CA CA - Donna Jean Miller, 16-20, my grandmother has been missing since around 1965

[evangelicsphere]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but my grandmother Donna Jean Miller has been missing for quite a while now. I don't have many concrete facts about her other than what my grandfather said to my mother, so this is all like 3rd hand data, and no missing persons case was filed.

According to the story my mom always tells one day when my mother was either a baby or a toddler her mother dropped her off with a friend, then left. no one ever saw her again. sounds fairly spooky but since 1 I don't know who the fiend was, 2 I can't ask grandpa Rodger who picked up my mom from the friends house because he's dead, and 3 my mother doesn't remember it, I have no evidence that this actually took place. having no evidence has kinda been a reoccurring theme in searching for my missing grandma.

I do know other things about my missing grandma, such as her being either 16 or 17 when my mother was born making her birth year either 1948 or 1947 as my mother was born in 1964. my mystery grandma and my grandpa Rodger got married because mystery grandma got pregnant. its very likely that mystery grandma decided to just run off and start a new life.

I do have some pictures of mystery granny but they aren't on my computer. to be honest I couldn't care less about mystery granny I'm just doing this for my mom. any jane does found around California, Nevada, or Arizona matching her age range would help. I'll post the pictures when I can, and I'll do my best to answer questions.

 

[Steelslady]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but my grandmother Donna Jean Miller has been missing for quite a while now. I don't have many concrete facts about her other than what my grandfather said to my mother, so this is all like 3rd hand data, and no missing persons case was filed.

According to the story my mom always tells one day when my mother was either a baby or a toddler her mother dropped her off with a friend, then left. no one ever saw her again. sounds fairly spooky but since 1 I don't know who the fiend was, 2 I can't ask grandpa Rodger who picked up my mom from the friends house because he's dead, and 3 my mother doesn't remember it, I have no evidence that this actually took place. having no evidence has kinda been a reoccurring theme in searching for my missing grandma.

I do know other things about my missing grandma, such as her being either 16 or 17 when my mother was born making her birth year either 1948 or 1947 as my mother was born in 1964. my mystery grandma and my grandpa Rodger got married because mystery grandma got pregnant. its very likely that mystery grandma decided to just run off and start a new life.

I do have some pictures of mystery granny but they aren't on my computer. to be honest I couldn't care less about mystery granny I'm just doing this for my mom. any jane does found around California, Nevada, or Arizona matching her age range would help. I'll post the pictures when I can, and I'll do my best to answer questions.

Two things that may help- there is a board on here with unidentified remains and where people's remains were found.

I would also suggest your mother getting a DNA test done at Ancestry and 23andme. Relatives that you never knew existed pop up (indeed, I have one myself I never knew about!), and if she did take off and start a new life out there, she may have had other children that would be half siblings of your mother, to which may lead you and your Mom to answers.

Also, having a DNA test may help with unidentified remains- they sometimes use Ancestry and 23andme to find matches to relatives.

Good luck, and maybe more information will become available to you in the future. Many posters here are great and will help if they can!

 

[Steelslady]

Also, it helps if you can tell us her age when she was missing, hair and eye color, height of when she went missing, and where. We need her last location to see if there's a chance that she is either already deceased and not identified.

Also, have you looked up her name online to see if she is out there somewhere under a new married name?

 

[evangelicsphere]

Two things that may help- there is a board on here with unidentified remains and where people's remains were found.

I would also suggest your mother getting a DNA test done at Ancestry and 23andme. Relatives that you never knew existed pop up (indeed, I have one myself I never knew about!), and if she did take off and start a new life out there, she may have had other children that would be half siblings of your mother, to which may lead you and your Mom to answers.

Also, having a DNA test may help with unidentified remains- they sometimes use Ancestry and 23andme to find matches to relatives.

Good luck, and maybe more information will become available to you in the future. Many posters here are great and will help if they can!

thanks for your reply

luckily for us I recently spotted a 23andme kit on my moms nightstand (she's really into genealogy), and I'll definitely make sure to check out the board.

