Miller, Louise Dorothea

Female 1888 - 1969  (80 years)


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  • Name Miller, Louise Dorothea 
    Born 16 Sep 1888  Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Female 
    Died 3 May 1969  St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 4

    • The following is a transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an obituary for Louise Dorothea Miller. Gretchen Leenerts reported that the obituary had appeared on 4 May 1969 in the St. Joseph News-Press, of St. Joseph, Missouri.

           Miss Louise Miller, long prominent in musical circles here, died Saturday afternoon at a hospital here at the age of 80. Miss Miller suffered a stroke in August 1967 and after a lengthy hospital stay here was taken to her home in Wathena. Last Tuesday she was returned to the hospital. As a voice and piano teacher in St. Joseph for more than 40 years, she had instructed a large number of young people living all over Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri. She was called upon often to be a judge in music contests and was well-known in Kansas City and other cities as the result. Miss Miller was born 16 September 1888 at Wathena to the late Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Miller. She was graduated from Wathena High School in 1905 and from MacMurray College of Jacksonville, Illinois in music in 1911. Following her graduation she taught at the college for several years. Then she went to Chicago to study voice with Frederic Root and was an associate professor of voice at the University of Kansas from 1922 to 1924. Miss Miller next spent two years in New York studying voice with William Brady and others. On returning to the Middle West she opened a voice and piano studio in the Empire Trust Building and at the same time became choir director at the Westminster Presbyterian Church. She served the church 32 years, retiring in August 1960, and continuing with her private teaching. In the meantime she had moved her studio to the Schneider Building. Miss Miller had an exceptional knowledge of musical literature and was greatly admired and widely consulted concerning repertoire. Her ability at the piano was such that she could transpose very difficult music while accompanying a singer and had been known to do it on sight. She was very active in the Fortnightly Musical Club, having served as its president and taught large numbers of the people who performed for the club and for its junior organization. Miss Miller was one of the organizers of the Civic Music Association, the present Community Concert Association. She served as its secretary in its early years and later as a vice-president. In 1932, while serving as secretary, she attended a national convention of the organization in Chicago. She directed an American Legion auxiliary chorus that won many contests. Following World War II Miss Miller was the musical director of light opera productions in Krug Park Bowl. All through her life she was interested in young people and sought to inspire them as they continued their careers. In her long illness many of them came to visit her. Miss Miller was a lifelong member of Wathena United Methodist Church. She is survived by three sisters, Mrs. R. G. Larzelere of Troy; Miss Wilma Miller of the home in Wathena, and Mrs. R. S. Beery of Kansas City, Missouri; one brother, Kenneth C. Miller, a Wathena druggist, and nieces and nephews. The body has been taken to the Harman Mortuary at Wathena. Services will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, the Rev. Floyd Nolin officiating. Burial will be in Bellemont Cemetery, Wathena.
    Buried 6 May 1969  Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    • Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, the Rev. Floyd Nolin officiating. Burial was in Bellemont Cemetery.
    Person ID I427  Fiegenbaum
    Last Modified 9 Nov 2008 

    Father Miller, Jacob,   b. 6 Mar 1863, Weidenthal, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Feb 1941, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years) 
    Mother Fiegenbaum, Emma Maria,   b. 16 Dec 1864, Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Mar 1951, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 86 years) 
    Married 15 Sep 1886  Eudora, Douglas County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6, 7, 8, 9, 10
    Residence (family) 1892  Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [11
    • Mrs. Emma Miller, a resident of Wathena, Kansas, was listed as one of the eight children attending a family reunion in November 1892 at her parents home at Oregon, Missouri.
    Residence (family) Apr 1902  Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [12
    • "Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Miller and children Louise, Frieda, Wilma, Kenneth and Katherine" of Wathena, Kansas attended the celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Emma's parents at Oregon, Missouri in April, 1902.
    Residence (family) Jan 1934  Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [13
    • According to an obituary in January 1934, Benjamin Friedrich Fiegenbaum was survived by his sister, "Mrs. Emma Miller, Wathena."
    Family ID F25  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Sources 
    1. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), page 82.
      Louise Dorothea Miller, child of Jacob Miller and Emma Maria Fiegenbaum, was born on 16 September 1888 at Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas.

    2. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), pages 82-83.
      A transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an obituary for Louise Dorothea Miller. Gretchen Leenerts reported that the obituary had appeared on 4 May 1969 in the St. Joseph News-Press, of St. Joseph, Missouri.
           "Miss Miller was born 16 September 1888 at Wathena to the late Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Miller."

    3. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), page 82.
      Louise Dorothea Miller died on 3 May 1969 at St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.

    4. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), pages 82-83.
      A transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an obituary for Louise Dorothea Miller. Gretchen Leenerts reported that the obituary had appeared on 4 May 1969 in the St. Joseph News-Press, of St. Joseph, Missouri.
           "Miss Louise Miller, long prominent in musical circles here...."

