H1 Charles C. Miller, born 31 August, 1878 (baby portrait on right). Married 3 December, 1901 to Lucinda (Linnie) Pelagia Burger, born 6 December, 1877, died 14 June, 1959. Lived at Roann, Indiana. Charles wrote the "Miller Family History", published in 1957.
Seven children
In 1962, Charles C. Miller wrote two letters to my mother Florence Miller Royer, daughter of Jacob R. Miller, about his memories of H1 Delphia Miller and an update on the Miller family. Contributed by Marge Weeks, July 11, 2004.
Roann, Ind.
April 9, 1962
Mrs. Florence Edna Miller Royer!
Dear Cousin!
You will no doubt be surprised to get a letter from me. But I have a strange hobby of writing to some folks I never knew. (Like the Millionair on T.V.) and many folks I have not seen or been in touch with for many years, Such as cousins, relation, or old school mates. When I can get their present address. Then sometimes I write only to find they have passed away. I do it to renew old boyhood friendship and also to take up many of my lonely hours.
Ever since a boy I have been a reader of the Versailles Policy and a subscriber for over 60 years. I get news there I would not otherwise. My father and yours being out of a family of 10 and my mother out of a family of 14. I have a great many cousins and relation in Darke Co. and almost weekly I see an item about some of them. Last week April 5, I saw Mr. Royers ad about seed corn, and by getting your address I thought of you, your family and your folks. So I got out the Miller family history we Miller boys compiled and had printed 1957. (Did you get one?) It took me back to my teenage when at my fathers. I thought of your oldest sister Delphia. What a fine girl she was and was taken away so young. You being the youngest I doubt if you remember very much about her and your brothers all being railroaders in some way. How many of your sisters are still living?
I note that next Sat. April 14 is Mr Royers 63 birthday. I have always heard of him as the potato man. I am now past 83. My general health is very good. In 1958 they took off my right leg. In 1959, my wife died and in 1960 they took off my left leg. I now spend all my time either in bed or about the house in my wheel chair. I live in my own home and have a good paid housekeeper and nurse. 54 years ago my wife and I moved from Darke Co. Ohio to Ind. where we bought a farm and raised our family, 20 years ago we left the farm and moved to our little town of about 450, Roann. We had 7 children and today I have about 17 grandchildren and that many great grand children. Guess I am getting old so many things of the past come to my mind.
Just after our marriage we moved on a farm just north of Gettysburg later owned by my brother Henry. One morning I was out sowing clover seed and my wife came to the field and said Delphia Miller had passed away.
In my younger days I happened to have some money and I loaned your father $500.00. When I went to the bank to get it the Banker gave it all to me in gold. Never had so much gold before or since.
My oldest daughter lives in South Dakota, the rest of my children live close and are good to come home and help. Last week one of my grandsons wife and 18 month old boy burned to death in their house trailer.
Write sometime and tell me about your family.
With best of wishes to you.
I am your Cousin
Charley C. Miller
Roann, Ind. 1962
Dear cousin Florence: I sure did apreciate your letter. It was not long coming here. You dated it April 24 and it bore the Arcanum post mark April 24, 1 P.M. I had it in my hands next morning before 10 A.M. off of our rural route. I live in the corporation of Roann but got my mail on the Rural Route.
The money I loaned your father was not in Silver dollars. It was all gold. 5-10- and 20.00 Gold pieces. I did apreciate hearing from your people and the correction you gave me to realize things are soon outdated. I have two books on my desk and try to keep up the changes, but they are now all scribbled up-birth-marriage-death dates etc. I have a great number of great grandchildren now. etc.
Our uncle Emanuel Markers family (Page 3, Miller history) are about all gone now. Clarence died Feb. 21, 1959 and Harvey died March 13, 1962. Harvey had spent his last days with his son Warren at Des Moines, Iowa. They took his body back to Jefferson, Iowa for funeral and burial. I got a nice letter from Warren when he died. I also got a good letter about same time from Crawfords daughter. In printing the Miller history printer left out one line, Crawfords daughter, her birth and marriage dates. She and her husband now live and farm the land that Uncle Emanuel and Crawford once owned. I have been trying to get in touch with our cousin Maud Murphy Montgomery, Phoenix, Arizonia. My son and wife here in Roann just spent several weeks in Phoenix. They tried to find Mauds address but failed. I think most of the Murphy family are gone.
But very little I ever knew of Uncle Andrew Millers in La. My folks and also my brother Earl had been down there to see them.
I have had two hobbies in life, one of keeping honey bees and having honey by the ton, another of making up family historys. Since my wife died I made up one of my wifes folks about the size of the Miller history. I have another of my mothers people and have worked on it for years and contains names by the thousand. I would like to see in print but don't suppose I ever will. I recently took it to the printer and he ask me $800.00 to print it. My son here at Roann who had the slaughter house locker plant and grocery store (which he recently sold) for a while he had a hobby of raising mink that run into to much work so he sold the mink and now he has peafowls. You should see them when they spread out their tails 10-11 feet wide and about 5 ft high and such beautiful feathers. I have so much pain in my right foot (I do not have) sounds silly don't it. I take pain pills by the hundred. My left one is not so bad.
I apreciate knowing that you are spiritually minded for when this life on earth is over. That is the only thing that counts. I just signed paper today so I could vote absentee ballot. I seldom get out of the house. I have such a good housekeeper.
I close with best wishes to you and yours.
Your Cousin
Charley C. Miller
Children of Charles C. Miller and Lucinda (Linnie) Pelagia Burger:
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The Miller Family Tree is a collection of information gathered over the past 50+ years by Karleen & Tom Miller of Morrisville Pennsylvania, and Gale Honeyman of the Brethren Heritage Center. The html version was created by Eric Davis. |