Miller, Jacob D; 1905 Bio, Gunnison County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/gunnison/bios/millerjd.txt --------------------------------------- Donated May 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Jacob D. Miller Jacob D. Miller, the pioneer meat merchant of Gunnison county and the oldest by continuous connection with the trade in the business, is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, born on August 3, 1855, and the son of Jacob and Mary (Paul) Miller, who were born in Alsace, Lorraine, the province wrested from France by Germany in war, and were of French- German ancestry. They emigrated to the United States when young and located at Cincinnati, where they were married. The father was a gardener and died at Hamilton, Ohio, in 1891, and there the mother still makes her home. They were the parents of six sons and four daughters, Jacob D. being the first born of the sons and the third in order of birth in the family. He was educated in the common schools of Hamilton, remaining at home until he was seventeen, when he started to learn his trade as a butcher in Hamilton. Later he worked in packing houses there and at Middletown, in the same county, acquiring a thorough knowledge of the meat business in all its branches. In February, 1880, he started west, and after working at his trade a short time at Lincoln, Nebraska, arrived at Gunnison in the latter part of March, and here he has lived ever since. At that time there was no railroad to Gunnison and he came by way of Leadville, walking from that city to his destination in company with three other men with burros as pack animals. Soon after reaching Gunnison he opened the Elk Horn meat market, the first enterprise of its kind in the country, which then extended to the Utah line. He began business on a small scale, and by industry, thorough knowledge of his craft and the needs of the community and close attention to his work he has built up the largest establishment and trade of its kind on the Western slope, carrying a large body of wholesale patrons in all parts of this section and conducting a very extensive retail trade locally. In 1897 Mr. Miller's brother Lewis bought an interest in the business and since then the firm has been J.D. Miller & Brother. As a feeder to their trade the firm has for years carried on a flourishing ranch and cattle industry on their ranch of four hundred acres, which is devoted exclusively to fattening beeves for the store. The excellent of the meats and the integrity of the business methods have laid all the mining camps and other aggregations of people and large interests of the region under tribute to their dealings, and caused a steady stream of profits to flow into their coffers. Mr. Miller and his brother are also interested in valuable mines, all their properties being in Gunnison county. Firm and constant in his support of the Republican part in political affairs, Mr. Miller has not declined to serve his part as its candidate for mayor of the city on two occasions, and to foster and promote the interests of the people in this office, which he filled during the years 1893 and 1894. When he retired from the office, one of his home papers said: "The best mayor Gunnison ever had retired Wednesday after holding the office two terms. He reduced the town debt over fifteen thousand dollars. Through his efforts the annual rental for light and fire privileges was reduced about one thousand three hundred dollars. And by an economical system of conducting the finances the town has for the past twelve months been on a cash basis, besides paying the interest on the bonds and creating a small sinking fund to apply on the payment of the principal." In fraternal life Mr. Miller is connected with the order of Odd Fellows with membership in Lodge No. 39, Encampment No. 36 and Canton No. 4, at Gunnison, and with the Woodmen of the World in Camp No. 39 at the same place. He was married on April 21, 1881, to Miss Laura Riley, a native of Mount Pleasant, Iowa. They have had four children, Joseph J., Charles E., Alonzo and Louis, the last named being deceased. Mr. Miller has made his own way in the world from youth, being rather stimulated by his difficulties than restrained by them, and has ever been guided in his upward march to success and widening public esteem by rectitude and devotion to his calling, which has so largely been characteristic of the pioneers, along with their unwavering faith in the section in which they have cast their lot and their ability to develop its resources and make it progressive. He is essentially and emphatically a self-made man, and wherever he has lived has commanded circumstances to his service and made even privations minister to his growth and advancement. He is a representative citizen of his county and one of its brightest and best business men. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.