Kate Wippel Miller was born in Pomeroy, Ohio in 1848. Her mother was Catharine Wippel, daughter of Johann Wippel and Catharina Dietrich. Very strong circumstantial evidence suggests that her father was Charles Wippel, son of Christoff Wippel and Catharine Lauer. Johann and Christoff were brothers, which would make Catharine and Charles first cousins. This Wippel family originated in Roxheim in Bavaria.