Brown County IN Archives Biographies.....Miller, Henry B. 1867 - 
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Author: B. F. Bowen (1904)

HENRY B. MILLER.

   Brown county has long been singularly favored in the personnel of its corps
of officials and the present incumbent of the responsible position of county
treasurer has proved his eligibility for the place through so capable an
administration during his first term as to lead to his being chosen his own
successor at the expiration of the time for which he was elected. No man is more
worthy of representation in this volume, not alone on the score of eminent and
satisfactory public service and priority, but also by reason of his having long
been identified with the varied interests of the county where he has maintained
his home for a number of years and by the influence he exerts as a leader of
thought and a molder of opinion in matters of political and public import.

   Henry B. Miller is a native of Monroe county, Ohio, and an honorable
representative of one of its old, well known and highly esteemed families. His
father, Samuel Miller, was also born in Monroe county, and there resided until
the year 1868, when he moved to Brown county, Indiana, and purchased a quarter
section of land in Washington township, from which he in due time developed a
fine farm, the meanwhile becoming widely and favorably regarded as an
intelligent citizen and enterprising man of affairs. In early life he became an
expert millwright, which trade he followed for a number of years in connection
with agricultural pursuits, his efficiency as a mechanic and his acquaintance
with the kinds of machinery then in use causing a great demand for his services.
His energetic nature would not be content with ordinary success, in consequence
of which he was always on the lookout to improve and better his conditions, the
result being the purchase and sale of three farms during the period of his
residence in Brown county.

   Samuel Miller married in his native state Miss Caroline Faber, who, like
himself, was born and reared in Monroe county, their union resulting in the
birth of eight children, five sons and three daughters, the subject of this
review being the third of the family. In his political belief Mr. Miller was an
ardent Democrat and always manifested an abiding interest in the welfare of his
party and contributed much to its success in local affairs, both in Ohio and
after coming to Indiana. Religiously the Presbyterian church represented his
creed. Mrs. Miller was an estimable lady of beautiful Christian character and
many sterling attributes, and her death, in 1895, was deeply lamented by the
large circle of friends and neighbors with whom she was wont to mingle. Mrs.
Miller survived her companion about seventeen years, he having departed this
life in December, 1878, esteemed and honored by all who knew him.

   Henry B. Miller, to a brief review of whose life and achievements the
reader's attention is herewith respectfully invited, was born on the home place
in Monroe county, Ohio, August 21, 1867, and, like the majority of country lads,
grew up under the wholesome discipline of outdoor life, becoming familiar with
the arduous duties of the farm. From quite an early age he manifested a decided
taste for books and study and it was not long until he finished the school
curriculum, after which he pursued the higher branches of learning for about six
months in the National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio. The training there
received served to stimulate the ambitious young student to still greater
exertions, accordingly in 1890 he entered the Northern Indiana Normal School at
Valparaiso, where he completed the business, scientific and classical courses,
being graduated from that institution with the highest honors of his class in
August, 1892.

   While attending that institution Mr. Miller not only made a creditable record
as a diligent and critical student, leading his classes in many studies, but his
ability and tact as an organizer made him especially conspicuous in the
different societies and fraternal organizations to which he belonged. In several
of these he rose to prominent positions, directed their affairs in able and
satisfactory manner and not only gave impetus to their growth and success, but
wielded an influence among his fellow students such as few young men of his age
have ever exercised in that institution.

