Remembering Ella Ruby Bauer

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a four-part series about the Mill family, early pioneers in the Cheney/Spangle area. The stories are researched and written by Robert Bauer, the great-great-great-great-grandson of Robert Mill.

Ella Ruby Bauer, maiden name Mill, was born on her grandpa Robert Mill’s 160-acre homestead located on Wells Road south of Cheney in the Washington Territory on Jan. 4, 1885 in a wood-frame house that measured 16 feet by 20 feet with a loft.

The house is now known as the Original Homestead House of Robert Mill. Her parents were John Mill and Emma Catherine Mill, maiden name Forsyth. John was Robert’s oldest son.

When Ella was born she already had three brothers, Roy, Boone and Robert. Also, there was her father and mother, John and Emma and grandpa Mill living in the tiny house.

The three boys slept in the loft and her mom and dad, grandpa Mill and Ella slept on the main floor. The adults kept a close eye on their infant child. The space was tight. Grandpa Mill died on Dec. 29, 1886 and in 1891 was buried in the Spangle Cemetery, Spangle Washington, Lot 44. There were two more children born to John and Emma, a daughter named Mary and son named Perry. What a full house, full of love.

Ella had an ordinary life for a typical pioneer girl. When she was five or six she started helping her mom Emma fetch water for the animals and the house from the well which was up a draw east of the house. In time Ella learned how to hitch the horses up to the wagon and drove the team to the well and back.

Ella also helped in feeding the animals twice a day and helped her mother in the kitchen. Ella attended school at Wright School which is located directly north of the Mill Farm close to the corner of Wells Road and Pine Grove Road, in the Pioneer Township, Cheney, Washington. Even though Ella had her chores, she was raised by her parents to be a refined woman, home maker and loving wife. Ella meant the world to them.

When Ella was 18 a neighbor man, George Ernst Bauer, started calling on her. George had a 400-acre farm around four miles east of the Mill Farm, a 10-minute ride on horseback through the fields. George purchased the farm in the early 1900s from the Kaplin Family. Today, the farm is known as The Old Smokey Kaplin Place.

The couple would attend the grange hall dances, go boating at Philleo Lake, go on buggy rides and picnics at one of the other local lakes, all supervised of course. The courtship went on for close to two years until George asked the question, “Ella, will you marry me?” Ella said yes. She loved George so much.

The wedding took place on July 23, 1905 at the bride’s father’s home. In the Cheney Free Press dated July 28, 1905 it states “The marriage of Geo. E. Bauer and Ella R. Mill, both of whom are living a few miles south of town, was solemnized last Sunday at the home of the bride’s parents. The home was very prettily decorated. Rev. A.W. Roberts of the Methodist church performed the ceremony.” Present at the wedding were many guests, friends and family.

After the wedding Ella took up residence with her husband on McDowell Road near Plaza. Ella cleaned, cooked and helped around the farm. George milked the cow, fed the animals and worked the farm. They were both very happy.

In late August or early September of 1906 Ella conceived a child. George, Ella and Ella’s family were so excited. Another generation of the Mill family was going to be born.

In the late afternoon or early evening of May 17, 1907, Ella went into labor. As told by Laura Helmer, maiden name Mill, daughter of Roy Mill, Ella’s older brother, the labor was hard — going on for hours. Ella was exhausted.

The attending doctor practiced medicine in Plaza. He was young and inexperienced and felt more had to be done after so many hours of labor. He did not want to lose his patient and the baby. Sometime around 11 p.m., he reached into his black bag and brought out forceps.

The infant was pulled from Ella’s womb and a son named John William Bauer was born. There were complications. Ella was hemorrhaging. Ella’s brother Boone and sister Mary were in the room. No one knows what was said, if anything.

Ella died early in the morning, May 18, 1907. She is buried in the Spangle Cemetery, Spangle, Washington, Lot 44, “The Mill Family Plot.”

Margie Green, maiden name Mill, youngest daughter of Roy Mill, Emma’s older brother said her dad told her that his mom and papa’s house use to be full of Ella’s pictures, one on every wall of the house. After sister Ella died the pictures disappeared from the walls of the house and no one really spoke of her. The Mill family was hurt so deeply.

After Ella’s death, George decided to keep his son Johnny and planned to raise him. Emma and sister Mary visited often to check on young Johnny and George, helping if needed. As Nona Hengen states in a story published in Wheat Life Magazine, “Prior to harvest, 1907, Emma saddled her horse and rode to George’s farm through the fields. The ride probably took 10 to 15 minutes. Emma got off her horse and went inside to have a talk with George. What was said is unknown but after a short time Emma went outside and mounted her horse. George came out with a wooden shoebox with Johnny in the box. George handed the box up to her. Emma rode for home.”

After Emma got home Nona Hengen states that Emma’s husband John went out in the barnyard and had a talk with the cows asking, “Which one of you is going to help raise the boy?

One cow raised his head and said moo. John said, “you’re it.”

The Mill family raised John William Bauer.