Biographical Sketch of Joseph M. Miller, Johnson County, Missouri, Madison Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Joseph M. Miller, a prominent citizen of Madison township, is one of Johnson county's most valued and public spirited men. He was born on September 29, 1855, in Macon county, Missouri, a son of John D. Miller who was a native of Kentucky and one of the early settlers of Missouri. John D. Miller was born August 6, 1828, in Cumberland county, Kentucky, son of Hezekiah Miller, a native of Virginia. The paternal great-grand father was a native Englishman and he emigrated from Great Britain in his youth and came to Virginia among the early colonists. Later, he moved to Kentucky, probably about 1800, with his family and in that state spent the remainder of his life. Hezekiah Miller, grand-father of Joseph M. Miller, the subject of this review, was a young man when he moved with his parents from Virginia to Kentucky, and he remained in that state until sometime early in 1840, when he came with his wife and children to Missouri and settled on a farm located northeast of Hunts- ville in Randolph county. On this place, he and Mrs. Miller lived the remainder of their lives. Their son, John D., left Macon county, where he had located first after leaving the homestead in Randolph county, and moved with his family to Putnam county, Missouri, and thence to Colorado, in the year which marked the close of the Civil War, 1865, and two years later came to Johnson county, locating on a farm near Pittsville, where he resided until 1883. He moved then to Holden and in this city spent the close of his life in quiet retirement. To Mr. and Mrs. John D. Miller were born the following children: Joseph M., the subject of this review; S. P., a well known dentist of Macon, Mo.; Dr. W. H., a leading physician of Macon, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Martin, who resides in Oklahoma; Mrs. Julia Whitsett, wife of Archie Whitsett, Holden, Missouri; and John, who is postmaster at Boulder, Colorado. John D. Miller was one of the substantial farmers of his township and well merited the reputation he bore of a good man and enterprising citizen. He died in December, 1907. Mrs. Miller died in March, 1897. The wife of John D. Miller was Margaret Ann Scrutchfield, born in Macon county, Mo., a daughter of Samuel Scrutchfield, an early Missouri pio- neer. In the public schools of Johnson county, Mo., Joseph M. Miller obtained a good education. He entered the teaching profession and taught school for several terms in the meantime attended the Warrens- burg State Normal School, after which he continued to teach school in addition to farming near Pittsville, Mo. At the age of 21 years, Mr. Miller began to be self-supporting. September 17, 1915, he came to Holden, Missouri, and is now residing in a handsome, modern country home, located a short distance from the city. In 1879, Joseph M. Miller and Laura Alice Lundy, daughter of Hezekiah Lundy, one of the well known, early pioneers of Johnson county, were united in marriage and to this union have been born nine children, three of whom are now living: Fred, a successful farmer residing near Pittsville, Missouri; Elsie May, wife of Arch Henderson; and Edwin Lundy, who is at home with his parents and a student in Holden High School. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are worthy and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Miller is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has erected a beautiful mausoleum to be occupied in the years to come by his immedi- ate family and their descendants. This tomb is well constructed of cement and stone, perfectly reinforced with three or four tons of steel and it is surrounded by a park. This tomb and surroundings will be perpetually endowed by Mr. Miller, with a substantial fund. This en- dowment will provide for the perpetual maintenance of the mausoleum and park and assist in the upkeep of any similar building which in the future might be erected on the Miller tract set aside for mausoleum purposes. A product of a long line of ancestors, whose livelihood and wealth were derived from the soil, Joseph M. Miller early decided to choose the ancient and honorable vocation of farming as his life work. He has attained an enviable standing in agricultural circles and his soundness of judgement and clearness of foresight have won for him the highest regard of the leading business men of this county. Mr. Miller takes a broad and comprehensive view of affairs and keeps himself well posted relative to business, public and political matters. He is num- bered amoung the representative citizens of Johnson county. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================