An American Family History

In 1885 John Patrick purchased land and gave his address as Weed, California. The August 18, 1885 Testimony of Claimant for his homestead said he settled on the land on October 15, 1884 with his wife and one child. He had cleared the land and planted.  "There was a small abandoned shanty belonging to one Patrick who has been in Arizona for the last two years. I built an addition to the shanty, dug a well, built a reservoir, set out vineyard, and cleared off the land." 

May Violet Treahy Dobler Miller was born on January 19, 1886 and Wilbur John Treahy was born on November 23, 1887. 

In 1890 and 1891 Nellie and May attended the San Dieguito School near their grandmother, Eliza McKellar's ranch and Eliza was listed as their guardian in the school records. Four of John and Victoria Miller's children were also enrolled in the San Dieguito School from 1890 to 1893, including Nellie's future husband, John Delbert Miller and May's future husband, Robert Wilson Miller, Sr.

Jessie Belle Treahy Randall Kuhen was born on May 27, 1892. In 1893 and 1894, John Patrick was living away from the family with his cousin, Miss Bessie Treahy at 350 Tenth Street. Matilda and the childen were probably living with her mother, Eliza McKellar.

Matilda left in about 1895. Hester Miller told the story

Matilda Jones ran off with someone (a traveling musician, Aunt Nellie said) and left the children and her husband. She was shot in a dance hall in Arizona by the man she ran off with because she danced with someone else. This my mother would not tell me for years, but Aunt Nellie finally did. Aunt Nellie was only 11, but raised the children and kept the home together. I never felt she blamed my grandmother, she said she was beautiful, young and gay and liked fun, and my grandfather was a stern, unfun person. She seemed to understand why she did it.

Nellie, Jessie and May

In 1889 and 1900 the family lived at 330 Tenth Street. Between 1895 and 1904, John Patrick lived at 525 Milton Avenue. His cousins, Bert and Katherine Treahy also lived there from 1895 to 1897.

The Treahy family was listed in the 1900 Federal Census. They were living at 525 Milton Avenue in San Diego. The household consisted of John age 36, Matilda age 34, Ella age 15, May age 14, Wilber age 12, Lillie age 9 and Jessie age 8. John was a Iron Molder. According to probate records Matilda had died the year before. Between 1908 and 1912 they lived at 551 National Avenue (Milton changed to National).  Eliza McKellar lived nearby. In 1906 and 1907 she lived at 521 Milton Avenue and from 1908 to 1910 she lived at 543 National Avenue.

The children began to marry and establish their own homes. May married Leo Dobler in 1906 and Nellie married John Delbert Miller in 1908.  

At the time of the 1910 census they were living in Ward 9 in San Diego. The household consisted of John P. age 42, Wilbur J. age 22, Lilly E. age 19, and Jessie B. age 17.  Wilbur was working as an iron molder and John was the proprietor of a brass(?) works. Wilbur (Bill) married Esther Delcine Johnson (Ettine) in 1910.