 

[evangelicsphere]

Also, it helps if you can tell us her age when she was missing, hair and eye color, height of when she went missing, and where. We need her last location to see if there's a chance that she is either already deceased and not identified.

Also, have you looked up her name online to see if she is out there somewhere under a new married name?

when she went missing she would have been 16-20 years old. she had brown hair, and brown eyes. I'm not sure about her height but she would have been around 5"4 to 5"10. unfortunately getting a straight answer to her last location is difficult. if I had to guess based on things my mother has already said it would have been orange county but if my memory serves correctly, that's a big county.

her name is very common and with the limited information I have I doubt I could find her with google alone.

 

[katydid23]

If you could find pictures, that would be helpful too. Her most recent pix from when she went missing.

One question I have---went she went missing---did she have parents or siblings that were looking for her? Did anyone ever file a Missing Person report?


Did anyone suspect her husband of harming her?

 

[evangelicsphere]

here are the promised images

 

[evangelicsphere]

If you could find pictures, that would be helpful too. Her most recent pix from when she went missing.

One question I have---went she went missing---did she have parents or siblings that were looking for her? Did anyone ever file a Missing Person report?


Did anyone suspect her husband of harming her?

okay so from what I know during her fathers funeral her mother had asked grandpa Rodger if he knew were mystery grandma is, as she failed to show up at her own father's funeral, however no one filed a missing persons report, I think. my mother did mention grandpa Rodger putting in an ad in a newspaper looking for her, and after failing to get any information somehow using that info to get a divorce.

I doubt anyone suspected grandpa Rodger of harming her given both the time, and the fact that at the time grandpa Rodger was a fine young man.

 

[Miranda]

Was Miller her maiden or married name?

 

[evangelicsphere]

Was Miller her maiden or married name?

maiden. her married last name was Connelly.

 

[katydid23]

okay so from what I know during her fathers funeral her mother had asked grandpa Rodger if he knew were mystery grandma is, as she failed to show up at her own father's funeral, however no one filed a missing persons report, I think. my mother did mention grandpa Rodger putting in an ad in a newspaper looking for her, and after failing to get any information somehow using that info to get a divorce.

I doubt anyone suspected grandpa Rodger of harming her given both the time, and the fact that at the time grandpa Rodger was a fine young man.

Thank you.

You said :
"I doubt anyone suspected grandpa Rodger of harming her given both the time, and the fact that at the time grandpa Rodger was a fine young man."


'At the time' Rodger was a fine young man. Did he continue to be a fine man, or did that change?

 

[LotsaLatte]

I do genetic genealogy for people looking for biological family. Steelslady is right - Ancestry and 23andme are a great start! I always have the people I help start with Ancestry and if more DNA info is needed, I have them take 23andme and the others. I would recommend uploading the raw dna to GEDmatch after that, if necessary. Welcome to Websleuths and let us know if you have any questions! I'll go poke around some records and see if I can find anything

 

[LotsaLatte]

@evangelicsphere Was Rodger your grandpa's nickname or legal first name? I am looking at records and also need to know if your grandma went to school, got married and had your mom in California. I need to find my solid starting point lol

 

[LotsaLatte]

okay so from what I know during her fathers funeral her mother had asked grandpa Rodger if he knew were mystery grandma is, as she failed to show up at her own father's funeral, however no one filed a missing persons report, I think. my mother did mention grandpa Rodger putting in an ad in a newspaper looking for her, and after failing to get any information somehow using that info to get a divorce.

I doubt anyone suspected grandpa Rodger of harming her given both the time, and the fact that at the time grandpa Rodger was a fine young man.

He may have wanted to remarry and in order to get legally divorced, he may have had to place an ad in the newspaper. Divorcing in absentia so to speak.

