Family Stories

The first thing that I want to say about my father is that he was more of an observer rather than a participant in life.  My fondest memories of and about him centered on the family stories about his childhood growing up in Nevada City. We called them the “Cousin Jack” stories.  Cousin Jacks and Jennies were the Welsh and Cornish mining people that came to America and other parts of the world to work the deep shaft mines of the later 19th century.  My father’s family came fro

This photo of my great grandfather, Christopher Adam Millerwas taken shortly before his death in 1913. My mother always spoke about her grandfather with great respect and love. He died in 1913 shortly before she turned five, so her memory must have been a combination of recollection and stories she later heard about him. My great grandfather was born in Wurtemburg, Germany in 1836 or 1838. Both dates are cited from different sources. A family pedigree chart created by Aunt Ei

This photo of my great grandmother, Mary Axinger Miller was taken when she was 48 years old. Not a great deal is known about my great grandmother, Mary. She was born in Berlin, Germany, on March 8, 1848 and died of breast cancer in Oakland on February 17, 1905. The inscription on the back of the above picture indicates that she came to America at twelve years of age, went to work in a shoe factory in Pennsylvania, and later came to San Francisco. This is corroborated by infor

This is Wesley Washington Miller at age 2 years, 3 months Little is known about my grandfather Wesley during his early life other than that he was an only child, or perhaps, the only surviving child. It is likely that he was raised in San Francisco (or Oakland) where great grandfather Christopher had his jewelry and watch making business. Grandfather Wesley Miller as a young man. I find it interesting thathis dark features are very much like his mother’s. Nothing is known abo

Here is Irene celebrating her 99th birthday in Canoga Park in 1998. Irene blessed her family members and ancestors by being a prolific letter writer. The following transcriptions of her letters to me not only provided direct information about her own life, but she also provided invaluable information about my mother and her parents. In some ways, Irene knew my Grandmother Lola more intimately than my mother and her siblings. Irene, for example, used to refer to Lola as her "s

What can I say about my mother’s cousin Irene Boyne Campbell Stoianovsky? She, along with my family’s friend, Graham Cranston, are the two people in my life other than my wife and parents, and children, who has had the most impact on who I am. Cousin Irene was not only a cosmopolitan woman, but also a bohemian. She was comfortable and open in any situation in any place in the world with whom ever she met. She is like a dish in a gourmet meal with many layers of taste and subs

My grandmother, Lola May Kirk and her mother Martha Ella Sayles Kirk Hasman. The first and only time I met my Grandmother, Lola, was at the apartment in Oakland where Uncle George and Aunt Eileen were living around 1952. I must say that she made a dramatic entry through the front door wearing a broad brimmed hat and sporting a cigarette attached to a long holder. I was blown back by her appearance as I had expected a little old lady similar to Aunt Cora. Instead, here was thi

Aunt Cora (on left) and (possibly) her half sister, Blance, when they were about 12 circa 1885. wish to begin discussing my maternal grandmother’s generation by telling you about Aunt Cora. Other than one, possibly two brief encounters with my grandmother Lola, Aunt Cora was the only relative that I actually knew on my mother’s side of the family. She was a sweetheart, a woman exactly like what you would want your own grandmother to be. To the best of my knowledge, (and helpf

This picture of Marden must have been taken when he was around 14. I think it was at Muir Woods in Marin County. We always called my uncle Mardin even though this was his middle name. His first name was taken from his grandfather Christopher Miller. In later life he called himself C. M. Miller or Chris Miller to others than his family. As I have mentioned previously, my mother and my Uncle Mardin were very close as children growing up on the sheep ranch outside of Dixon. Eile

My Aunt Eileen never liked her given name, Affaleen, and never mentioned it. That was what it was, however, according to the 1910 census. I have no idea why it was given to her. Perhaps some unknown relative passed it on to her. Being four years older, I gained the impression from my mother that the two sisters weren’t that close growing up. My mother was much closer to my Uncle Mardin who was sixteen months younger than her. Consequently, there’s not much to say about Eileen

My mother was born in Oakland, California in a home owned by her grandfather, Christopher Miller, on San Pablo Avenue. She only ever provided me with sketchy references, perhaps because she only lived there briefly, if at all. Her cousin Irene (more on Irene, later) provided an interesting story about my mother’s birth to me and my son, Andy, in the late 1990’s. She said, “Let me tell you about your grandmother’s birth, Andy. I remember it well because it occurred on May 6th,

A number of years ago a friend of mine encouraged me to write down my family history and experiences.  She said, “Do it for the children yet unborn.”  I confess that I’ve spent a lot of time, especially in bed, spinning out narrative in my mind about the people, places and stories that constitute my “history.”  When it’s come time to put these stories on paper, however, my creativity and enthusiasm have wilted like a collapsing balloon;  oh well, put the project off for anoth