Martha Evergreen “Eva” (Gibson) Miller was born on April 7, 1884, in Globe, Pinal County, Arizona Territory, to William Washington and Sarah Ann (Haynes) Gibson. Eva, one of thirteen children, lived in Arizona all of her life.
On December 25, 1901, she married Harley William Miller in a double wedding with her sister, Dora Nellie, who married Chester Shupp. The wedding took place in Skull Valley, Yavapai County. Mr. Miller’s grandfather, Jake Miller, and Sam Miller, his uncle, were members of the Walker party of 1863.
Harley and Eva lived on Date Creek Ranch fifteen miles outside of Congress, and in Prescott on Dougherty Street. Eva and Harley had seven children: Harley Leroy, born in 1903; Archie Barnard, born in 1906; Nora Eva (Mrs. C. L. Cornwall), born in 1908; Dora “Grace” (Mrs. Cummings), born in 1913; James Lee, born in 1917; Edna May (Mrs. William Byliff), born in 1920; and Mary Ellen (Mrs. Ray Dowdy), born in 1927.
Martha was a kind, loving, patient, little pioneer lady to both her family and her friends. A very hard-working ranch woman, she was a wonderful cook who loved to make everything special for holidays. She always raised big summer and winter gardens on the Date Creek Ranch and loved to can fruits and vegetables. In addition, Eva was an excellent seamstress, who enjoyed making clothes for her family.
The Prescott Evening Courier reported on December 20, 1951, that Eva and Harley, with Eva's sister, Dora Nellie, and her husband, Chester Shupp, were celebrating their golden wedding anniversaries together.
Harley died in 1952 in Kingman, Arizona, and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott.
Eva’s last few years were spent in the Arizona Pioneers' Home, where she was very content and joined in all the activities. In her spare time, she crocheted many beautiful things, before passing away at age ninety-four on May 23, 1978. She was buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott.
Donor: Mary Ellen (Miller) Dowdy, daughter, 1996
Photo Located: LeRoy Eslow Collection, PC-4, Box 6, F-2, Item-Z1975-481-242
Updated: 12/02/2015, N. Freer
