Yolo-Sutter-Yuba County CA Archives Biographies.....Miller, Hezekiah M. 1850 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 22, 2006, 9:41 pm Author: Tom Gregory (1913) HEZEKIAH M. MILLER The civic welfare of Woodland depends upon the patriotic spirit and progressive co-operation of citizens of intelligence and high principles of honor, not the least noteworthy among whom stands H. M. Miller, a pioneer resident of Yolo county and since May of 1910 an incumbent of the office of city trustee. As an extensive land-owner and influential rancher, he has been identified intimately with the agricultural development of the region and has proved an important factor in the development of the stock-raising-industry. Since first he arrived in Yolo county, during the year 1871, he has remained here with the exception of a brief period spent at his old eastern home, and while he has met with many discouragements in his agricultural efforts, the final outcome has been most gratifying. Several generations of the Miller family have lived and labored beneath the flag of the United States. The immigrant. John Miller, came from Germany and settled in Maryland, where he engaged in farming in Frederick county. In his native land he had been confirmed in the Lutheran Church and always he remained faithful to the doctrines of that denomination. Among his children there was a son, Charles, born in Frederick county, and married to Rosanna Myers, a native of Washington county, Md. The home farm of Charles Miller stood two miles from Sharpsburg and near it was fought the famous battle of Antietam, during which the family took refuge in their cellar. The wife and mother had died in 1860 before the beginning of the war, but the father lived until 1868 and spent his last days in Frederick county. The father of Mrs. Miller was Frederick Myers, a native of Washington county, a descendant of German ancestry, an adherent of the Lutheran faith and a lifelong farmer, owning a farm near Antietam creek. In the family of Charles Miller there were four children, of whom Hezekiah M., the third in order of birth, was born in Frederick county, Md., November 13, 1850. After he had received a fair education he secured employment as a clerk. During 1869 he went to Illinois and settled at Mount Morris, Ogle county. From there, November 1, 1870, he started for California, but the near approach of winter forced him to stop temporarily in St. Joseph, Mo., whence in the spring he took up the journey toward the west. Upon his arrival in Yolo county he secured employment as a farm laborer. After two years of hard work and frugal saving he and his brother, Frederick, rented land. Their first efforts were frustrated by a drought, but in the second and third seasons the weather proved more propitious, hence the returns were more encouraging. Returning east in 1876 Mr. Miller spent nine months in Maryland. At the expiration of the visit he came again to California and with his brother purchased four hundred and eighty acres near Knights Landing. On this place the brothers engaged in farming for about eleven years, but finally in 1888 H. M. sold out to his brother and became connected with Lowe, Myers & Co., (organized in 1868) through the purchase of the interests of E. R. Lowe. The business has since been conducted under the title of N. Myers Co. The concern owns eight thousand acres of land at Cranmore, Sutter county, of which twenty-six hundred is tillable, while the balance is devoted to the raising of sheep and cattle. Mr. Miller owns one-quarter interest in the ranch, Noah Myers, his uncle, owns another quarter, E. Poffenberger also owns a quarter, while the remaining quarter interest is owned in conjunction by Luther Poffenberger and S. C. Deaner. In addition to his interest in the immense ranch, Mr. Miller owns an adjoining ranch of one hundred-and sixty-nine acres. After having resided on the ranch from 1888 until 1902, he then removed into Woodland and bought property which he still owns and occupies. The first marriage of Mr. Miller occurred in Marysville, October 12, 1887, uniting him with Matilda Belle McGrath, who was born in Washington county, Md., and died in Woodland March 31, 1897, leaving three children, Noah Lee, Elizabeth Rose and Sarah Mabel. The second marriage of Mr. Miller took place at Sacramento January 1, 1900, and united him with Miss Abbie Lee McGrath, a sister of his former wife and an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which for years she has been a prominent local worker. They have one son, Leslie Clyde. The McGrath family was established in Maryland during an early period of our county's history and became transplanted in California shortly after the American occupancy of this state, where Samuel McGrath, father of Mrs. Miller, long engaged in farm pursuits in Sutter county and accumulated a competency through his untiring industry and excellent judgment. Mr. Miller was made a Mason in Woodland Lodge No. 156, F. & A. M., in 1872, was exalted to the Royal Arch degree in Woodland Chapter No. 46, E. A. M., in 1874, was created a Knight Templar in Woodland Commandery No. 21 in 1888, and was made a member of Islam Temple, N. M. S., San Francisco, in April, 1911. He has been secretary of the chapter for four years and has been recorder of the commandery for the past eight years. With his wife he is a member of Yolo Chapter No. 60, O. E. S. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/miller649bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb