Cecelia Helen (Meares) Miley (1872 - 1947)

Born 24 Mar 1872 in Anona, Hillsborough County, Florida, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Elbert Martin Miley — married 1 Apr 1894 in Hillsborough County, Florida, USA

Died 19 Oct 1947 at age 75 in Anona, Pinellas County, Florida, United States

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Biography

Cecelia Helen Meares,^[1] usually called Celia by her family^[2] and sometimes Cely by her mother, was born on 24 March 1872 in Anona, Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. Her parents were William Meares and Sarah Roberts.^[3] Anona was in the part of Hillsborough County that would become Pinellas County in 1912.

Celia moved to Tampa in 1890, possibly to teach school.^[2] There she met Elbert Martin Miley^[4] though how has not been determined.

A marriage license for E. M. Miley and Celia H Meares was issued on 31 Mar 1894 at the courthouse in Tampa by C. E. Harrison, County Judge. Celia and Elbert Martin Miley were married the next day by G. W. Sellers, pastor of the Clear Water M. E. Church South, Clear Water, Hillsborough County, Florida.^[5]

Celia and Elbert had at least five children:^[6][7][3]

• Lorena Hope (Miley) Broach b 13 Oct 13 1897^[3][1][8] m John Broach before Apr 1940^[7]
• Clark Bruce Miley b Feb 23, 1900^[3][8] m Virginia before Apr 1940^[7]
• Elbert Preston Miley b Mar 16, 1903^[3] m Maree before Apr 1940^[7]
• Kelsey Ward Miley b June 30th, 1905^[3]
• Martin Meares Miley b July 7, 1908^[3] unmarried through 1940^[7]

Celia and Elbert lived in Thonotosassa, Hillsborough County, Florida, most of their life.^[8][9]

She died on October 19, 1947^[10] in Anona, Pinellas County, Florida, United States, while visiting her sister to attend the homecoming celebration at her childhood church, Anona Methodist.^[2] She is buried in Myrtle Hill Memorial Park, Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, United States of America.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Florida Births and Christenings, 1880-1935," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7R3-SHK : 8 December 2014, accessed 2 Sep 2016), Elbert Martin Miley in entry for Lorena Hope Miley, 13 Oct 1897; citing Thonotosassa, Hillsborough, Florida, reference 18-82; FHL microfilm 978,725.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "Mrs. Celia Miley, 76, Native of Anona, Dies Suddenly," obituary, 21 October 1947, St. Petersburg Times, (Florida, USA), page 3, columns 7-8, item 1; digital images, Google, Googlenews newspaper archive digital image.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} Marian Turner Miller, Transcriptions of Sarah Meares' Diary, 7 files, Yahoo Groups: Meares Researchers, 2001.Exact quotes in See Also: Sarah Meares' Diary.
4. ↑ "Florida Births and Christenings, 1880-1935", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7R3-SHV : 10 January 2020), Hillsborough County Delayed Birth Certificate v. 18, pg 82 for daughter Lorena Hope Miley, 1897.
5. ↑ Clear Water, Hillsborough County, Florida, Marriage License, Certificate, and cover, E. M. Miley and Celia H Meares, 1 Apr 1894; images 424-425, "Marriage licenses, 1853-1927, 1940-1956, GS Film number 979059, Marriage licenses 1893(July)-1895(July)," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89KN-Y99G-K?i=423&cat=215107 : accessed 1 Sep 2016); citing Hillsborough County (Florida). County Judge, held by Florida. County Court (Hillsborough County). [The packet cover indicates the completed marriage license and certificate was filed for record on 6 April 1894 and recorded in Book J on pg 260.]
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVKC-2BB : 29 October 2015, accessed 2 Sep 2016), Elbert M Miley, Precinct 39, Hillsborough, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 41, sheet 19A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,175.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4} "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTZL-TGP : accessed 2 September 2016), Albert M Miley, Area C, Tampa, Election Precinct 26, Hillsborough, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 70-96, sheet 1B, family 26, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 635.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M369-FT3 : 20 January 2015, accessed 2 Sep 2016), E M Miley, Precincts 10-11, Thonotosassa, Bethel & Precinct 24, Seffner, Hillsborough, Florida, United States; citing sheet 1A, family 9, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,170.
9. ↑ Tampa Tribune (FL), 28 December 1942, page 2, Funeral Notices, Campbell, Mrs. Clara
10. ↑ "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVS3-DWL : 25 December 2014, accessed 2 Sep 2016), Celia Meares Miley, 1947, Pinellas, Florida, United States; from "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," index, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : 2004); citing vol. 1272, certificate number 20414, Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, Jacksonville.
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 November 2020), memorial page for Celia Helen Meares Miley (24 Mar 1872–19 Oct 1947), Find A Grave: Memorial #61733394, citing Myrtle Hill Memorial Park, Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA; Maintained by Chihuahua Lover (contributor 47005680).

See Also:

Marian Turner Miller, Transcriptions of Sarah Roberts Meares diary, 7 files, Yahoo Groups: Meares Researchers, 2001. Provenance and compiled diary file in Meares Used Files. Privately held by Debi McGee Hoag, WikiMail. Leesburg, Florida.

