THE MILLER (MULLER) FAMILY TREE
Generation One
Freiderich Heinrich Muller was born October 8, 1843 in Verdenermoor Prov, Hannover, Germany, the son of Heinrich Muller and his wife (nee): Welmer, from Soltau Germany. He was baptized in infancy into the Lutheran Church and later after due instruction in the doctrines of the Lutheran Church was received into communicant membership.
He entered the armed service April 20, 1864 as an army recruit second Hannover recruit infantry regiment. He was in the campaign against France from July 21, to December 23, 1870. He took part in the siege of Metz-Foul and Paris, and received his discharge on October 1, 1871, having served his seven years in the German army.
NOTE: Arnold Miller has the army ledger book for Frederich Muller.
In 1872 he married Maria Lueders and this union was blessed with three children, August, Emma, and Maria. His wife died in 1878 and since that time he lived alone.
His son August, in March of 1890, came to America as a young man and in 1893 sent money to his sister Emma, for her passage to America. August’s father obtained the money and came to America instead of Emma. August then sent money the second time for Emma’s passage in 1896. August Freiderick Muller changed his name to August Miller when he became an American citizen on November 7, 1895.
The daughter Maria, stayed in Germany and is married to Herman Scheele. The daughter Emma married Fred Hastedt and they had two boys Fred Jr. and Eddie. The last five years of Freiderick’s life was spent with his daughter Emma.
He came to America in 1893 and lived at first in Freedom Twp. and later in Elery. He was a violin player and played for many of the dances held in the area. He was also a maker of wooden shoes.
Generation Two
August married Mary Kruse, the daughter of Heinrich Kruse on February 9, 1899 and to this union was born three children, Mary, August Jr., and Amelia. They lived all their adult life on 14-862 County Road S Freedom Twp. Henry County, Napoleon, Ohio.
August Sr. died during the flu epidemic on December 21, 1918 and is buried in the cemetery at St. John Lutheran Church, at T-390 Co. Rd. 16, Napoleon, Ohio.
Generation Three
Mary, the oldest daughter died on March 19. 1921 of apendicitis and was buried in her wedding gown as she was soon to have been married to Fred Bischoff.
August Jr. married Emma Bruns, the daughter of Henry and Emelia (Scheele) Bruns on October 37, 1929 and they stayed on the farm with his mother until her death in 1948 at which time he bought the family farm and the farming equipment.
After the death of his father, August Jr. at the age of 15 took over the duties of the farm, this he did until his death on April 13, 1988. Emma died on April 21, 1996.
Amelia married Orville Arnos on October 21, 1929 and they lived their adult life in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio.
Orville was a distributor of gasoline & fuel oil with company name of “Arnco�?. He was also Clerk/Treasurer for Ridgeville Twp. for many years. They had no children.
Orville died Feb. 8, 1982 and Amelia died August 30, 1991.
Generation four
Arnold August Miller, the son of August and Emma (Bruns) Miller born August 14, 1931 chose for his occupation an employee of Eldor Von Deylen Heating and Plumbing Co. He started working for Eldor in 1951 and continued for the same company until retirement. On April 11, 1964 he married ( Margaret Sickmiller ) Kryder and acquired five step children, Theo. E. Kryder, Jane (Kryder) Wachtman Greene, Linda (Kryder) Riefers, Patricia (Kryder) Williams, and Charles Kryder.
Arnold and Margaret bought a fifty seven acre farm on Road 14 B where the railroad crossed the entrance to the drive, ( a long lane ) and Arnold took up farming along with his other job.
Margaret continued working for the inspection department at Campbell Soup which had located in Napoleon. She worked there for sixteen years before retiring. Later when the railroad was discontinued they were able to buy the three acres back that had been sold to the railroad at the time of construction.
Arnold raised beef cattle and sold steers, (some of the best eating in Henry County). Their first dog, Mitsy, a collie got run over by a service mans truck, our second dog Sport was a very good dog and he died of old age, but before he died he spent several years teaching Dusty ( a Norwegian Elkhound ) what was what. Dusty managed to keep the coon, groundhog and rabbit population under control. Arnold had to get up many nights to help her get her quarry, so she would stop barking. Then later, much later they got Tillie, a Pembroke Welsh Korgi. She was pretty, cute, and very loving, very good at catching rats, but nothing much else. She had a tendency to run away where there were children but after Dusty died in the summer of 1995 she settled down to being the watcher over the farm.
