Cousin Website through MyFamily.com.
She stated that she “found a Family Group sheet on Edith
Hilts for a different Miller than the David Miller she had. I do see that a
different Miller man was listed in an perhaps obituary, and so there is the
issue, which of the men she was married to, only one, or to both of them.”
The Edith Hilts in question is the daughter of Julius Benson
Hilts and Susan Catherine Doyle.
Background information: Julius was born Jun 1855 in New
York, son of Lawrence Hilts Jr and Nancy. Susan was born in 1865 in Canton,
Lewis, Missouri the daughter of Peter and Barbara Doyle.
They had 10 children and as the 1910 Census states, 9
children living. Known children are Estelle (Everett Stewart), Grover Cleveland
(aka Stanley Uriah), Beulah (Frank Miltenberg), Edith (our subject), Maude
(Walter Eutsler), Mabel (Unknown Salisbury), Carl, Florence (Malcolm Woods) and
Julius Jr.
My cousin showed Edith (b. April 1891 in Canton, Lewis,
Missouri) being married to David Miller (b. 1883 in Canton, Lewis, Missouri).
She listed six children as follows: Norman Lee (b. 1908 Illinois), Marion
Catherine (b. 1910 CA), Daniel and David (twins b. 1911 CA), Franklin (b. 1913
CA) and Thelma (b. 1915 CA).
What I found:
Obituary for Edith Hilts Miller listing only one child
Thelma Ripple and siblings, Beulah Miltenberg, Betty Salisbury, Margaret Woods,
Maude Eutsler and Carol Hilts along with grandson Rodney and granddaughter
Diana Heintz plus 2 great grandchildren. (This matches our Edith Hilts).
In 1910 US Census, David 35 and wife Edith 19 who have been
married 3 years, is living with Edith’s sister Estelle and her husband Everett.
(This matches our known facts).
In 1920 US Census, Edith (26) is living with husband Albert
(35) and daughter Selma (4) and Edith’s sister Beulah Hennegin. (Question: Is
Albert and David the same man?)
in 1930 US Census, Edith (35) with husband Albert (45) with
daughter Thelma (14). It also states that Albert’s age at first marriage was 39
(6 years ago) and Edith’s was 20 (15 years ago). Thus their first marriages
were not with each other.
Also in 1930 US Census, David (57) is married to Alta (36)
and David’s two children Catherine and Daniel are living with them along with
Alta’s two children. It also states that David was 33 at first marriage (24
years ago) and Wife was 17 (19 years ago) and thus their first marriages were
not with each other.
Conclusion: David’s age at first marriage matches closely to
what the 1910 census states. It appears that Edith is fudging her age by four
years and her age at first marriage by four years.
In 1940, Albert (56) and Edith (46) are living with grandson
Rodney Joseph Grant (6) in CA.
I found birth certificate transcriptions online for Norman,
Marion Catherine, David and Daniel listing either David Miller and Edith Hilts
as parents or mother’s maiden name as Hilts.
I don’t find anything on Franklin.
At first overview, it appears that Edith did marry to
different Miller Men, first David and then Albert. I found Albert’s obituary
listing Edith as his wife and Thelma Ripple as his daughter. I need to further
investigate this family.
However, at this time, I am still working on cleaning up my
files and thus I will print these notes out for another day of investigation.
