OBIT: William S. MILLER, 1943, Meyersdale, Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

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William S. Miller Succumbs to Illness of Week's Duration
One of Grand Old Men of Meyersdale - Inventor and Mechanical Genius

  William S. Miller, one of Meyersdale's oldest and best known citizens died at 
his home, corner of Front and Salisbury Streets, at 2 o'clock Wednesday morning, 
exactly one week after he was stricken when he got out of his bed, no one knows 
why, at 2 o'clock in the morning and fell to the floor.
  His two sisters, Misses Eliza and Mary Miller, who have been sharing the 
Miller home with their elder brother since the death of their parents, Mr. and 
Mrs. Samuel J. Miller, some years ago, and who were sleeping in a nearby room 
were awakened by the sound of his fall and feeble cries for help.
  When they ran to his assistance they found him kneeling by the bedside vainly 
trying to get back into bed.  The combined strength of the two aged sisters was 
not sufficient to raise him from the floor and lift him back into his bed.  One 
of the sisters ran to the home of P. H. Yost on the opposite street corner, to 
ask his help.  Mr. Yost responded and helped the stricken man into bed.
  Dr. J. W. Wenzel was summoned and found that Mr. Miller evidently had been 
overcome by dizziness or a stroke of some kind when he got out of bed.  His 
attempts to talk were feeble and incoherent.  He remained in a comatose 
condition most of the time until he passed away just one week after his 
collapse.
  William S. Miller, born on a farm in Summit Township, was the eldest of the 
six adult children of Samuel J. and Mary (Lichty) Miller, both of whom have been 
deceased for a good many years.  Altogether ten children were born to Father and 
Mother Miller, but four died in infancy, their firstborn at birth was unnamed.  
The next two, John and Sarah, died very young, before William was born. 
  A son, Hiram, next to William in their order of birth, was the first of the 
six adult children to pass away.  He was married to Miss Ida Klingaman and was 
the father of one son and one daughter, the latter the wife of Druggist D. W. 
Livengood of Salisbury.  The son, John is a resident of the Pittsburgh district.  
Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Miller have long been deceased. 
  Another daughter, Lydia, was born next after Hiram, but died in infancy.  The 
surviving four of the six adult children are Misses Eliza and Mary, above 
mentioned, Mrs. Annie Cupp, widow of W. W. Cupp of Somerset Township, and Daniel 
L. Miller, Confluence banker.
  Although William S. Miller was born and reared on his father's farm, he had a 
mechanical bent which caused him to leave the farm after he had attained his 
majority, to engage in business for himself as a mechanic in Meyersdale.  He was 
a veritable mechanical genius and invented and had patented a number of useful 
mechanical devices, the most successful of which were the Miller washing machine 
and the Miller dust collector, a mechanical device to take up and prevent the 
spreading of dust in grist and flour mills, threshing machines, etc.
  He incorporated the Miller Manufacturing Company and erected a large machine 
shop in the rear of the B. & O. depot in Meyersdale, where for many years he did 
a prosperous business in manufacturing dust collectors and washing machines of 
various designs from handpower wooden tubs, to enameled metal tubs operated by 
electric power.  He also did all kinds of custom mechanical work, repairing 
machinery, etc., and gave employment to a number of men besides himself, until 
he felt old enough to retire, when he sold his machine shop to John Lint and 
father, Josiah Lint.
  Mr. Miller did not get married until he was about middle age, when he took to 
wife Miss Clara Beal, who had been a popular school teacher and saleslady in 
Salisbury and Meyersdale for many years.  He erected for his home a commodious 
brick residence on the south side of Meyers Avenue, now the home of Dr. W. H. 
Ryland.
  Mrs. Miller has been deceased for a good many years.  The couple did not have 
any children.  After his home was broken up he moved into the home of his 
unmarried sisters, Eliza and Mary, where they lived very happily together as a 
small family group.
  Until a year or two ago Mr. Miller still remained a handyman with tools, doing 
all kinds of repair jobs for the accommodation of his neighbors, especially in 
repairing and sharpening lawn-mowers during the summer months.
  Mr. Miller from early manhood wore a full beard, which in his old age was 
quite gray and draped his breast almost to his waist line.  Since most men have 
discarded whiskers, Mr. Miller was a distinctive figure in any company.
  He was a faithful member of the Church of the Brethren since his youth and 
regular in attending the various services of the church.
  Funeral services will be conducted by his pastor, Rev. DeWitt Miller, South 
Side Church on Friday, April 16, at 1:30 p.m.
  Mr. Miller was the third oldest male resident of Meyersdale at the time of his 
death at the age of 88 years, 3 months and 25 days, the only two older citizens 
of this borough at the present time being Peter D. Baer, 93, and Norman E. 
Miller, 89.  Milton C. Horner is only 13 days younger than Mr. Miller was at his 
passing, and now ranks third among Meyersdale's old men.

Meyersdale Republican, April 15, 1943