RBH Report Keene for George Miller
Item
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Title
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RBH Report Keene for George Miller
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Rights
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RBH Keene
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Type
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Text
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Creator
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Carroll, Jennifer
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Date
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2023
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Description
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Recovering Black History report compiled by volunteers from Keene for George Miller
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Format
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PDF
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Language
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English
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extracted text
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George R. Miller Family
Keene, NH
BACKGROUND SUMMARY
FAMILY TIMELINE
1898: George Rupert Miller was born in the West Indies to Isaac and Emily (Woodiff) Miller.1
1920: George Miller is a 25 year old black male residing at the Cheshire House hotel, 6 Main
Street. He works as a bellboy at a hotel. George was born in England, c.1895. His parents
were born in England as well. Judson Reynolds is the owner of the hotel.2
1930: George Miller is listed in the census as a 32 year old black male residing in the home of
Cora Wicks at 246 Water Street. Landlord Cora rents the home but it is located next to the
Cheshire House hotel. George was born in the West Indies in about 1898 as were his parents.
George was naturalized as a US citizen in 1909. He was married in about 1924 but she does
not appear to live with him. He served in World War I. He continues to work as a bellhop at the
Cheshire House hotel3.
1940: George R. Miller is a 41 year old black male living with his wife Claudia and daughter
Grace M., both of whom are also listed as black. He is listed in the census as having been born
c.1899 in MA. George works as a technician at a dental office. Claudia is 33 years old (born
c.1907) in NY. Grace was born c. 1926 in NY. The family resides at 95 ½ Main Street in Keene,
where they also lived in 1935.4
1948: George Rupert Miller, 49 year old black male residing at 25 Elm Street in Keene, filed an
intention to marry Thelma Springer of NY on 4 Mar 1948. This was his second marriage; he
was a widow at the time and working as a theater manager. This record indicates that George
was born in Cambridge, MA to Isaac and Emily (Woodiff) Miller. His parents were from the West
Indies. His father worked as a carpenter and died at age 45. George's mother was a 65 year
old housewife at the time of her death. This was Thelma Springer's first marriage; she was a 40
year old black female born in West Indies but residing in NY, NY and working as a hair dresser.
Her father was Nathaniel Springer b. West Indies, a musician who died at the age of 81 in NY.
Her mother Louise Parise was born in the West Indies and died there at the age of 69. All listed
1
New Hampshire, U.S., Marriage Records, 1700-1971; 1948 marriage Keene, NH
1920 U.S. Federal Census, Keene
3
1930 U.S. Federal Census, Keene
4
1940 U.S. Federal Census, Keene
2
Jennifer Carroll
as black. All paperwork and blood work was filed on 4 Mar 1848 to the city clerk's office and
they were married by Congregational minister A. Norman Janes on 18 Mar 1848.5
5
New Hampshire, U.S., Marriage Records, 1700-1971; 1948 marriage Keene, NH
2
Recovering Black History in the Monadnock Region project: Roxbury
ITEMIZED RESEARCH FINDINGS
Census Records
REPOSITORIES VISITED
ONLINE RESOURCES USED
Ancestry.com
Keene Evening Sentinel. http://keene.advantage-preservation.com/
FURTHER RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS
3
Recovering Black History in the Monadnock Region project: Roxbury
