughter Marie -- the family had lived. Since the Miller's were not wealthy, I fully expected to find a run down neighborhood -- or perhaps a parking lot or new building.

Much to my surprise, this was the home that I found at that address. It was an older but very nice neighborhood, and I took several pictures. Still thinking that I might have written down the wrong address, I was eager to see what aunt Marie said. It was quite a delight to see her face light up when she saw the photographs. She acknowledged that there had been modification to the structure, but there was no doubt in her mind that this was the place!

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Four of the Miller children were born in Chicago: Alex, Henry, Caroline and John. I was delighted to add this to my sparse collection of Miller ancestor photographs.

She does it again!

Not realizing that he might be entering a world surrounded by art, John Miller kneels down on his San Diego, California, patio to show off a beautiful painting created by sister Linetha Davis of Madill, Oklahoma.

It was a surprise gift for John’s 70th birthday, but wife Cheryl has already laid claim to at least partial ownership of the piece, since she first saw a photograph of the scene on the web many months ago. It's a South Dakota barn on the north edge of Spearfish.

They’ll just have to share!

The oil painting is the latest out of Davis Gallery in Madill, where Linetha lives with her rancher husband, Bruce. She took up painting seriously in just the last year or two, and she’s been doing a remarkable job – winning awards and selling her work. You can see some of her many other offerings at the Davis Gallery website.

Thanks, Sis!

Pete and Dora Miller moved to the northwest Nebraska village of Whitney in 1927. For a half century, they lived there and raised their family there. Today, there are no Miller or Miller descendants in Whitney or Dawes County, but this little community still tugs at our heartstrings and conjures up lots of memories. In the last few years, I've started a web site, Whitney Reflections, that tries to tell the remarkable story about the people who started this community and helped it thrive for many years. And that's why I was truly touched when my sister, Linetha, presented me with a wonderful painting of the Whitney water tower for my birthday.

The tower still stands on the south edge of Whitney and remains something of a landmark for this little village that has a very interesting history. I can think of no birthday present I've ever had that has given me any more pleasure. Thanks, Linetha!

Unveiling the Mystery of 99 Years

SHE was born in 1892 in Schwed, Russia, in the "Wiesenseite (meadow side)" area of the Volga river valley. HE was born four years earlier -- in 1886 -- down river and on the other side of the Volga in the "Bergseite (hilly side)" village of Unterdorf.

Much of this lower Volga region was inhabited by Germans who'd been there since shortly after Catherine the Great became empress in 1762; in the following year she issued a manifesto inviting Germans and many other Europeans to help populate the outlying reaches of the empire.

Despite their close proximity in the old country, Dora Eckerdt and Peter Miller were not to meet until after the turn of the century, when they migrated with their families to the United States. Peter landed at Ellis Island with his older sister, Eva Behm, and her family. Dora came by way of Galveston with her father and stepmother.

They both ended up in Longmont, Colorado, where they met and then married in 1909. For more information about Pete and Dora Miller and their family, visit the Galey & Miller Family History site.

The photograph above is one of the few of Pete and Dora in their younger years. Taken on March 21, 1909, this wedding picture has been a fun topic of conversation for many years. Their daughter, Marie (Miller) Derrick, first told us the story that had been shared with her by her mother.

And what was that topic? The lovely veil worn by the bride -- before it adorned the young Mrs. Miller's bridal gown -- had been a window curtain!

A lovely veil, by any other name, is still a lovely veil. For a few other Miller family pictures, click here.