John D. Miller Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 802

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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JOHN D. MILLER, one of the founders of the town of Miller, Hand county, 
South Dakota, where he now resides, was a native of Cedar county, lowa, 
and was born February 9, 1861, the son of Henry Miller, a sketch of 
whose life appears elsewhere in this volume. 

Our subject was reared and educated in Benton county, Iowa, attending 
the Blairstown Academy. He began farming when a young man and followed 
it in his native state until he went to Hand county, South Dakota. in 
1881. In company with his father and brothers he settled on the 
northeast quarter of section 15, which was later jumped by Mr. 
Youngblood, and afterward purchased by our subject's father. They at 
once began platting the town and selling town property in November of 
the same year. In company with his brothers, W. H. and E. J., he began 
the building of the town, and the same spring took a piece of land 
adjoining Wessington, proved the claim and then disposed of the land, 
afterward going to Miller and engaging in the real estate business, 
also following farming to some extent. In company with his father and 
brothers, under the firm name of Henry Miller & Sons, the Miller mills 
were erected in 1885, and afterward the property passed into the hands 
of the sons, in 1892, since which time they have followed milling. It 
has been a paying institution and our subject aside from his interest 
in the mill, also engages in farming and the raising of cattle. 

Mr. Miller was married in 1891 to Miss Addie L. McWhorter, a sketch of 
whose father appears on another page. Two sons and one daughter have 
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller, upon whom they have bestowed the 
names of Lee D., Charles W. and Fannie C. Our subject is a member of 
the Knights of Pythias and. the Modern Woodmen of America. In political 
views he is a Populist, but was formerly a Democrat. He has held 
various offices of trust and has always discharged his duties honorably 
and well. He was the first deputy sheriff under I. P. Griffith, and was 
also constable for some years. Hand county has no citizen who more 
justly deserves the respect of the people.