Rosa D Miles

The Family History of Quinton and Rosa Miles

Quinton Rex Miles was born in Luthersburg, Pennsylvania, March 27, 1858. He was one of nine children born to James Bernard (Andrew) and Lydia Ann (Dressler) Miles. Each of the nine children were born in Luthersburg and then the family moved to Gretna, Nebraska, year unknown.

Quinton went to Danbury, Nebraska, where he was working on a farm, it was there that he met Rosa D. Ritenour. Rosa had come to Nebraska to care for an ailing relative, Jeannie Minniear. She was just eighteen at the time and Quinton fell in love with her at first sight. Rosa was a petite young late and had long black hair and a beautiful smile that attracted Quinton. They began dating and on June 8, 1887 they were married in Danbury. Rosa’s parents were Anthony and Hannah Ritenour of Pine Village, Indiana. Anthony died at age 50 and Hannah then married Moses Leveque. Moses helped raise Hannah’s three children who were 12, 7 and 4 at the time of their marriage.

After Quinton and Rosa married, they bought land from the Miniear’s and later purchased more land making them a total of 160 acres. They raised all of their six children in Danbury and Rosa was the Town midwife, helping to bring all the new babies in Danbury into the world. Quinton was busy farming their land and helping raise the children. He loved the farm and expected all the children to help with the chores, to attend school and get good grades. They each had a horse of their own that they rode to school. Each of the boys took to farming and would often take the machinery to the neighboring farms to help harvest their neighbors crops.

Quinton and Rosa were very good parents, who expected much from their children. They taught them to be respectful, mannerly and to work hard. Not only did they raise their own children but they took in some of Quinton’s brothers children and raised them.

Later they owned and operated a furniture store and not only sold furniture but burial caskets too. Whenever there was a death, the undertaker took care of the body, but bought the casket from Quinton.

About 1919 they sold the farm and moved to Long Beach, California, where their son Bill lived with his family. Quinton could not find work and decided he had made a mistake selling the farm. He returned to Nebraska to buy the farm back but the new owner would not sell. Again, Quinton returned to California and eventually found work. In 1926, a friend of the boys came by to show-off his new automobile, and Jess got in the drivers seat and managed to get the car in gear. It began rolling and Jess did not know how to stoop it. The car rolled into the garage and pinned his father up against the workbench. Quinton died three days later with a crushed pelvis.

Rosa and her youngest son Jess, owned a small lunch room and she kept herself busy, so as not to get lonely. Jess later worked as a plumbers helper and they managed to get by. She also helped her son Bill with his family since he had lost his wife, leaving him with four small children. Rosa was a happy person and enjoyed her family and her grandchildren. We remember her as a very bright spot in our lives. Rosa died of pneumonia, January 8, 1955, 29 years after Quinton died. She is laid to rest at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Compton and he at Angeles Abbey in Lywood, California.