Grove City's First Child

Grove City's First ChildAmalia (Miller) Voeller - Born June 25, 1853(The following was written by Agnes Eyerman, and is reprinted from “Reflections II”, a collection of local stories available at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum. Any opinions made in the article are from the author.)My grandmother, Amelia (Miller) Voeller, was the first baby born in Grove City after William Breck laid out the first lots. Of course there was already a settlement here before that. She was born June 25, 1853. Mr. Breck offered her parents, Ignatz and Caroline Miller, two city lots if they would name her “City Belle”, but they, staunch Germans that they were, couldn't conceive of such a name, turned down the offer, and named her Amalia Fredericka instead.However, he did give her a little dress. My mother said that her grandmother later said that they should have accepted the offer, given her the suggested name, and used the second name, “Belle” in the family circle.They lived on what is now Columbus Street in the house where to later mayor's lived, Jim and Bob Evans, and Grove City's longtime police chief, “Lightning” lived in later years.