Johann Müller (Henz)

#### **Birth**

Johann Müller was born at home in Buprich at noon on December 28th, 1862 to Wendel Müller and Anna Maria Henz. Mathias Schweizer and Peter Reinert were the two witnesses of his birth.

#### **Immigration**

Johann Müller immigrated to the United States of America around 1880 to help on his cousin's farm in Nebraska (Source: Telegraph Hill). Around 1890, he was working as a "black powder" man for the railroads. A black powder man was responsible for inserting blasting powder into drill holes while suspended over a cliff in a sling (Source: Telegraph Hill). When he grew tired of cliff hanging, he moved to San Francisco where he searched for a less dangerous occupation (Source: Telegraph Hill). Johann became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America in 1894. At some point, Johannes anglecized his first name to John and eventually his last name to Miller.

#### **Marriage**

Johann met Mary Clifford at St. Boniface's Church (Source: Telegraph Hill) and they were granted a wedding license on October 29th, 1895.

#### **Life in San Francisco**

Johann and Mary lived in several different locations in the early stages of their marriage. In 1899, the Millers were renting at 242 Perry Street with Mary's sister, Margaret Frances Clifford. John was working as a longshoreman for P.C. S.S. Company. Around April 1900, they had moved to 3 miles away to 1324 Montgomery Street with Margaret. Johannes' brother, Wendel, had also moved in with the family. Another man, named Charles Bonacina, also rented there. John and Wendel were working odd jobs as laborers.

By June of that year, the Millers, with Margaret and Wendel, were renting a few houses down at 29 Alta Street in San Francisco, which was half a mile from the docks. Johannes and Wendel worked as stevedores and were able look out for incoming ships from his house so they could race to Piers 9 and 11 to find work. Unfortunately, the Müller brothers had been out of work for about 4 months in June 1900. Johannes and Mary had 3 children at this time: Wendel, Margaret, and Johann.

In 1904, Johann was was living at 27 Alta Street. By 1910, he had become a U.S. citizen, owned a house at 27 Alta Street, and found consistent work at the docks. This stability enabled the Millers to house various kin as they immigrated from Europe and transitioned to life in America. Three of Mary's brothers lived with the family in 1910: Daniel, Michael, and Jeremiah Clifford.

Johannes spent over 30 years living at 27 Alta Street and working the docks. This was tough physical labor that he performed even into his sixties. Oil lamps provided illumination until three of the Miller boys financed the installation of electricity around 1923 (Source: Telegraph Hill). The only source of heat was from the wood stove in the kitchen and hot water was at a premium. The children gathered tree bark from the docks, residue of lumber unloading, to heat the home (Source: Telegraph Hill).

The boys were also responsible for digging for clay at the Embarcadero near Filbert Street where a large load of clay pipes had been dumped (Source: Telegraph Hill).

The Millers gained new neighbors when the Spediacci family moved into a house at 25 Alta several years before the fire. The children from the families often played together and the housewives exchanged dinner recipes. The Miller families were therefore exposed to Italian food and the Spediaccis to German and Irish dishes. The Millers also made wine in their basement, and sold it for 35 cents a gallon. John's wine making differed from his Italian neighbor's: he changed his wine from one barrel to another on clear days to get a clear wine, while the Spediaccis changed theirs according to the phases of the moon (Source: Telegraph Hill).

In 1930, the Alta Street house was valued at $4,000.

The Millers moved from Alta during World War II and the property was subsequently sold. The new owners dismantled the old house in 1959 and built a modern apartment (Source: Telegraph Hill).

Children of Johannes Müller and Mary Clifford:

1. Wendel Anthony Miller
2. Margaret Müller
3. John Joseph Jeremiah Müller
4. Jacob Patrick Miller
5. James Miller
6. Joseph Michael Miller
7. Daniel Francis Miller
8. Marie Agatha Miller
9. Elizabeth Christine Miller
10. Helen M Miller
11. Thomas A Miller

#### **Social Life**

Johann was a member of S.S. Peter and Paul's Unterstutzungs Verein.

#### **Death**

On April 22nd, 1936, Johann passed away in San Francisco.

#### **Discrepancies**

##### **Immigration**

A different date of immigration was listed on four different census records. The years of immigration listed from the 1900 Census to the 1930 Census are as follows: 1882, 1880, 1884, and 1881.

#### **References**

1. ↑ Birth Certificate of Johann Müller, Bettingen, Kreise Saarlouis, 29 December 1862. Reg. No. 245. Copy in the possession of Wesley Miller on 23 June 2016.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "United States Census, 1900," database with images, *FamilySearch*(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9G8-LPZ : accessed 22 September 2015), John Muller, Precinct 12 San Francisco city Ward 45, San Francisco, California, United States; citing sheet 9A, family 189, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,107.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "United States Census, 1920," database with images, *FamilySearch*(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH4S-NVC : accessed 29 September 2015), John Millen, San Francisco Assembly District 33, San Francisco, California, United States; citing sheet 18B, family 365, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,140.
4. ↑ Johan Muller and Mary Clifford Marriage License, San Francisco, California, San Francisco Call, 30 October 1895, p. 15, column 7. Accessed digitally on 30 October 2016 at : http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC18951030)
5. ↑ "Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory For Year Commencing April 1899", online images, *Archive.org* (https://archive.org/stream/crockerlangleysa1899sanf#page/n0/mode/2up : accessed 23 October 2015).
6. ↑ "Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory For Year Commencing April 1900", online images, *Archive.org* (www.archive.org/stream/crockerlangleysa1900sanf#page/n0/mode/2up : accessed 18 October 2015).
7. ↑ "California, San Francisco County Records, 1824-1997," database with images, *FamilySearch* (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-22060-11656-40?cc=1402856 : 20 May 2014), Public Records > Great Register Index, Dist. 40-45, Vol. 3, 1904 > image 354 of 405; San Francisco Public Library.
8. ↑ "California, San Francisco County Records, 1824-1997," database with images, *FamilySearch* (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22098-14218-59?cc=1402856 : 20 May 2014), Public Records > Great Register Index, Dist. 40-45, Vol. 3, 1905 > image 618 of 700; San Francisco Public Library.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "United States Census, 1910," database with images, *FamilySearch*(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVGX-V8L : accessed 28 September 2015), John J M Miller, San Francisco Assembly District 45, San Francisco, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 306, sheet 4B, family 84, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,115.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "United States Census, 1930," database with images, *FamilySearch*(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCNC-1TP : accessed 28 September 2015), John Miller, San Francisco (Districts 251-409), San Francisco, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0386, sheet 17A, family 419, line 16, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 209; FHL microfilm 2,339,944.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 John Miller obituary. San Francisco, California, San Francisco Examiner, 23 April 1936.