Carl Wilhelm Miles was born on June 18, 1891, so he is today’s birthday boy. It would be his 135th birthday today. Carl was the son of Robert and Louisa (Sandler) Miles. He was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. We can take a look at his baptism record here.

Carl is found in the 1900 census at the age of 8. His father was a farmer in the Central Township of Perry County.

That would be the only census entry in which we find Carl living in Perry County. It would also be the only one in which we find him living with his parents. When the 1910 census was taken, Carl was 18 years old and living in Cape Girardeau and working for the shoe company. He was a roomer in a boarding house.

Carl would get married later during 1910, so let’s take a quick look at the woman who became Carl’s first wife. Her name was Sabra Lowery, who was born on April 7, 1893 in Charleston, Missouri. She was the daughter of James and Dora (Jeffords) Lowery. By the time of the 1900 census, Sabra’s mother was a widow. In that year’s entry, Sabra was 7 years old and living in Charleston.

Sabra’s mother married again to Joseph Cannon. When the 1910 census was taken, Sabra was living in the Cannon household in Cape Girardeau. Sabra was working at the shoe factory. That is likely how she met Carl Miles.

Carl Miles married Sabra Lowery on July 3, 1910. We are able to view this couple’s marriage license. It is a license from Cape Girardeau County, but the wedding was done by a minister from Sikeston.

This couple had one child, a son born in 1911. However, this marriage did not last very long. He would get married again in about 1915 or 1916. Evidence indicates that their son was raised by his mother. Carl’s second wife was Lucille Filiberti, who was born on August 17, 1894. Lucille was born in California. She was the daughter of Joseph and Celestina (Longinotti) Filiberti. In the 1900 census, we find Lucille at the age of 6. Her father was a day laborer in San Francisco.

Next, we find Lucille in the 1910 census as a teenager. She was called a presser for a clothes cleaning business, and her father was a pasta maker for a macaroni manufacturing business.

Carl Miles married Lucille Filiberti, but I was unsuccessful at finding any documentation for it. I think it must have been around 1915 or 1916 in San Francisco. A daughter named Emma was born in January of 1917. Then, later in 1917, after America entered World War I on April 6th, Carl enlisted in the military on April 14th. According to this military headstone application which was completed after he died, we find some details about his military service. He was called a chief yeoman.

The Miles family is found in the 1920 census in which Carl is called a magazine publisher in San Francisco.

In the 1930 census, we find the same trio, Carl, Lucille, and Emma. Carl was called the president of a direct mail company.

By the time of the 1940 census, Carl and Louise had an empty nest. Carl was the president of an advertising firm.

Carl had his World War II draft card completed when America entered that war. It appears that Carl was a partner in a business with a man named Scott.

The last census we can view in 1950 shows Carl and Lucille still living in San Franciso. This time Carl is called a printer, but in the business column, it mentions advertising.

Carl Miles died later in 1950 at the age of 59. I was unable to determine a cause of death. Lucille died in 1973 at the age of 78. They are each buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Francisco because of Carl’s military service.

The story of a boy born on this day took us on a trip all the way the West Coast and the city of San Francisco. A story like this does not get told on this blog very often, but it is not the first. Perhaps it won’t be the last.