 

[sallye818]

I don't really have anything to add other than what the other posters said, but wanted to let you know I'm following the progress of this. I really hope you find some answers for your mom. I'm sure Ancestry and 23&me will be a great help. I am searching for a "mystery grandpa" myself that I can't get any info on...I think my grandfather was orphaned and am having tons of trouble finding anything about his family, even with Ancestry. But to encourage you, I am making progress!!

 

[liveoak]

There were a lot of communes in California during that time. Maybe if you can get her picture out there someone may recognize her.
I truly hope you are successful in your search.

 

[LotsaLatte]

I don't really have anything to add other than what the other posters said, but wanted to let you know I'm following the progress of this. I really hope you find some answers for your mom. I'm sure Ancestry and 23&me will be a great help. I am searching for a "mystery grandpa" myself that I can't get any info on...I think my grandfather was orphaned and am having tons of trouble finding anything about his family, even with Ancestry. But to encourage you, I am making progress!!

Let me know if you need an extra set of eyes, I am always up to help if I can

In the case of Evangelicsphere's missing grandma genealogical DNA tests will only help if she happened to test and/or had more offspring that test. However, uploading the raw DNA to GEDmatch can help if LE ever happens to upload the grandmother's/her descendant(s). I hope that made sense? My understanding at this point is that the grandmother's parents are known so we aren't looking for them or further back. I think? lol

ETA: In the case we cannot find anything on grandma, I would also recommend considering a mass social media, MSM push to see if anyone responds that knew her. We can then put the information we find along with any that is gained from others. Then perhaps get someone to investigate this and get DNA on file. I mean if there are no answers before it gets to that point.

 

[Laughing]

@evangelicsphere , do you/your Mom have a copy of her birth certificate, the older the better? Most states have a way to order a copy of the complete form. (It's likely a scan today.) If you order a new birth certificate, there won't be much information on, just the legal minimum. A long form certificate and possibly the hospital certificate (not a legal document, but often pretty & frame-worthy) will provide some information.

A copy of the marriage license may help. Your missing Grandma's parents will be listed, and the witnesses were probably your parents' closest friends at the time. Those folks may have information to help you.

With the license, you visit or surf newspaper archives for the weeks before & after, looking for announcements & other information.

Was your Mom christened or baptized? The baptismal certificate will again list friends & give us a set point in time. And, a place in a group with newsletters, records, and archives.

Where did Grandma go to school? Many high schools/graduating classes have Facebook pages. You may be able to post her name & picture and have a quick response.

LotsaLatte, too much work & holiday right now, not even time to try FamilySearch; maybe after Christmas?

If your Mom is interested in genealogy, these steps will either be familiar to her or things she needs to know how to do! She should try the USGenWeb website for the county of her birth, too.

23&Me and Ancestry submission will help.

@LotsaLatte & I grab these genealogy-heavy situations & run! But -- we're not kin, you & your Mom will need to request documents.

 

[evangelicsphere]

@evangelicsphere Was Rodger your grandpa's nickname or legal first name? I am looking at records and also need to know if your grandma went to school, got married and had your mom in California. I need to find my solid starting point lol

yes his legal first name is Rodger. I believe he was born in California and never left except for some business trips. he did remarry but my grandma Jannette but Jannette is her middle name. her first name is Joyce. I do know from cousins that her maiden name is Harris. grandpa Rodgers died when he was 60 years old around the early 2000s. that's most the info I have on him.

 

[evangelicsphere]

Thank you.

You said :
"I doubt anyone suspected grandpa Rodger of harming her given both the time, and the fact that at the time grandpa Rodger was a fine young man."


'At the time' Rodger was a fine young man. Did he continue to be a fine man, or did that change?

Grandpa Rodger was kinda troubled. after mystery grandma left he became an alcoholic and smoked like a chimney. I've heard many storied from my mom about him teaching my mom how to cheat in poker and get away with it, or modifying the tv so he could watch *advertiser censored* without paying for it.