LENOIR COUNTY, NC - Obit. - Philip Miller, 1939. ======================================================================= 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, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Martha Mewborn Marble May 1999 ======================================================================== PHILIP MILLER - 1939 We thank the staff at LCC for their permission to copy selected documents from their files to place on the internet. It is requested that researchers give appropriate credit when using these documents. Permission to combine said documents together in printed form is not given. Heritage Place, Lenoir Community College, Kinston, North Carolina; Vertical File # Miller 13647-17 - from the Hyatt Collection The Florida Times - Union - Jacksonville, Florida Tuesday, March 7 1939 DEATH CLAIMS PHILIP MILLER IN GAINESVILLE Father of Jacksonville City Attorney to Be Buried in Local Cemetery Phillip Miller, V, 82, one of Gainesville's oldest and most prominent citizens and father of Austin Miller, city attorney of Jacksonville, died yesterday afternoon at Gainesville following an illness of eight weeks. Mr. Miller, operated the first wholesale and retail grocery business in Gainesville. A North Carolinian by birth, he had lived in Gainesville since 1875. He had gone there as a youth of 18. Before he died, he had been in business on the Square as far back as 1880. Mr. Miller was born in Lenoir county, NC, March 19, 1857, the son of Philip and Martha Wilson Miller. His early American ancestors were Jacob and Catherine Miller who came from the Palatinate to American in 1710, Baron de Grassenried (sic) colony and settled in Cleveland (sic) now Lenoir County, NC. Jacob was an attorney and court was held in his house, 1713, 14, and 15. Colonial Ancestory He was also a captain in the Tuscorora Indian war. His son, the first Philip of this family, had a son Stephen, who wrote a number of law books which were highly regarded. In 1745, this Philip received a grant of land from George II, which he left to his son, Philip II. Part of this is still in possession of the descendants who live on it. The original charter was presented to the North Carolina Historical Society a few years ago. Mr. Miller was also a descendant of Col. Thomas Lovic, lord deputy proprietor of North Carolina and colonel commanding troop of Carteret County, NC in 1750 and also Leonard Loftin, member of General Assembly and appraiser of lands for the Crown and vestryman of St. Paul's Parish, Chowan Precinct, NC. After acquiring his education in the schools of his native State, Mr. Miller decided to seek his fortune in the undeveloped State of Florida and in 1875 went to Gainesville engaging in the grocery business. In 1885 his built a brick block on the north side of The Square, known as the Law Exchange Building. In Business Here Disposing of his grocery in Gainesville, Mr. Miller was for a time engaged in a similar business in Jacksonville, wholesale only. He later returned to Gainesville and for 30 years conducted a stationery office supply and soda fountain business known as Miller's. Mr. Miller was engaged in the real estate business up until a few months before his death. During his residence in Gainesville, covering a period of nearly three-score years, Mr. Miller enjoyed a reputation throughout Alachua county as a man whose word was as good as his bond and whose credit rating was of the best, an enviable record and one gained only through fair dealing, honesty of purpose and the possession of characteristics of the highest type. Whenever he was called on Mr. Miller gave unstintedly (sic) of his time and means for the upbuilding of the community. He was a charter member and active Rotarian for many years. He was a devout member of the Episcopal church, Fraternally, he was a Mason and a Knight Templar. Mr. Miller and Miss Carolyn Austin of Terre Haute, Ind, were married November 6, 1887. They had two children, Austin Miller, Jacksonville and Mrs. Hubert G. Powell who resides in St. Augustine. He had one sister, Mrs. Alice Miller Youngblood also of Gainesville and a niece, Mrs. Matthew Wood, LaGrange, NC. Funeral services will be conducted at the family residence, the time to be announced later with the Rev. Francis B. Wakefield, Jr rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Gainesville, officiating. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery this city. The family requests that friends omit flowers.