William Freer Milam (19 JUN 1912 - 14 AUG 1993)

My father, Freer, was the first child born to Claude E. Milam Sr and Girtha Jane Fisher Milam.These are the pictures of our father, Freer, which have come down to us.


Two baby pictures of Freer taken around Christmas 1912 at about six months of age.


Baby Freer.                                                     Baby Freer in perhaps a Christmas Coat.
Baby Freer age 6 months Baby Freer with Coat

The left picture was taken in 1914: Freer, his brother, Loren and their cousin Jim Brown, son of Georgia Brown, Grandmother Girtha's sister. The right picture was taken about a year later when Freer would have been three years old. 1915


Freer, younger brother Loren seated and cousin Jim Brown.             Loren on the left and Freer on the right.
Freer, Brother, Loren and Jim Brown Freer And Brother Loren 1915

Freer driving his Goat Cart.


Freer and Goat Cart
Freer's Goat Cart

Freer riding his pony, at perhaps 8 or 9 years of age around 192o.


Freer and Pony
Freer and his Pony

Freer was fond of his cars and kept them shining. This car is a Ford Model A Town Sedan of the early 1930s. In the background is the Steubenville Country Club on Lover's Lane.
Click here (link) for the car's details and scroll down for many photos of the model.


Freer with his car - a 1932 Ford possibly.
Freer 1932

Weirton Steel Tin Mill baseball team, the Cold Rollers. Freer is at the upper, far right with his brother, Lakin to his left.
Lakin was said to be an ace pitcher and pro material.


Cold Rollers Baseball Team late 1930s.
Cold Rollers Baseball Team

Weirton Steel Tin Mill crew. Freer is in the front row, kneeling, sixth from the left wearing a tan jacket. 1930s


Weirton Steel Tin Mill Crew
Weirton Steel Tin Mill Crew

Freer lounging on the grass in 1930s.


Freer lounging on a Lawn
Freer lying in Grass

Freer and good friend, Markie Freese, with Markie's 1930s five window coupe. Markie would become the Superintendant of the Tin Mill and Freer's boss. We visited them in Steubenville at Christmas time for years. On one visit, his son who was in medical school showed me a human skull he was studying!


Freer and Markie Freese
Freer and Markie Freeze

His lady friend and future wife, Christine Miller, may have taken this picture. 1939


Freer about 1939.
Freer 1939 with car

Freer and Christine. This photo may have been taken the same day as above.


Christine and Freer about 1939.
Christine and Freer 1939

Freer and his younger brother, Dix, who was 17 years old. Labeled September 1940.


Freer and Dix 1940
Freer and brother, Dix 1940

Freer and Christine. Labeled her birthday 1 September 1940; they were married on 8 NOV 1940.


It's possible this photo was taken the same day as the previous one. So Dix may have taken it.
Freer and Christine on her birthday September 1 1940.

Freer, first son Billy and Christine in Spring 1942 on Euclid Avenue, Steubenville, Ohio.


Freer and Christine with son, Billy, Spring 1942
Freer & Christine with Billy

Freer with Billy and brother, Lakin, holding Donna. Spring 1942


Also taken on Euclid Avenue in front of Freer & Christine's tiny "garage" apartment.
Freed with brother Lakin 1942

Freer's first son, Billy, with an unknown lady. Fall 1942


 
Martha with Billy late 1942.

Portrait of Private William Freer Milam and Christine with Billy, Spring 1943.


Portrait of Private William Freer Milam, Christine and Billy
Private Freer Milam in Uniform

Corporal Milam was stationed at what would become Ent Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, CO. 1943


Freer was in the Army Air Corp stationed at the later named Ent Air Force Base, CO
Corporal William Freer Milam 1943

Corporal Milam and two year old son, Billy, Fall 1943.


