George W. Miller of Ronks, PA

  My grandfather was George William Miller, the 7th child of Ezra Zittle Miller and Mary Frances Rote Miller of Lancaster Co., PA. He was born March 23rd, 1914, at home, in Ronks, Lancaster Co., PA. He was delivered by Dr. George W. H. Frew, M.D. of Paradise, PA. As was often the case in earlier times, his birth certificate was not filed at the time of his birth; not until Jan. 21, 1942. I think that it was probably required in order to register for the World War II draft.

   In the 1920 Census, the family is living in  Lancaster Township, southeast of Lancaster (I have no idea why). By 1930 they are in their home on Ronks Rd., Ronks, PA. George is 16 years old and listed as a laborer in his father's greenhouses.
   We know that George dropped out of East Lampeter High School after 9th grade in the 1927-1928 school year. He was in the class of 1931, the first to attend the new high school. (In later years it was called Witmer Heights and used by Smoketown Elementary.) The East Lampeter High School yearbook, El Dorado, 1931, has this to say in the front of the seniors section:

Senior Class History
Thinking back to August, 1927, you may see a large group of girls and boys starting their first year of high school. We were rather shy at first, for everything seemed so new and different from what we were accustomed. After a few weeks, during which we became better acquainted, we held our first class meeting.... Later in the fall we entered the High School building. We were the first Freshman class to attend school here.
Coming back as Sophomores after our vacation, we were sorry to find that... (others named) and George Miller, were not returning to continue with us in our quest for knowledge....

   Only shortly thereafter George Miller married Elsie Diffenbaugh. She was the daughter of Harry L. and Viola F. Diffenbaugh. They had both been in the Class of 1931 at East Lampeter High School. They had a son Robert G. Miller on June 10, 1933. Robert passed away May 22, 1936 from a brain aneurysm. He is buried among other Miller family in Longenecker's Reformed Mennonite Cemetery on Strasburg Pike between Lancaster and Strasburg in Lancaster County, PA.

   From 1935 to 1938 George worked as a house painter. I wonder if it had anything to do with Elsie's father being a house painter?
   From 1939 through 1942, George worked for Denlinger's Manufacturing Company, Lancaster, hauling steel from steel mills to Denlinger's, as well as hauling farm equipment and doing truck repairs.
   George and Elsie divorced.

   World War II makes an impact on the Miller Family in the next blog entry.

Miller Family in Ronks, PA

   I became interested in genealogy in 2000. My grandmother, my last living grandparent, died the end of 1998. Beginning of 2000 I had my 4th child. I realized then that it was time to start recording the family's history before it was all forgotten. I can't say that I never had any previous interest because I'd asked her to tell me about growing up in Maine and how she ended up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I hope this inspires my family to share some of their memories as well.

    My grandfather and grandmother, Marian (Ward) and George Miller raised their family in Ronks, Lancaster County, PA. In this photo in the 1960s they are seen behind their home on Ronks Rd. They had 3 children, 8 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and so far 3 great great grandchildren. They were an important part of my life and it's only now that I can appreciate everything they've done for me and the family.
  I encourage my family to add comments.