Betty West Miller, lifelong resident of Juneau, Alaska, is a genealogist, indexer, and local historian. She was born at St. Ann's Hospital, Dec. 11, 1936, married Norm Miller Nov. 2, 1956. The Millers have two sons, Norm, Jr. and Daryl.

Biographical Timeline:

CHARLES CARLTON "CARL" COLLEN TIMELINE by Betty West Miller ;

3/19/1887: Born Grayling, MI (one record shows born 3/19/1886 born in Detroit, MI). The Collen siblings and family had Collen Resort on Portage Lake, Grayling, MI with campground and large Pavillion for many years. ;

1912: Son James was born to Carl and then wife Minnie. ;

3/6/1919: C. C. Collen and small son (James) returned to Ketchikan from the East. Mrs. Minnie E. Collen and youngest son (William) are expected to arrive soon. ;

5/9/1927: Capt. Carl Collen of the USFS Ranger VII back in Juneau from Sitka fieldtrip. ;

10/20/1927: Capt. Carl Collen of USFS Ranger VII left for Port Snettisham to bring Forest Service crew back to Juneau where they have been rebuilding a suspension bridge on the fast trail over Long River. ;

11/29/1927: Capt. Carl Collen takes USFS Ranger VII to Ketchikan for overhaul and repair and will remain in Ketchikan while work is being done and bring it back to Juneau when completed. ;

4/8/1928: married Adelaide Frances Moran West in Juneau. ;

7/7/1928: Capt. Carl Collen left USFS in Juneau for Ketchikan last night where he will be in charge of the USFS craft Weepose. ;

7/23/1928: Capt. Collen brings USFS Weepose to Juneau to work in the vicinity of Juneau the remainder of this summer. ;

1929: Carl's son, James Collen, was killed in Aberdeen, WA at the age of 17 years when he drove off a bridge. James is buried at Fern Hill. ;

5/6/1929: married Adelaide again in Ketchikan. ;

10/16/1929: Capt. Collen on the USFS launch Weepoose dropped employees Jack Thayer and Fred Herring early in the morning off at Eliza Harbor to cruise the timber in a creek valley on westerly shore of Eliza Harbor, southeast part of Admiralty Island. A brown bear attacked Thayer who was in the lead and Herring got up a tree to safety. Thayer was mauled pretty bad and Herring ran back to the beach to get help. Herring and Capt. Collen got back up to Thayer in the dark and dressed his wounds, made a fire to get him warm, made a stretcher and wrapped him in blankets. He kept thanking them for taking care of him, but eventually passed away late that evening. In memory of Jack, Thayer Lake was named for him. ;

11/1/1929: Capt. Collen on the USFS Weepoose, used in pulp tender surveys in Juneau district since early last spring, left today for USES shipyards in Ketchikan. It had a tow, the Heuer, a 36 foot boat purchased by USFS District Office to be used in the Ketchikan District as a tender for trail construction work. ;

4/6/1933: Carl received his Mariners License in Juneau. ;

2/13/1934: Capt. Collen on Auklet for Bureau of Fisheries stream improvement in Wrangell district and then on to Sitka on seal patrol. ;

3/10/1934: Capt. Collen on Auklet for Bureau of Fisheries stream improvement Pavlof Harbor, Chichagof Island. ;

Late 1930s [thru] 1950s: Carl had a painting business with his partner, Max Mielke, painting interiors (and wall papering), and exteriors. He also bought his own power fishing boat and fished commercially during the summer months in and around the Juneau and SE areas. Carl and Adelaide lived in a little bungalow home on Glacier Avenue right next door to the Spruce Delicatessen that Mr. Al Glover owned and ran. [Current location of Alaska Laundry and Dry Cleaners] ;

1963: Carl and Adelaide moved to McMinnville, OR to reside in retirement as they couldn't afford to remain in Juneau with the high taxes on their home and the cost of living. :

7/3/1976: Adelaide Collen passed away in McMinnville, OR and is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Seattle, WA in her Moran family plot. ;

10/26/1979: Carl Collen passed away in McMinnville, OR and is buried with Adelaide in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Seattle, WA in the Moran family plot.

