J. F. Miller and his wife Meta came from Hanover to New York City in 1864, kept a grocery there, and moved to Leaf Lake township in 1883; their son Henry became cashier of the Security State Bank at Otter Tail, and their son George H. Miller was president of the Guernsey Breeders' Association of the county. August Miller, son of a German mill owner, came to America in 1870, bought a small water mill on the outlet of Eagle Lake in 1880, and after it burned in 1894 turned to breeding Shorthorn cattle. Carl Miller learned the miller's trade in Pomerania but never followed it in America; he came to Otter Tail County in 1886 and farmed 230 acres in Buse township. Every fact below is cited to the public-domain 1916 county history.
Earliest in the record
J. F. (John F.) Miller and Meta (Shoemaker) Millerborn 1842Most recent in our records
George H. Millerborn 1870Each number matches a section below. Tap a name to jump to that person.
Grocer in New York City, then farmer in Leaf Lake township
Grain buyer and bank cashier at Otter Tail
Otter Tail county, Minnesota, owes much of its success and rapid development to men and women who have come to the county from other parts of the United States and from the countries of Europe. Many of these men have been of important service in the agricultural and business interests of the county. In Otter Tail county we find many native-born Germans, or citizens who are direct descendants of the German people. Their force of character, energy and business instinct have had much to do with the successful development of the county, making it today one of the most desirable districts of our country.
Henry Miller was born on November 2. 1868, in the state of New York, and is the son of J. F. and Meta (Shoemaker) Miller, both of whom were natives of Hanover, Germany. J. F. Miller was born on October 31, 1842, and his wife was born on January 20, 1838. Mrs. Miller was the daughter of George Shoemaker, who never came to America. Herman.Miller, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a farmer in Germany and was an active member of the German Lutheran church. He always remained a subject of the German empire and never came to America.
J. E Miller, with his wife, came to America in 1864, landing in New York City, where he remained until the year 1883, devoting his time to the mercantile business, clerking for a time and later entering into business for himself in the central part of the city, on east side, where he conducted a grocery. On leaving New York, he and his family came to Leaf Lake township. Otter Tail county, where they purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land. The first purchase was added to until at the time of the death of Mr. Miller he was possessed of three hundred acres. Mr. Miller's death occurred on November 12, 1911, and his widow died on January 4. 1916. Mr. Miller was, during his life, township and school clerk. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Miller: Anice. Henry, Anna, Frederick, George, Minnie and Andrew, four of whom are deceased; the living children being Henry. Minnie and George. The family were active members of the German Lutheran church.
Henry Miller received his education in the common schools of New York City. He was married to Minnie Buerge. who was the daughter of Carle and Johanna (Jacobi) Buerge. Mrs.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Stock farmer; president of the Guernsey Breeders' Association
Miller, then Shorthorn breeder
August Miller was born on April 29, 1853, in. Germany, and is the son of Powell and Elizabeth (Schmitkens) Miller, both natives of Germany. Powell Miller operated and owned a grist-mill in Germany, and followed the vocation of miller until his death in that country. Two of his brothers served in the German army, and were killed in service during the war of
August Miller immigrated to America in 1870, and first located in Cincinnati, Ohio, but soon removed to Kentucky, where he was occupied as stage driver and at various kinds of labor, for a period of three years, later removing to Illinois, where he was employed for three years as a farmhand. He then removed to Moore county, Minnesota, where he returned to his former trade of miller, which he had learned while a resident of Germany. After following this vocation for some time he removed to Parkdale. Otter Tail county, Minnesota, and operated a mill there for one year. In 1SS0. one year following the arrival in Otter Tail county, he purchased a small water mill located on the property which he now owns in Kagle Lake township. This mill he fully equipped and operated successfully until [894,:it which time it was destroyed by lire. The stream which ran the mill is an outlet of Eagle Lake. August Miller purchased a small farm at the same time he purchased the mill, and has added to the original place, until he now owns three hundred and eighty acres of well improved land. Owing to his realty investments he was fully equipped to enter the agricultural field, and thus, undaunted by the destruction of his mill, he became a breeder of Shorthorn cattle, and has one of the finest herds ever raised in the county. In
1912 he retired from active farming and stuck raising, but still resides on the place, of which he has sold a minor portion.
August Miller was united in marriage to Emma Xeller. a native of Mower county, Minnesota, and to them have been burn four children: Edward, Amelia, Nellie and Robert, all graduates of the high school in Fergus Falls. Edward and Robert are also graduates of the Columbus Business College located at Columbus, Ohio, and Edward is now a professor in a business college in San Francisco, California, while Robert is the head salesman for a furniture concern in Springfield, Ohio. Amelia and Nellie were engaged for some years in the capacity of school teachers. August Miller has always been actively engaged in the furtherance of all questions pertaining to the betterment of the community and has served his fellow citizens as school director, treasurer, and chairman of the board of supervisors, lie is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Farmer, Buse township
Carl Miller, residing on his farm of two hundred and thirty acres in Buse township, Otter Tail county, Minnesota, is a German by birth, born in the province of Pomerania, Prussia, on May 20, 1857, being the only child of Carl and Bertha (Miller) Miller. Both parents were natives of the same province and spent their entire lives in that place. The father was engaged in farming throughout all the active years of his life, and in that way Carl became versed in agriculture while still a boy.
Car] Miller was educated in the public schools near his home and trained by his devout parents in the faith of the Lutheran church. While still a youth he learned the miller's trade and followed that trade in his native land for fourteen years, but has never followed that occupation in this country. He emigrated to America in 1882 and settled in Faribault, this state, where for two years he worked part of the time at farm labor and the balance of the time on the railroad. He was ambitious to succeed, and near Faribault secured a farm, which he rented and farmer for one year. In 1886 he came to Otter Tail county and secured a farm in Fergus Falls township, which he rented and farmer for twelve and one-half years. He then moved into Buse township and rented for three years, purchasing his present farm near that location. When he secured the farm it was only partially improved and Mr. Miller has finished clearing the land, repaired the buildings and brought a general note of prosperity to the place. He engaged in general farming and stock raising, such as practiced throughout this section, and is uniformly successful in his undertaking.
Carl Miller was united in marriage in 1884, with Paulina Friederich, who was born in Germany, a daughter of Frederick Friederich, being brought to this country by her parents when a child of two years. The family settled in Wisconsin, where they lived a number of years, later coming to Faribault, this state, where both parents closed their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have a family of eight children, the eldest of whom is William, who still remains at home. Carl is a farmer near Wimmer, North Dakota. Eric is at home, while Richard is engaged in farming near Faribault. The others of the family, Robert, Agnes, Arthur and August, still remain under the parental roof.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller are both devout members of the Lutheran church, and have carefully reared their family in that faith. They are counted among the leading members of their local congregation and have a large number of friends outside of church circles as well. Mr. Miller votes independently in politics, but in view of his many duties, has never given any time to that phase of citizenship. Throughout the years of his residence here he has proven himself a man of honor and integrity, well worthy of the esteem in which he is held by all who know him.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
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