Biography of John E. Miller, White County, Arkansas

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Submitted by: Bonnie Palmer <bpalmer@bihs.net>
        Date: Jun 1997
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/white/white.html
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From "A Centennial History of Arkansas", edited by Dallas T. Herndon, the Director of the Dept.
of Archives & History, published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago-Little Rock, 1922.

JOHN E. MILLER

John E. MILLER of Searcy & prosecuting attorney of his judicial circuit comprising five counties,
was born in Aid, Missouri, May 15, 1888, and is a son of John A. and Mary K. (HARPER) MILLER, who
are natives of Stoddard county, Missouri. The father, cattle and hogs. He has carried on an
extensive business and has met with substantial success in his agricultural and stock raising
interests, which he began following his service in the Civil war, in which he was with the
Confederate army, spending much of his time at Cape Girardeau and Bloomfeild, Missouri. He
participated in several skirmishes and was on active duty until the close of hostilities, whence he
turned his attention to the work of developing his land and raising stock. He has now reached the
age of seventy- three years, while his wife is sixty- nine years of age. Both are members of the
Baptist church. In their family were eight children, five of whom are living: E. E.,who makes his
home near Puxico, Missouri, where he follows farming; Eunice May, who is a graduate of the Cape
Girardeau Normal School and now a teaching at Caruthersville, Missouri; Iva Beatrice, also a
graduate of the Cape Girardeau Normal School and now a teacher in the high school at Bloomfield;
Oden Ray, who is pursuing a pharmaceutical course in the Washington University at St. Louis,
Missouri; and John E. Two of the children died in infancy, while one daughter, Edith Victoria,
became the wife of T. J. MCDOWELL & died in 1899 at the age of 25 years, leaving 2 sons: Alfred L. &
Samuel H. The former is with her parents & the latter is now employed in the transportation dept. of
the Chicago & Eastern Ill. RR at Danville, Ill.  John E. MILLER pursued his education in the rural
schools of Stoddard Co., Missouri, in the high school at Bloomfield & in the State Normal at Cape
Girardeau, while later he took a law preparatory course at Valparaiso Univ. He did not study
continuously but at intervals taught in 6 different rural schools of Stoddard Co., Missouri, and
thus earned the money which enabled him to continue his education. At the age of 18 years he was
elected principle of his home school. He never abandoned his plan of becoming a member of the bar,
however, and was graduated from the Kentucky St. Univ. of Law on the 6th of June, 1912, with the B.
L. degree. On the 13th of June he became a resident of Searcy, where he opened an office, entering
into partnership with J. N. RACHEALS, with whom he was connected until 1915. He then formed a
partnership with C. E. YINGLING and is still associated with him in general law practice. He served
as assistant attorney for the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad for two years and he has always
enjoyed a good private practice. He likewise filled the office of city attorney for three years and
on the 1st of January, 1919, became prosecuting attorney of the judicial circuit, comprising White,
Woodruff, St. Francis, Lee and Phillips counties. He handled the prosecution in connection with the
Elaine race riot in 1919 and has tried many other important cases. For the past to years he has been
attorney for the Arkansas Hydro Electric Company, of which he is also one of the directors. Aside
from his professional interests he has investments in farm lands.  On the 21st of October, 1914, Mr.
MILLER was married to Miss Ethel Lucile LINDSEY, a native of Lee county, Arkansas, and a daughter of
R. H. LINDSEY. They have one child, Mary Louise, now two years of age. The parents are members of
the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and Mr. MILLER is serving on the board of stewards. He is a
Chapter Mason, belonging to Searcy Lodge No. 49, A. F. & A. M., and Tillman Chapter, No.52, R. A.
M., in which he has filled all of the chairs. He is likewise identified with the Ancient Order of
United Workmen. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and aside from serving as
city attorney he was a member of that body which framed the organic law of the state. His ability is
widely recognized and has brought him to a point of leadership in connection with public interests
in his section of the state.