• 7 April 1894 - "Got a letter from Celia today. I am so glad to hear from her."
• 8 April 1894 - "Today is Sunday. Celia has been gone one week today. If I could only see her a little while but I cannot, but such is life. . . "
• 1 April 1895 - "[...] Dear Celia has been married one year today. [...]"
• 24 March 1895 - "Today is Sunday and it is Celia's birthday. Oh the changes that has been in the past year. She is 23. How I would like to see her today but it cannot be."
• 28 May 1895 Thonotosassa - "Well don't this seem strange. Here I am on the Train going to St. Petersburg.. . Well now I am aboard the Steamer for Port Tampa. It is very pleasant. So cool and nice and now I am in Tampa walking up through Franking Street, and now in the buggy with Mr. Miley going to Celia and now here I am at Celia's home."
• 4 June 1895 "[...] we have had dinner and Cely is taking a nap [...]"
• 24 March 1897 - "This is another day that I can live over in the past. It is Celia's birthday, may the Good Lord spare her to see many more, 26 years old today." [I believe Sarah has listed her age wrong in this entry. Two years earlier, Celia was said to be 23 years old; in 1898 she was said to be 26 yeares old again. At my request, Marian verified that the transcription is accurate. McGee-1611 20:03, 25 June 2016 (EDT)]
• 24 March 1898 - "This is another day that I can live over in the past. It is Celia's birthday. May the good Lord spare her to see many more. 26yeares Old today."
• undated notes
  • "the new baby boy came to Cely's, July 8th, 1908 his name Martin Meares Miley"
  • "Cecelia Helen Meares married to Elbert Miley, April 1st 1894"
  • The following lines came directly below the notation regarding Cecelia's marriage to Elbert Miley in the transcription; it is unknown whether that is the sequence in the original diary. The given names and approximate ages seen on the 1910 Census enumeration for the family of Elbert M and Celia Miley are consistent with this data:
    • "Lorena Hope Miley born Oct 13, 1897"
    • "Clark Bruce Miley born Feb 23, 1900"
    • "Elbert Preston Miley born Mar 16, 1903"
    • "Kelsey Ward Miley born June 30th, 1905"
    • "Martin Meares Miley born July 7, 1908"

1880-1940 Census Records for Cecelia (Meares) Miley (1872 - 1948)

• Cecelia (born 1872) is not in the home of her parents on the 1870 US Census
  • 1870 US Census, Florida, Hillsborough County, population schedule, Tampa Post Office, page 71 (written) 147 (stamped), dwelling 560, family 560, William B and Sarah Meares family; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11675-87733-97 : accessed 31 May 2016), Florida > Hillsborough > Hillsborough County > image 71 of 82; citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 130.
• 1880 US Census, Florida, Hillsborough County, population schedule, Precinct 2, ED 61, Page 7C (written) 393 (Stamped), dwelling 75, family 75, William F and R. C. Amanda Mears family; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-25142-8219-15 : accessed 31 May 2016), Florida > Hillsborough > Precinct 2 > ED 61 > image 3 of 4; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 128.
• 1885 Florida Census, Hillsborough County, population schedule, page 44D, family 448, W. B. and Sarah Meares family [continued from previous page]; database with images, FamilySearch ((https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11806-131366-75 : accessed 2 June 2016), Hillsborough > Population > image 148 of 168; citing National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm publication M845, roll 4.
• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNBH-96F : 14 December 2015, accessed 2 Sep 2016), M Elbert Miley, Southerland, Pinellas, Florida, United States; citing sheet 6A, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: NARA, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,229.
• "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:STCG-9T2 : 8 December 2015, accessed 2 Sep 2016), Celia H Malley[sic] in entry for Elbert M Malley[sic], 1930; citing Florida > Hillsborough > Tampa > ED 88 > Sheet 13B, dwelling 243, family 357; citing National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: NARA, 2002).
• "Florida State Census, 1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNVH-W7J : 14 November 2014, accessed 2 Sep 2016), Cilia Miley, Hillsborough Precinct 22, Hillsborough, Florida; citing line 32, State Archives, Tallahassee; FHL microfilm 2,425,158.
• "Florida State Census, 1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNX2-SL9 : 14 November 2014, accessed 2 Sep 2016), Elbert M Miley, , Hillsborough, Florida; citing line 16, State Archives, Tallahassee; FHL microfilm 2,425,194.
• "Mrs. Celia Meares Miley, 76 ", The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, (1947) 20 October 1947, Page 2, column 3; Newspapers Clip: 139133560 created from Newspapers.com on Friday, January 19, 2024.

Also Consulted:

• Sargent, Martha Eugenia (Meares) (1911-2000). Descendants of Richard Meares, n.p.; provided by Eugenia Sargent Miller (1938-2000); privately held by Debi McGee Hoag, Leesburg, Florida.
• Miller, Marian Eileen (Turner) (1932-2014), Email correspondence, 27 Nov 1995, Meares Family Group Sheet attachment.