The Children of the Immigrants - Third, Dora

The second daughter and third child of Johann Friedrich Elling was Christina Dorthee Elling.

 Born also in Tietlingen, Dushorn parish, near Fallingbostel, her birth record reads:

"Born in the morning of 29 May, Christina Dorthee Elling. Baptised 11 June. Father - Friedrich Elling, Hausw. (landlord) in Titlingen.

Mother - Marie born Fuhrhop.

Godparents - Dorothee Wildung, Ilse Elling, Doroth. Pralie, Christine Fuhrhop."

The Mueller family history (undated) stated:

"Dorothea's father died when she was young and she worked in friendly homes. She worked in grape vineyards on Kelly's Island and there she met Harmon Mueller. The story says that when Dorothea was 17, her father was planning on her marrying a rich, old man. She heard this and put all her clothes in a box and got a ride on a wagon to the next town. She took a job 40 miles away and was gone a year. Her parents advertised in the paper for her to come home. She knew Harmon Mueller only three weeks before she married him. They lived only 20 miles apart in the province of Hannover, and the families never knew each other.

After Harmon and Dorothy were married, they lived in Freedom Twp, then Marion Twp. for 19 years east of Holgate (Ricker farm where Allen Clady lives now) and then moved to the house on 281 near the corner of 281 and 65 where Lester and Emma Rettig lived in Richfield Twp. (now Michael Haake)

Dorothy died in Bartlow Twp and is buried at St. John's Lutheran Church, Bartlow Twp. She died of arteriosclerosis... Harmon and Dorothy's 4 children are Herman, Henry, Anna (Benien) and Minnie (Seeman)."

I could not find Dora in the 1870 census. Her father died that year and she was probably working as a domestic somewhere, perhaps on Kelley's Island. Her sister Mary was there that year. On October 23, 1873, Dora married Harmon (Herman H.) Mueller who also worked on Kelley's Island for a time.

The 1880 census found Harman Miller, Dora and sons Harman, 6, and Henry, 4, along with daughter Annie, 1, living in Freedom Twp. Harman was 42 and a farmer and Dora was 30 and keeping house. Living with them was Frederick Miller, age 15, who was at school. The name Mueller was Miller in this census and I'm not sure if Frederick is a nephew or some other relation of Harman.

Harman, born December 1844, and Dora, born May 1849, were living in Marion Twp. in the 1900 census. Son Harman had moved away and now at home were Henry, 24; Anna, 21; and Minnie, 17. Also living with them was Anna Shumaker, foster daughter, 16, and Charles Heber, boarder, 18. Harman and Dora had been married 27 years now and he iwas still farming. Henry and the boarder, Charles, were listed as farm laborers. The farm was rented.


By the 1910 census of Richfield Twp. in Henry County, Henry and Dortha still had son, Henry, 34 and single, at home, along with daughter Minnie, age 27 and single. They were still farming, with Henry working on the home farm as well. Now they owned their farm, which was mortgaged.

 In the 1920 census, Harman, 75, and Dortha, 70, and Henry, 42, were still on the farm in Richfield Twp. This census told us that Harman immigrated in 1871 and was naturalized. Harman and Dortha could read and write, but Henry could not, according to the report. Henry was listed as a farmer, but his parents were not working.

Dora was alive in 1930, but again, I couldn't find her in the census. Harman died on Christmas Day, 1921, and Dora lived until Feb. 24, 1934.