A few years before Arnold retired he bought a pair of matched pony mules ( Kate and Allie ) which he is very proud of and spends much time with. There have been many changes around the farm in the years that they have owned it. First they had to change the bathroom before they moved in, but it didn’t take too long to realize that the house was too small. In 1972 they tore down the summer kitchen and built on a new kitchen, utility room, and another bath and a two car garage. Later in 1995 they added a living room with a gas fireplace and they enjoy it very much.
Around the farm there were many feet of tile to be buried, a shed added to the barn, concrete laid for all the floors, and a pole building built.
The children and grandchildren keep watch over Arnold and Grandma and are there to lend a willing hand, especially at hay making time. They have fished in the creek slid on the hills of snow,, and enjoyed many picnics. The Great grandchildren also enjoy coming to see and ride Kate and Allie and feeding them carrots and apples. Although the great grandchildren are very young they find it great to go to Arnold and Grandma’s.
Laura Miller married Donald Baden on June 15, 1952 and they are the parents of five children, Rick, Bruce, Teri, Jeff, and Brent.
While Laura was busy having and raising the five childdren, her husband Donald was working for Von Deylen Plbg. and Htg. where he was employed for about 30 years. In the mean time they bought the Baden family farm of 80 acres on Road R. in Henry County where they farrowed and finished about 600 head of hogs and 50 calves from 2 days old to finish each year They sold the last hogs in the spring of 1996 at which time, weather conditions being bad across the the country brought wheat prices to $6.15 a bu. Corn $5.00 a bu., and beans $8.00 a bu. They now farm about 260 acres and spend time baby sitting for their 14 grandchildren, 11 boys and 3 girls.
Their first son Rick, was born on April 3, 1953. He married Barbara Kruse on Oct. 27, 1973. They bought a small house in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio and have remodeled and added on several times. Rich was first employed at Standard Metals in Malinta, and later for Leader Engineering in Napoleon. Barb took care of her three children and baby sat for others, and then later worked for E.P.I.C. in Archbold. Their children are Jason Lynn born on April 4, 1975, Ryan Thomas born Feb. 23, 1978, Kari Jo born Dec. 5, 1980.
The second son Bruce was born Aug. 27, 1954. He married Susan Debolt July 19, 1975. Their first house also was bought in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio. They have moved once but only one house over. Bruce worked for Von Deylen Plbg. and Htg. for a few years and then went to LaChoys in Archbold. Susan worked small jobs while raising their three boys and then became employed at Aqua Tec In Wauseon. Their children are Benjamin Harrison, born June 10, 1978, Anthony Bruce born Sept. 6. 1979, and Philiip Donald born Aug. 29, 1985.
The third child, a girl, Teresa Jo, born Oct. 8, 1957 married Steve Knepley Nov. 4, 1977. They lived on a farm about 4 miles south of Napoleon, Ohio. Steve farmed with his dad and Teri raised her children and worked for Mike Slee in Napoleon as a hair dresser. They had three children, Joseph David, born Aug. 24, 1982, Andrew James Aug. 21, 1985, and Rachel McKensie born April 17, 1990. Their marriage was dissolved in 1995.
The fourth child, Jeffrey Owen, was born March 14, 1960. He married Laura Ann Disbrow Oct. 12, 1984. They bought a house, large barn and outbuildings on Road 17 in Henry County, Ohio. They spent years remodeling and updating. Jeff worked for SK Tool in Defiance since graduation Laura along with taking care and raising their three children did baby sitting and giving piano lessons. The children are Curt Michael born May 7, 1985, Brian Jefery born Dec. 2, 1987, and Gregory Thomas born March. 2, 1993.
The fifth child, Brent Allen, born Feb. 28, 1964, married Denise Gerken April 20, 1985. They lived in a house trailer on Road U and later moved an old house in and remodeled and added on, and also built a pond. Brent worked for Von Deylen Plgb. and Htg. for a few years and then for an air condition firm in the state of Florida and later settled at GTE out of Bryan, Ohio. Denise worked for Quadco for many years and has just now applied at North Star at Delta, Ohio. They are the parents of two children, Nicholas Allen born Oct. 31, 1986, and Haley Marie born July 5, 1989.
