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North Carolina Society of Historians
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Evelina Davis Miller |
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Evelina Davis Miller was born on June 13, 1917, in Alexander County, NC, to Lonzo Willis and Imo Ruth Pressley Davis, at the foot of the Brushy Mountains. She was the eldest of six children. After completing her education, Evelina went to work at the Midway Cafě. She married Cleve Miller on November 3, 1951, and they raised three children. After heart surgery in the mid-1970's, she began to work on a health history profile for herself and her family. This began a quest that would with her for the rest of her life: researching genealogy and local history. She became a member of the Alexander County Genealogy Society, later known as the Alexander County Ancestry Association, Inc., where she held every elected office at one time or another! Under her leadership, the group published THE HERITAGE OF ALEXANDER COUNTY in 1978, and in 1998, they received a 25-year lease on the Old Jail from the county. She worked diligently to refurbish the historical building that now houses the Old Jail Museum, Genealogical Library, and a section of the NCSH's collection of honored works. She was an award-winning author of local history books; and, in 2001 our society presented her with a Barringer Award for Exceptional Service to North Carolina history. She was a member of our society for ten (10) years, serving as vice-president for four (4) years, and was on the Board of Directors. Evelina Davis Miller is considered one of North Carolina's Treasures. She died on June 26, 2003, in Alexander County.
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