    5. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), pages 82-83.
      A transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an obituary for Louise Dorothea Miller. Gretchen Leenerts reported that the obituary had appeared on 4 May 1969 in the St. Joseph News-Press, of St. Joseph, Missouri.
           "The body has been taken to the Harman Mortuary at Wathena. Services will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, the Rev. Floyd Nolin officiating. Burial will be in Bellemont Cemetery, Wathena."

    6. [S78] Internet resource, KS GenWeb Internet Genealogical Society; Douglas County, Kansas Marriages, 1886.
      ( http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas/genweb/archives/douglas/marriage/marr1886.htm). Accessed on 2 March 2003. Jake Miller, of Wathen Kansas, and Emma Fiegenbaum were married on 15 September 1886. Recorded in Book 6, page 233. H. Fiegenbaum, Minister of the Gospel, officiated.

    7. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), page 81.
      Jacob Miller and Emma Maria Fiegenbaum were married on 15 September 1886 at Eudora, Douglas County, Kansas.

    8. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), page 81.
      A transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an obituary for Mrs. Emma Miller [Emma Maria Fiegenbaum]. Gretchen Leenerts reported that the obituary had appeared on 29 March 1951 in the Wathena Times, of Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas.
           "She had lived in Wathena since two years before her marriage to Mr. Miller 15 September 1886."

    9. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), page 82.
      A transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an obituary for Jacob Miller. Gretchen Leenerts reported that the obituary had appeared on 27 February 1941 in the Wathena Times, of Wathena, Kansas.
           "Mr. Miller and Miss Emma Fiegenbaum were married 15 September 1886 and they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 1936. He is survived by the wife, five children: Louise, Wilma and Kenneth of Wathena; Mrs. R. G. Larzelere of Troy; Mrs. Roland Beery of Kansas City; six grandchildren; three sisters and one brother, living in Germany; one cousin, Mrs. Octa Myers of Milwaukee; two second cousins, Mrs. Harlan Bradley of Milwaukee and Charles Chase of St. Joseph. Two daughters, Emily and Elsa died in childhood. Mrs. Beery was unable to attend the funeral, having undergone an operation recently."

    10. [S217] Book, Douglas County, Kansas, Marriage Records, 1885-1897.
      Compiled by Edna Willing and Vivian Clough; indexed by Richard Wellman. Lawrence, Kansas: Douglas County Kansas Genealogical Society, 2008. Volume 2, page 19.
           Jake Miller of Wathena, Kansas and Emma Fiegenbaum of Douglas County, Kansas were married on 15 September 1886 in Douglas County, Kansas. H. Fiegenbaum, Minister of the Gospel, officiated. Marriage record from Book 6, page 233, Office of the Clerk of the Specialized Division of the District Court, Room 144, Law and Judicial Building, Lawrence, Kansas.

    11. [S211] Article or notice, "Family Reunion." Holt County Sentinel (Oregon, Missouri). Friday, 11 November 1892; page 1, column 8.
      Digital copies accessed through Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers (Library of Congress) at (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90061417/1892-11-11/ed-1/seq-1/) in November 2011.
           "Rev. Fred Fiegenbaum, pastor of the German M. E. church of this city, and his wife are enjoying the pleasure of having all their children at home this week for the first time in eight years. It is indeed a dear thing to the hearts of the parents who have passed their three score mile post to be permitted to have all their sons and daughters gathered around them at one time and we trust that nothing shall mar their happiness on this occasion. The following is the names of their children who have been here this week: Mrs. Minnie Sexauer, Des Moines, Ia.; Lydia Howard and daughter, Genevieve, Des Moines, Ia.; Adolph Fiegenbaum, Washington, D. C.; Louis Fiegenbaum, Geneva, Neb.; Theodore Feigenbaum [sic], Lincoln, Neb.; Mrs. Emma Miller, Wathena, Kas.; Benj. and Henry Feigenbaum [sic], Lawrence, Kas., and Ed Fiegenbaum, lately of Chicago, who will spend the winter with his parents."

    12. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), page 37.
      A transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an account of the 50th wedding anniversary celebration for Friedrich William and Louisa (Otto) Fiegenbaum. Gretchen Leenerts did not identify when and where this report was published, but it seems likely it appeared in the Holt County Sentinel, of Oregon, Missouri.
           From a list of the children of Friedrich and Louisa: "...Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Miller and children Louise, Frieda, Wilma, Kenneth and Katherine, Wathena, Kansas...."

    13. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), page 38.
      A transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an obituary for Benjamin Friedrich Fiegenbaum. Gretchen Leenerts reported that the obituary had appeared on 22 January 1934 in the Lawrence Daily Journal World, of Lawrence, Kansas.
           "Surviving are...two sisters, ...Mrs. Emma Miller, Wathena;...."