George A. Miller

As printed in 1905

GEORGE A. MILLER.

George A. Miller, who for many years was prominently identified with educational interests in the West, and whose advocacy of all that tends to benefit humanity has made him a valued factor in every community in which he has resided, now makes his home in Burlington. He was born in Vermont, Sept. 18, 1836. His father, Nathaniel Miller, was a native of Bridgewater, Vt., as was the paternal grandfather, who likewise bore the name of Nathaniel ?\Iiller. The mother of our subject, Mrs. Nancy (Paull) Miller, was a native of Barnarl, Vt., and a daughter of Jeremiah Paull, of Massachusetts, whose wife, Jane Strowbridge, was a native of Middleboro, Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Miller, Jr.. became the parents of five children, four sons and a daughter, of whom three are living; Samuel E., a resident of New Bedford, Ma.ss.; George A.; and Edwin R., who served as a soldier of the Civil War, and is now living in Meriden, N. H. The father died when his son George was but thirteen years of age, and the mother, surviving until Jan. 24, 1870, passed away in Berlin, Vt., at the age of seventy-one years.

George A. Miller, following his father's death, was bound out to a farmer, who was to allow him three months' schooling each year, and when he attained his majority was to give him a suit of clothing and one hundred dollars. But when he was fourteen years of age he was released from this contract and began working by the month as a farm hand. Ambitious to secure an education, he worked ])ersistcntly, saving his money until his capital was sufficient to enable him to continue his studies in an education of higher grade than the district schools. He attended the Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, N. H., and also Barre Academy, at Barre, Wt., completing his acacfemic education by graduation from the former. Subsequently he was graduated from Dartmouth College, at Ilaiinvcr, H., with the class of 1863, winning the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His education was acquired entirely without pecuniary assistance, and while pursuing the higher branches lie taiicht in the public schools.

The elemental strength of his character, thus manifest, proved the basis of his success in later years, and led to his prominence in educational circles. He first taught at the age of eighteen year, having charge of a country school at East Montpelier, Yt., " boarding around " among the pupils. He afterward engaged in teaching at Hyannis, Mass., later taught in the high school of South Weymouth, and was principal there for a year: after which he came to the

Middle West and taught in the high school at Elmwood, Ill., where he was principal of the public schools for three years, and in 1869 he removed to Nebraska, locating on a farm. He bought land in Johnson county with college scrip, this land costing him less than one hundred dollars for a quarter section, but it is now worth five thousand dollars.

He did not long devote his energies to farming, however, but resumed his educational labors at Tecumseh, Nebr., where he taught at an early day for two years. In 1872 he came to Burlington, and was ]principal of the North Hill school in 1872-73. The following year he became principal of the West Madison school and remained in charge there until 1901. In 1898 he sustained injuries which gradually brought on invalid conditions and necessitated his retirement from the field of educational labor in 1901.

For many years he had been active in the dissemination of knowledge in connection with the public-school system of the country, and had made for himself a foremost place among the teachers of this city and the Middle West. He was active in county institute work, lecturing upon the system of pedagogy and the history of the United States, and he frequently attended the meetings of the Southeastern Iowa Teachers' Association.

Professor Miller was married, July 31, 1867, in Wilbraham, Mass., to Miss Mar>' A. Smith, a native of Massachusetts. Her I)parents were.Vlbert and Betsy (Doane) Smith, the former a representative of an old Cape Cod family. Her father was a sea captain, voyaging to the West Indies, Panama, and equatorial ports. He is now deceased, while Mrs. Smith is living in Natick, Mass., at the age of eighty-seven years. Their son, Arthur LeRoy Smith, now at Newchwang, China, was a sea pilot for forty years. Mrs. Lyman C. Brown, a sister, is living at Natick, Mass., and Mrs. E. O. Clark resides in Springfield. The other daughter, Mary A. Smith, became the wife of Professor Miller. They became the parents of five children, of whom only two are living: Mary B., a graduate of the Burlington high and training schools, and a teacher in the West Madison school; and Edward P., a graduate of Iowa College, at Grinnell, now engaged in the hardware business in Marshalltown, Iowa. He married Edith Pence and has two sons, Paul and Pence. The daughter, residing at home, is most devoted to her father in his invalid condition, giving him every care and attention possible. Three of the children died in early life.

During the period of the Civil War, Professor Miller attempted to join the army, but was rejected on account of physical disability, and later, when drafted, was again rejected. During the later days of the rebellion, however, he was at Camp Parole, near Annapolis, in connection with the sanitary commission.

In former years Professor Miller was a member of the Ancient Order of Druids, and represented Patterson Grove, of Burlington, at the State meeting of Druids in Des Moines, when that organization was in a very flourishing condition. He was a charter member of Patterson Grove.

The family are members of the Congregational church, and in its work Mrs. Miller and her daughter take a very active and helpful part. Professor Miller, while unable to engage actively in church work, is still deeply interested in the welfare and progress of the city in which he has made his home for almost a third of a century, and in which his labors have been so effective in advancing the intellectual and moral development.

As printed in Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.