This continues a series adapted from the book, “A Port Oneida Collection,” Volume 1 of the twopart set, “Oral History, Photographs, and Maps from the Sleeping Bear Region,” produced by Tom Van Zoeren in partnership with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. Here we continue with a look at the old Frederick & Margretha Werner Farm at the end of Miller Road:
Charlie & Kathryn Miller had four children. Charlie (junior) was born in 1926, followed within four years by his three sisters. He was always known as “Junior” around Port Oneida. Old friends like Leonard Thoreson naturally used the old nickname until the end.
“Annarie” was Charlie’s oldest sister’s actual given name, made by combining the names of his Aunt Annie, and an old friend of Kathryn’s named Rena. (Later in life Annarie didn’t like her name, and changed it to Anna.) Mary Lou said she got the extra part to her own name because there already was a Mary Miller in the community—the hermitlike woman who lived in a shack near Pyramid Point (Ch. 16). ~~~ As Miller Road was not plowed during these years, “Dad took the garage and he dragged it down to the Port Oneida Road and he parked it there, and he put the car in the garage down there; and we would walk down there, and we could go places in the winter time. As long as Port Oneida Road was plowed, we could go places and do things.” - Mary Lou.
