Person:Albert Miller (24)

Albert “Abby” Ray MILLER, the ninth child of Frank and Hannah (MCBRIDE) MILLER, was born in the family home in Erie, IL, on September 13, 1914. Like his siblings, his birth was not recorded at the time of birth and a Delayed Birth Record was generated in 1979 on the basis of his military record, marriage record, and affidavit of his brother, Walter. Abby was inducted into the Army on April 23, 1941, and discharged Nov 19, 1945, (serial No. 36 028 644). He received a degree from Carthage College, IL, where he met Estelle Gruhn, whom he married in Milwaukee, WI, on April 4, 1952. Abby taught history and social studies and served as a coach. In 1979, when he generated a delayed birth certificate, he was living at 204 South Scandia, Alpha, IL 61413. Upon retirement, he and Estelle moved to Las Cruces, NM, where he died in December 1988 at the age of 74. SS#331-12-1934 Estelle reports that Abby’s dad left home in 1923. When his father, Frank, died in 1946, Abby did not attend the funeral because he had no personal relation with his father. Estelle Margaret GRUHN, child of August and Irene Catherine (Deterling) Gruhn, was born January 7, 1927, in Milwaukee, WI. She came from a family of 10 children. She attended Carthage College in Carthage, IL and there met Abby. After she and Abby married, she taught school three years in Iowa, then the couple moved to Illinois and Estelle taught in Alwood (Alpha/Woodhull) school district. When she and Abby retired, they moved to Las Cruces, NM. After Abby died in 1988, she moved back to Alpha and bought the house they had lived in for decades when they married. They had no children. In 7/20/2002 she was living at Box 297, Alpha, IL 61413. August GRUHN, Estelle’s father, left Prussia at age three for the US; his father was an indentured servant. August was taken from school at age nine to work in a button factory. Because August was a strong church person at a young age, he was permitted to attend a seminary and became a Lutheran minister. He was sent to Canada, where he at one time had three churches. There he met and married Irene DETERLING, who was 20 years his junior. They had 10 children. They were a poor family- a minister with 10 kids! He later moved to Milwaukee, WI, where he preached in both German (until ~1945) and English. Irene Catherine DETERLING GRUHN is described by her daughter as a very intelligent person. She learned fluent German from her husband and could help with church activities with German-speaking church members., , , , , , ,

1. ↑ Illinois Dept. Public Health State File number 206112 = delayed birth record of Albert Ray Miller; 1930 census.
2. ↑ Social security death records on web..
3.   Email from John Miller on 7/18/2002..
4.   Phone conversation with Estelle Gruhn Miller, 7/20/2002..
5.   Estelle Gruhn Miller, phone call 7/20/2002..