WEST - MILLER FAMILY TIMELINE by Betty West Miller ;

8/30/1915: Pete West married Adelaide Moran in Seattle. ;

8/10/1916: From this union, LeRoy Francis West was born in Seattle. ;

1922: Pete West, who was a railroad fireman, and Adelaide West divorced. ;

1923 1925: Adelaide took son LeRoy West and moved to Sitka where she worked as a cook in the cannery. LeRoy was between 7 and 9 years old at this time. ;

9/3/1927: LeRoy West arrived in Juneau at the age of 11 years on the Steamer Yukon to come live with his mother Adelaide who was working in Juneau at the time. ;

4/28/1928: Adelaide West met and married Carl C. Collen and they married in Juneau on this date. ;

5/6/1929: They must have divorced as on this date they were married again in Ketchikan this time. They later moved to Juneau where Leroy West was enrolled in the school system. ;

4/27/1935: LeRoy West married school sweetheart and next door neighbor, Berna Converse. They were Junior and Seniors in high school. He began working for the A J Mine in the electrical division, which included the "lokie" shop located in the Perseverance Basin. ;

12/2/1935: Son LeRoy West Jr. was born on this date in Juneau, St. Ann's Hospital. ;

3/13/1936: Norman K. Miller was born in Hartford, Conn. ;

12/11/1936: Daughter Betty Jean West was born on this date in Juneau, St. Ann's Hospital. Betty Jean was named after her Mother's deceased baby sister. ;

4/26/1938: Daughter Burnetta Diane West was born on this date in Juneau, St. Ann's Hospital. ;

1941: West's moved to 419 Twelfth Street, purchasing the house from George and Amey Messerschmidt. ;

1941: Betty started Kindegarten at the Juneau Public Schools on Fifth Street. ;

1944: Berna and Betty spent three months in Seattle to treat Betty's crossed eye problem. Ophthalmologist wouldn't do surgery to straighten the eye at that time until vision was restored in lazy eye. ;

1948: LeRoy and Berna bought their very first and new car (Dodge) and took a 3 month honeymoon with their three kids driving all over the Pacific Northwest. ;

1951: Graduated from 8th grade (elementary school grades). During this summer, Dr. Leer of Juneau, operated on my crossed eye and straightened it out. Still no sight in the eye. ;

May 1955: Graduated from J Hi and the day after, started my first full time office job with the Forest Service as a Clerk Typist and in three months was promoted to Clerk Steno. ;

11/4/1955: Met Norm Miller during Juneau's first snow fall of the season. Norm was in the Coast Guard stationed in Juneau on board the Cutter Storis. ;

11/2/1956: Norm and I were married in Juneau at the Faith Lutheran Church on 10th and Glacier Ave. ;

February 1957: Norm and I were transferred to Galveston, TX for his last year in the Coast Guard. First time for me to ever live anywhere else but Juneau fur any length of time. ;

11/2/1957: Our first wedding anniversary I presented Norm with our first baby, a son, named Norman Karl Miller Jr. ;

Sept. 1958: Norm was discharged from the Coast Guard and home to Juneau we moved. ;

9/21/1958: Norm began working for Alaska Coastal Airlines in Juneau which eventually became Alaska Airlines. ;

8/31/1959: Our second son, Daryl Leigh Miller was born at St. Ann's Hospital in Juneau. ;

1959: Won 2.5 acres of land from the Bureau of Land Management veterans drawing at 16 Mile, Glacier Highway, Juneau. ;

1963: Improved the property to get deed to land and built an unfinished modest house and coven in. Norm did it all by himself. ;

1975: Parents LeRoy and Berna West retired from their full time jobs and started their fishing charter trips each summer on board the Westy. ;

July 1976: My Grandmother Adelaide Moran West Collen passed away in McMinnville, OR where they had retired to in 1963. ;