Ruth Marie Miller was born Feb. 5, 1935 and graduated from Ridgeville High School in May of 1953 with the honor of being salutatorion of her class. After graduation and having her appendix removed in July she started working at Wauseon Manufacturing Company where they made spark plug wires. In Dec. of 1953 she met WilliAM: Joseph Knierim who had just been discharged from the Army. He was drafted in Dec. 1951 and was a paratrooper at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in the elite 82nd Airborne Division, besides doing routine army duties. He packed parachutes and made a certain amount of jumps. We started dating off and on and became engaged in August of 1955 and married Nov. 20, 1955 in St. John Lutheran Church Freedom Twp.. The church was struck by lightning in March of 1961 and was completely demolished. A new church was built on the corner of Roads 16 and U, away from the cemetery. Dad was sewing oats when the church burned and Mom and Laura and her children all had the mumps. The children all did very well, but Mom and Laura were left with permanent damage.
In February of 1956 Ruth was laid off from the Wauseon Manufactury Company and Bill was transferred to second shift. Ruth had worked there for three and a half years and many places were not hiring a newly wed female. She finally was hired at McCord Corporation in the office there and worked there for seven and a half years. Bill finally made it back on days and their marriage finally got back to a more normal schedule. After much medical help and without success and several miscarriages Bill and I adopted a special chosen son, Kevin Ray Knierim. He was born Dec. &, 1960 in Cuyahoga County. He was six weeks old when the Lutheran Social Services of Toledo called us and said our son was waiting for us in Cleveland. Dad and Mom went with us. He looked exactly as we had pictured him with a little button nose (which went by the wayside). He was dressed in white and was always smiling. In May of 1961 we moved in with Dad and Mom and we built our new house. After liiving in Otokee since our marriage, we built in Fulton County Road A. It is a three bedroom ranch with white siding on a 1 and 1/10 acre of ground. With much help from our families and friends we moved in just before Christmas of 1961. We added a family room and made changes through the years. We raised our family here and were very happy and Bill and I had a very special marriage until July 7, 1995 when Bill died of lukemia and septicimia. The doctor at Flower Hospital told us he would be home in four to six weeks but he only lived four more days. He was sixty three years of age. It is still very hard to accept and go on alone in our ranch house.
On August 4, 1963 our special chosen daughter Kristee Renea Knierim born in Montgomery County, Dayton,Ohio came to live with us. She was five weeks old when Lutheran Social Services called us and said that our daughter was waiting for us. Bill and I went to Toledo and were introduced to a fair skinned girl with red hair and dressed in pink. We thought she was beautiful and had a button nose (which she kept). The rules stated that I had to quit work and devote full time to raising our son and daughter for at the least the first year. That was great for Bill and I.
In 1965 I started working Pack at Campbell Soup Company in Napoleon and worked pack for 11 years. In the meantime Bill worked at Clevite in the factory as an electrician and carpenter (a very good one) and eventally retired from the U.S. Postal Service where he was a city carrier in Wauseon for 15 years getting credit for 2 years army time. He retired April 2, 1994 right on his birthday. Several of his very close postal workers had a surprise retirement party for him. I knew, but boy was he surprised. Our children also took us out to dinner. We also farmed at Dad and Mom from 1973 until 1995 at which time Arnold took over the farming.
Kevin Rae Knierim graduated from Wauseon High School in 1977 and Northwest Technical College in 1981. He worked at McDonalds, Brookview Farms, Fulton Lumber, and then at United Technology for 13 years, Mazda for two months and at E.P.I.C. in Archbold in 1996. On August 14, 1982 Kevin married Kathy Marie Stickley. This was also Arnolds birthday and he was asked to take a bow and we all sang happy birthday at the reception.
Kathy and Kevin have been blessed with five children, Justin Ray was born May 18, 1983, Jeanae Marie was born August 21, 1985, Derek Scott was born Dec. 12, 1988, Trevor Jordan was born June 20, 1991, and Kelsey Lyn was born April 27, 1993. Kathy is a home maker, enjoying raising their five children and babysitting for many other children. Kevin and his cousins Barbara and Laura Baden are all working together at E.P.I.C. in Archbold.
Kevin and Kathy first rented an apartment in Wauseon and later bought a house in Wauseon which they soon outgrew and then they bought a bigger brick ranch house in the country near Pettisville where they still live.
Kristee Renea Knierim graduated from Wauseon High Shool in 1981. Since then she has taken different courses through the mail and local colleges. On Sept. 19, 1981 Kris married Lawrence Snipes (Larry) from Willard, Ohio. He worked at Hardees in Wauseon and that is where Kris met him. She was working there also, her first job.
Their son, Joshua Scott Snipes was born Jan. 15, 1982. This very tiny blessing weighed on 3 pounds and 5 ounces. They rushed Kris to Toledo hospital for the birth by cesarean. It was touch and go, but she made it. Thank God! Joshua had dark hair and will probably always have problems with his legs which were put in casts at 3 days of age.
