Christmas 1889 – The Families of Robert Lindsay and Rasmus Nielsen Miller
Typical of the spirit of the people (of Center Creek) is an accident in the lives of the Robert Lindsay family, which occurred before the turn of the century.

About a mile above the Lindsay home lived Rasmus Nielson Miller and his family. One day when the family was away, Mrs. Miller was caught in a brush fire and burned to death. In the ensuing months, Brother Miller did his best to care for the family, but soon exhausted the few funds he had.

On the day before Christmas, one of the Lindsay girls, Elizabeth, recalled the following events:

“Father came in from the yard and called mother and the family together and said ‘I can see Brother Miller walking to town through snow. He is probably going to Heber to buy something to make Christmas for his little family. I’m sure that after the expenses he has had to meet that he won’t have much to spend. Now, why don’t you all go through your belongings and each one select something you like real well to give to this family and we will have it all ready for him when he comes back from town. Mother will direct you and help you to get a gift for each of the family.

“We all agreed. We didn’t have toys and books and jewelry such as we have today, but we all found something to contribute. I don’t remember what each one gave, but Rob divided up his choice colored pencils and sent half of them to Niels. Mother found underwear for each one. There were a few toys and a book. I put my only ‘store’ doll in the pack. It was a choice, china-headed darling with shiny black china hair. I loved it, and no other doll that I ever owned afterwards quite took its place. It went to Minnie. I also sent a tin breast pin with a picture on it to Lana. Another doll was added for Lana who was the younger girl.

“When the bundle was all tied up it contained something for each child besides cookies and candy, and it was really a big, interesting bundle. Father took it down to the road when he saw Brother Miller coming. We watched from the window and could see that he was very much pleased. When he put the big pack on his back and started up the hill he really looked like Santa Claus. Father told us Brother Miller had only been able to buy a little bag of nuts for his children, so he was very grateful for the contributions of our family.”

Source: How Beautiful Upon the Mountains; published by the Wasatch County Chapter of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, p. 1059

This event probably occurred in December 1889. Sister Ane Marie Mikkelsen Miller died 24 July 1889. Brother Rasmus Nielsen Miller passed away in Center Creek on 6 April 1899, ten years later.

Heber Valley Heritage Foundation

Paul K Mendenhall