Ent Air Force Base, CO
Corporal Milam and Billy in Colorado 1943

Freer with his sons, Billy and Bobby in their yard in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 1944


Freer and Christine rented a small house with yard in Colorado Springs, CO, by 1944
Freer with his sons, Billy and Bob 1944

In a sign of the times, the boys had military uniforms.


Bill age 3.                                                     Bob age 2.
Billy in Army uniform age 3 1/2 Bob in sailors uniform age 2

Staff Sargeant Milam and family visit the Garden of the Gods, Colorado. 1945


Freer and Christine often spoke of the Garden of the Gods which was near Colorado Springs.
Freer's Family Garden of the Gods 1944

Staff Sargeant Milam standing before a Packard Clipper Army Staff Car. Freer was the personal chauffer for Major General U. G. Ent (link) who was the Commanding General of the U.S. 2nd Air Force. My father, Freer, admired and thought the world of General Ent who he came to know by flying with him to various bases.


Staff Sargeant William Freer Milam.
Staff Sargeant Milam at Motor Pool

Major General Uzal Girard Ent


Major General Uzal G. Ent.                                                     General Uzal G. Ent (R) before a B 24 Liberator bomber.
( Click on each image for more information on General Ent's career. )
Major General Ent B 24 Liberator Boomber

Freer's wife, Christine, next to Girtha who is holding baby Carol. Billy (L) & Bobby.

33 Center Street, Weirton, WV. Early 1946


Carol, Billy and Bobby are Freer and Christine's children.
Christine, Girtha, Carol, Bob and Billy

Freer with Billy, Carol & Bobby (L to R) back on Euclid Avenue, Steubenville, OH three years after he left for Army service. Late 1946


Freer and Christine rented the same one room apartment on Euclid Avenue they had when first married 5 years before.
Free and children Euclid Avenue, 1946

Freer digging the "footer" for their new house in the village of Wintersville, OH. 1946


Freer with Bobby, Carol and Billy (L to R).
Freer Digginig Footer 1946

Freer with his children at back of new house in the village of Wintersville, OH. 1946


Billy, Carol and Bobby.
Freer with children back of house 1947

Bobby, Carol and Billy (L to R) in front of new house in Wintersville. 1946 and 1947


Wintersville house construction in November 1946.                      Wintersville house after completion in 1947.
Wintersviille House construction 1946 Wintersville House 1947

Freer and Christine sitting on their new sofa. Interesting story about the dark green wall in the living room. Around the time their new house was built, they had discovered a house in Steubenville where at night one could see the dark green wall in the living room. We slowly drove by a number of times admiring it. Eventually Christine visited during the day and asked the lady of the house about the color. Nothing stopped my Mom! About 1949


 
Freer and Christine sitting on red sofa 1951

Second Christmas in Freer and Christine's new home with brother Lakin and Clara. 1949


Freer, Christine, Clara and Lakin. I probably took this picture!
Freer, Christine, Clara and Lakin 1949

Freer in his Chevrolet, father Claude and mother Girtha & their beloved dog Tippy. Circa 1954

Taken in front of Claude's house on 33 Center Street, Weirton, WV.


Freer, Grandpa Claude and Grandma Girtha.
Son Freer, Claude and Girtha

Freer and Christine playing pool in their basement recreation room. 1950s

Freer had walled off and finished the room with mahogany plywood and the tile ceiling. He finished the second floor of the house too except for the pastering. Quite a handy and hardworking guy.


 
Christine and Freer playing pool at their home.

In 1954 his good friend and work colleage, Markie Freese, invited Freer to join the fraternal organization, Free Masons. After becoming a Master Mason, Dad earned the 32 Degree Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. It is a secret organization and Dad never once spoke of it.


 
Master Mason Ring

Claude, Freer, Dix, Girtha, Martha and Helen in Freer's Backyard. 1961


 
Freer and Parents 1961

Freer's sister, Martha, Freer and Christine. 1979


 
Freer and Crhistine with Martha.

 

To Top