Kris and Larry started married life in an apartment in Wauseon then to a house in Wauseon, then to a country home near Wauseon. The marriage was dissolved in June of 1985. Kris and Josh moved from place to place and lived with Bill and I at times. She worked steady at Perfection in Wauseon and later for Mazda when it opened in Wauseon where she still works today. Joshua chose to go home with Larry to Willard when he was 12 years old and comes to Kris’s every other weekend. Kris pays child support. In October of 1991 Kris moved in with Rich Neuenswander from near Delta and they continue to live in the farm house that Rich bought that had belonged to his grandparents. He also has 3 sons, Bob, Mike and Tyler from a previous marriage. He has worked for many years for the maintenance department at Electra in Wauseon and when it was bought out by a paper shredding company he continued to work for them. Chris and Larry were married in July of 1997.
IN MEMORY
Dad (August Miller) after the death of his father spent his whole life after the age of 15, working on the farm with his mother and sisters. After his mothers death he and his wife Emma bought the farm and they lived there for the rest of their lives. Dad was always in good health and farmed until the spring of 1987 and that fall he was diagnosed with cronic and acute leukemia. He was well liked and well known in the community He died in his home on April 13, 1988. There were many changes after that for everyone. Mom was a devoted wife and a good mother. She continued to lived on the farm by herself until her health began to fail. In September of 1995 she became very sick and Laura and Ruth took her to the Fulton County Health Center. She was there for 10 days and was unable to go to her home alone and it was impossible for us to give her the special care she needed so she was transferred to the Heartland of Wauseon Nursing Home where she remained for 7 months. This was a rough time for all of us. Mom died at Heartland on Sunday April 21, 1996.
Since Dad and Mom were both gone it was time for us to make some decisions. We had a sale of the household goods and a few of the farm things that were still there. It was an unbelievable experience for us. There were 3 generations of belongings to prepare for the auction sale. The sale was conducted by Huner and Whalen on June 19, 1996.
It was doubly hard for Ruth without Bill. As we sorted we found pictures, papers and things that we didn’t know existed. Everybody, children, grandchildren, Dan, Megan and Todd Wachtman all helped load 8 flatbed wagons, and since it was raining all week we had to sweep and wash down the floor of the barn, shed, corncrib, and the milk house. The furniture had to be moved to the barn and shed. The sale treasurer used the milk house the day of the sale. The machinery had to stay in the rain. All went well and the auction was good.
We had a pizza party on the lawn for the workers which was very welcome. After the auction was over the men loaded the leftovers on Dan Wachtman’s truck and he disposed of that. It was sad to see things go. About the middle of August we had a thank you and farwell to the farm Pizza party in the barn. Since Bill was gone Ruth could not move onto the farm alone and Kevin and Kathy decided to stay where they were in the Pettisville school district, Kris and Rick didn’t find it feasable to move there either. Laura and Don’s children all have their own homes except Teri. Arnold and Margaret also have their own home. Dad and Mom would be very upset with Ruth since they always figured she and Bill would live there and keep it in the family, but since that cannot be it would be heartbreaking to let it stand empty or at the mercy of renters. So Ruth decided to sell five acres with the buildings. It was listed with Joe Newlove Realty from Wauseon. She felt in her heart that it was what Bill would have wanted her to do under the circumstances.
It was put up for auction to the highest bidder on Sept. 21. 1996. The Miller Homestead sold for $85000 to Scott and Denise Hoover and their four children. Everyone was happy that it went to a young couple who plan on raising sheep and maybe hogs.
It was never thought that it was to be like this, but having it stay in the family was just never meant to be. It has been in the family since 1898 and it was a very emotional and heartbreaking time for the Miller family. Relatives, friends, and neighbors all have lots of good memories. Ruth continued to keep an eye on the place twice a day as she had ever since Mom died. The closing date was the third week in October of 1996 and the memories will never be forgotton.
Written by Arnold Miller, Laura Baden, and Ruth Knierim
Compiled by Margaret Miller Nov. 1996
MISS ME BUT LET ME GO
When I come to the end of the road
and the sun had set for me,
I want no rites
in a gloom filled room
why cry for a soul set free.
Miss me a little but not too long
and not with your heads bowed low,
remember the love
that we once shared.
Miss me – but let me go
for this is a journey
that we all must take
and each must go alone.
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan,
a step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
go to the friends we know
and bury your sorrows in doing good deeds,
Miss me – but let me go.