   Immediately following his graduation Mr. Miller went to Beaumont, Texas,
where he accepted the position as high school principal, the duties of which he
discharged very acceptably for one year, when he resigned for the purpose of
becoming superintendent of the schools in Columbus, in the same state. After
sustaining the latter relation for a period of one year, he became dissatisfied
with the educational field, although he achieved distinctive success both as a
teacher and manager of schools and had he seen fit to continue that line of work
so auspiciously begun and so ably prosecuted there is no doubt but that within a
comparatively short time he would have acquired marked prestige among the
leading educators of the state. Resigning the superintendence, Mr. Miller spent
one year in the state of Arkansas and in 1895 returned to Brown county and took
charge of the home place, which he has since purchased and which under his
efficient management is now being largely cultivated for the purpose of raising
grain for his live stock. Mr. Miller makes a specialty of shorthorn cattle, in
the breeding and raising of which he has gained much more than a local
reputation, and the herd of these fine animals now on his place is the best bred
and the largest in the county. He is also widely known as a chicken fancier, his
specialty in that line of fowls being the celebrated White Wyandotte breed,
which has never failed to win the first prize wherever exhibited. At the state
fairs of 1900 and 1901 his fowls came off with the highest markings for their
many points of excellence and superiority and at the different county
agricultural societies where shown they have seldom failed to win over those
exhibited by other fanciers. Mr. Miller is an enthusiast in the matter of fine
chickens and high grade live stock and his influence has had a decided effect in
inducing the farmers of his own and other counties to improve their cattle and
poultry. He is also fully up to date and in touch with all modern improvements
as a farmer, being familiar with every detail of the cultivation of the soil,
and he seldom fails to realize liberal returns from the time and labor expended
in his fields. Though first of all a farmer and stock raiser and as such ranking
with the most enterprising and successful men in southern Indiana similarly
engaged, Mr. Miller's interests in his business affairs have not been permitted
to interfere with his duty as a citizen nor with his obligations to the public.
He has long been active in political circles as a leader of the local Democracy,
of which he is now chairman of the county central committee, and his ability as
an organizer and success as a campaigner has been largely instrumental in
leading the party to victory in years gone by, nor have the services thus
rendered failed of recognition, for his party has not been slow to realize his
ability and to appreciate his many self-sacrificing efforts in behalf of the
ticket in a number of campaigns, local, district, state and national. In 1901 he
was the choice of his party for county treasurer and in the election following
his nomination he defeated a strong and popular competitor by a vote of two to
one, thus entering the office by one of the largest majorities ever given a
candidate for treasurer. As custodian of the public funds and guardian of the
people's most sacred trusts, Mr. Miller's official record has been eminently
honorable and praiseworthy. Not the slightest suspicion of disrepute has ever
been urged against him, and by the Republicans as well as Democrats he is held
in the highest esteem, his integrity being absolutely above reproach and his
character beyond the hint of adverse criticism. The able and businesslike manner
with which he conducted the affairs of the office so commended his
administration to the favorable consideration of his party that in the fall of
1902 he was a second time nominated; his election following, as a matter of
course, as he not only carried the normally large Democratic majority, but drew
a goodly number of votes from the opposition also, thus doubly insuring success,
which from the beginning was a foregone conclusion.

   Since the year 1903 Mr. Miller has lived at the county seat, so as to give
personal attention to his official duties, his farming and livestock interests
the meanwhile being in charge of safe and trustworthy hands. He still looks
after his private as well as public affairs, makes few if any mistakes in
either, and in addition to the pressing claims of his various duties finds time
to devote to other matters, all enterprising and progressive undertakings for
the advancement of the county and the social, educational and moral welfare of
the people, receiving his encouragement and earnest co-operation.

   On November 18, 1903, Mr. Miller entered a matrimonial alliance with Miss
Vivian Franklin, the accomplished daughter of Nelson H. and Nester A. (Watkins)
Franklin, the father for many years a prominent resident of Nashville, and one
of Brown county's lawyers. He died some years ago, but the influence of his
strong individuality is still felt in legal, social and fraternal circles of
this part of Indiana.

   Mr. Miller is a Presbyterian in religion, while his wife is a member of the
Christian church, both being zealous and active in the respective congregations
with which they are identified. Fraternally Mr. Miller belongs to the Masonic
brotherhood, the Modern Woodmen of America and his name appears in the charter
of the Pythian lodge which meets in Nashville. He is active in the work of these
different societies and at various times has been honored with important
official positions in each. His zeal in all matters relating to agriculture
naturally led him to take the initiative in organized effort for the purpose of
advancing the interests of the farmer and live stock raiser, accordingly he
early became an earnest advocate of fairs and agricultural societies, in several
of which he acted as executive head and business manager. He was for two years
president of the Brown County Fair Association, served four years in a similar
capacity with the Farmers' Institute and the success of both organizations
during his incumbency and for a considerable length of time thereafter was
directly attributable to the able efforts which he put forth in their behalf. In
his business, official and social capacities Mr. Miller has widely extended his
circle of personal as well as political friends, and he is in the prime of
vigorous, physical and mental manhood with favorable future prospects. It is
predicted by many that still higher honors await him, though he could afford to
rest on the laurels already won. He is an upright, manly man. courageous in the
discharge of duty, earnest in the support of what his conscience and judgment
tell him is right and, heeding the dictates of these inward monitors, he has
always been true to his convictions and his life forcibly illustrates what can
be accomplished by a strong, well disciplined mind when directed and controlled
by correct moral and religious principles. Esteemed by all with whom he
associates or has business and official relations, a leader in the affairs of
his community and an influential factor in public matters, he has lived to wise
and useful ends and his achievements in different lines of endeavor have won him
recognition as one of the representative men of his day and generation in the
county of Brown. Mrs. Miller has a strong and pleasing individuality and her
executive ability has been amply testified to by her being chosen to carry along
reform and directive work in the Plainfield Reform School, which was
subsequently more fully exemplified with similar work in the reformative
institutions at Glenwood and Geneva. Illinois. She is a leader in church and
Sunday school work and is an enthusiast as a Rathbone sister, having been active
in the lodge at Martinsville.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY
INDIANA

INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA

ILLUSTRATED

1904

B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER


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