7/10/1980: Sold our home and property at Mile 16 and bought a brand new 40 ft. BlueWater Yacht and a new mobile home set up at Switzer Park. Lived on the boat for 8 summers and moved into the mobile home for winters. ;

2/2/1983: Father in law George Miller died. ;

6/28/1983: Granddauqhter Jessica Miller was born in Juneau. Our first grandchiId. ;

10/9/1983: Grandson Jake Miller was born in Juneau. Our first grandson. ;

10/1985: Grandson KyleMiller was born in Juneau ;

12/31/1985: Father LeRoy West Sr. had a heart attack at home just as we were sitting down to the table for dinner and died in Juneau. ;

5/3/1988: Grandson Luke Miller was born in Juneau. ;

Nov. 1990: Elizabeth Miller died in Wisconsin. ;

Dec. 1990: Sold mobile home at Switzer and moved into 4-bedroom condo at Taku Terrace right off of 12th Street where I was raised and where Mom still lived. ;

11/27/1992: Last grandchild Tessa Miller was born in Juneau. ;

October 1993: Berna West moved into the Pioneers Home in Juneau and sold her home to the church behind her house. ;

Sept. 1994: Berna West was told she hard inoperable cancer and we celebrated her 77th birthday on 9/28 with a bang. ;

10/26/1994: Berna West passed away peacefully in the Pioneers Home.

BLAND - CONVERSE FAMILY TIMELINE by Betty West Miller ;

9/12/1886: Joseph E. Bland of Skagit Co. in Territory of Washington married Maggie V. Ewing, also from Skagit. ;

6/6/1900 12th Census Samish Precinct Skagit Co. lists: Joseph Bland (38) farm laborer ; Maggie V. Bland (30) housewife ; Gertrude Bland (12) ; Emma Bland (10) ; Ethel M. Bland (7) ; Myrtle M. Bland (4) ; Wm. Charles Bland (2 months) ;

8/12/1914: Joseph and Maggie's daughter Gertie Bland Jewell with husband Edward arrived in Douglas from Wash. aboard steamer Humboldt coming to work the mines and later lived at the Chichagof Mines on Chichagof Island. ;

12/25/1914: Wilbur "Burn" Converse married Myrtle Bland in Edison, Terr. of Wash. ;

4/3/1916: Blands and Converses arrive in Juneau aboard steamer AI Ki from Wash. to settle here and work the mines in the Juneau/ Douglas/ Treadwell areas. ;

12/6/1916: Clarence Converse was born to Burn and Myrtle Converse in Edison, Terr. of Wash. (first born) ;

9/28/1917: Berna Converse born at Douglas hospital to Burn and Myrtle Converse (second born). Mr. Converse is an Oiler at Treadwell Mining Co. ;

10/14/1918: Joseph and Maggie Bland move from St. Anns Ave. in Douglas to "The Pines" in Treadwell. ;

1/28/1919: Myrtle Viola Converse was born in Juneau to Burn and Myrtle Converse (third born). ;

8/21/1919: Fred Thurman family (Emma Bland) moved from the Ready Bullion into Douglas. ;

1/16/1920: Burn Converse and family who were living on Gastineau Ave. in Juneau until the mud slide, have moved back to Douglas and are living on St. Ann's Ave. ;

9/3/1920: Joseph Bland, an employee of the Ready Bullion Mine is in the Douglas Hospital receiving treatment for his eye injury, having lost the sight in his left eye. The accident was caused by a splinter of steel that hit the sight and destroyed it. ;

9/2/1921: Waldo Converse, Burn's brother, who until recently was employed at the AJ Mine was a passenger on the Princess Alice for his home back to Seattle. ;

12/2/1921: George Converse born today at home in Treadwell to Burn and Myrtle Converse (fourth child). ;

7/20/1922: Thurman and Converse families moved from Douglas to Juneau. ;

1/29/1924: Robert Converse was born in Tacoma, WA to Burn and Myrtle Converse (fifth child). ;

