Aunt Mayme

A foggy day in November and warm, unseasonably so. Not a good day for photos, so I'm opting for more genealogy.

Mary Elizabeth Miller Mowrey was born August 16, 1884 in Desoto, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of G.L. and Nancy Jane Miller. This was taken in the 1900's, but I'd just be guessing the date.

George E. (Fritz) Miller and Charles Miller taken about 1884 in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Mayme's older brothers. Fritz was born August 28, 1875. Charles was born May 22, 1877.

From a letter from Mayme Miller Mowrey to Jane Miller in 1968:

“Don't tell me that you've never heard any details about the journey north! Or when the girls first came to our house. Mama and I were home alone one day first week in July, 1899. Papa was gone out of town for the day. George McDill came to tell the folks about Uncle George's death and to talk over what was to be done about the four girls. He had always told the girls if anything ever happened to him, they should get in touch with their cousin George. Mama didn't know just what to tell him and they made no decision. The next thing happened about a week later. Papa got a telegram from George saying he and the four girls would arrive on the midnight train on the Burlington road. Charlie happened to be home, so he and papa met the train. I don't remember the exact date, but it was in the first week of July, 1899. They all stayed with us until early in November. Then Gladys and Mollie went to live with George, and Ruth and Ella stayed with us. The next summer, as soon as school was out, Glad and Mollie came back and stayed all summer.

Ruth graduated from high school in 1901 and she came up here and taught school. Maxwells lived up here and she stayed with Aunt Em as much as possible. She always had the most horrible boarding places!

In April, 1903, the move up here was made. I've always wondered why! Your dad had been up here since the fall of 1901 - I think. Papa chartered a box car for the move. One end of it was shut off some way an d was fixed up for living quarters for mama, Ella, and "grossvater" and Papa. In the rest of the car, they brought a pet trotting horse, some cattle, I don't remember how many. They left P.D.C. [Prairie du Chien] in the evening of April 7, 1903, and arrived in Spooner the morning of April 10th. It must have been a horrible trip. How many times have I heard that pastures were green, so that the cattle could be turned out to eat!? Nothing like that very often the first part of April these days.

I stayed in P.D.C. until school was out in June. Gladys was graduated in Omaha the same year. Then she came up here the same day I did. We met in the union depot in St. Paul and came on to Spooner together. She never went back.

Your dad and mother [Ed. Geo. E. and Melissa Miller] had been married in January and lived in the log house. It must have expanded its walls, for it encompassed all the new comers! It was about two years before the other house was built. You must remember a lot about things in later years.”