7/12/1924: Edward Jewell Jr. son born to Ed and Gertie (Bland) Jewell at the family residence in Douglas. ;

3/18/1925: Ryder born to Burn and Myrtle Converse at their home on 9th Street, Juneau. Mr. Converse is assistant to the chief electrician with AJ Gold Mining Co. (sixth chi ld). ;

9/29/1927: Emma Bland Thurman died at 38 years of age in Tacoma, Wash, daughter of Joseph and Maggie Bland. ;

5/13/1928: Sammy Belfried Converse was born to Burn and Myrtle Converse and adopted by Anna and Sam Simonarson as they had no children (seventh child). Anna died years later of TB and Sammy came back to live with his biological parents, Burn and Myrtle Converse. ;

2/4/1930: Betty Jean Converse born in Juneau to Burn and Myrtle Converse (eighth child). ;

10/28/1930: Betty Jean Converse, daughter of Burn and Myrtle Converse, died in her crib at eight months. ;

3/20/1931: Wilbur Converse Jr. "Billy" was born in Juneau to Burn and Myrtle Converse (ninth and last child!). ;

12/9/1932: Alta Bland Orme Phillips died in Juneau at 25 years of age, daughter of Joseph and Maggie Bland. ;

10/23/1933: Joseph Bland at 75 years died in Juneau, husband of Maggie Ewing Bland. ;

7/9/1937: Edward Jewell Sr. died, husband of Gertie Bland Jewell. ;

5/16/1945: Clarence Converse at 29 years, oldest son of Burn and Myrtle Converse passed away at St. Ann's Hospital. He was 4 months old when he came with his family to live here. He had been ill with heart problems for several years. ;

9/21/1946: Robert Converse at 22 years of age, son of Burn and Myrtle Converse was killed in his airplane while landing at the Skagway Airport. Bobby was an Army Air Corp veteran. ;

11/13/1947: Sammy Converse at 19 years of age, son of Burn and Myrtle Converse, was killed in his airplane during a snow storm near Susanville, CA. ;

10/22/1949: Charles William Bland, son of Joseph and Maggie Bland, died at 49 years after a long illness. ;

12/28/1950: Margaret Ewing Bland (Mrs. Joseph E. Bland) died at 81 years at St. Ann's Hospital in Juneau. Her husband worked in the mill at Treadwell in the early days. ;

3/11/1953: Gertrude Bland Jewell, daughter of Joseph and Maggie Bland died in Kelso, WA and her ashes were buried with her husband Edward Jewell in the Juneau Evergreen Cemetery. ;

1/14/1955: Wilbur "Burn" Converse died at 68 years of age while driving to work at the A J Warehouse on lower South Franklin Street. ;

1/9/1967: George Earl Bland, son of Joseph and Maggie Bland, at 56 years died while in St. Ann's Hospital for a broken arm, apparently from a heart attack. ;

6/23/1974: Myrtle Bland Converse at 79 years died in Juneau from a stroke, daughter of Joseph and Maggie Bland. ;

11/11/1980: Myrna Bland Martin at 76 years died from heart condition, daughter of Joseph and Maggie Bland. ;

12/30/1990: Ryder Converse at 65 years, son of Burn and Myrtle Converse, died in Juneau from prostrate cancer. ;

4/23/1994: Billy Converse, son of Burn and Myrtle Converse died at 63 years of age of pneumonia. ;

10/26/1994: Berna Converse West, daughter of Burn and Myrtle Converse died of cancer at the Juneau Pioneers Home. ;

10/23/2001: George "Sonny" Converse, son of Burn and Myrtle Converse, died of a heart condition in Port Angeles, WA near his home in Sequim, WA. ;

10/6/2004: Viola Converse Hanson, daughter of Burn and Myrtle Converse died in Knoxville, TN after a stroke. The last of the original Bland/ Converse family that moved to Juneau/Douglas/Treadwell in the early 1900's.