WPA Interviews

Miller, Edith -- Lee

INTERVIEW, Jul 16, 1940

Interview with Mr. & Mrs. Lee Miller of Millersburg, Linn County, Oregon.

In this interview Mrs. Miller was the principal informant. Mr. Miller added only a few pertinent facts. Mrs. Miller's name is Edith (Miller) Miller.

Mr. & Mrs. Miller are distant cousins so that their family relationships are closely intermingled. This interview is written as from Mrs. Miller, in direct quotation.

My name is Edith Miller. My husband's name is Lee Miller. My maiden name was also Miller. My grandfather's name was Abraham Miller Senior. He was the head of the Miller family, which came to Oregon in 1849 and settled in this region in the extreme northwestern point of Linn County. My grandfather, Abraham Miller Sr. was born in Germany in July, 1795. At just what date he came to America we have no record. Grandfather settled in Mercer County, Illinois, near Galesburg and he became the first County Recorder of Mercer County. At that place he married Mary Little on January 4, 1822. Mary Little was born in 1807. In 1849 the family left Illinois and came to Oregon.

(Note: To show how records and interviews sometimes conflict I herewith quote a paragraph from Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley, Oregon. - Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1903. It reads: "Abraham Miller was born in Tennessee in 1779, and when a young man he removed to Indiana, where he met and married Mary Little. He subsequently removed to Mercer County, Ill., and founded the village of Millersburg, and in the spring of 1850 they followed their oldest son Jacob L., across the plains."It will be seen that there is great conflict between these two accounts.

L.H.).

When grandfather came to Oregon they had four ox wagons, four yoke of oxen to the wagon, and he brought with him his wife and six children. They first stopped in Linn County, on the south banks of the Santiam not far from present Jefferson. The land which they settled had already been taken up by Ashby Pierce from whom they bought the squatters rights. Their first house, like almost all settlers' cabins, was a one-story log cabin.

I will now give you, as exactly as possible, the data on grandfather's family.

Abraham Miller Sr. Born in Germany(?), July 1795. Died by being hit by a train at the Railroad crossing near his home on Dec. 29, 1875. He was becoming old at the time and his deafness prevented him hearing the approach of the train.

Mary (Little) Miller, (Grandmother) was born Jan. 1, 1807 in Wayne County, Indiana. She died Feb. 15, 1879 in Linn County, Oregon.

They were the parents of eleven children as follows:

Jacob Miller, Born November 14, 1822. He came to Oregon in 1847, preceding his parents by two or three years. It was his successful trip, which encouraged his father to follow. Jacob L. Miller owned and operated a store at Santiam City on the north shore of the Santiam River where the Hale Ferry was situated. He was also the postmaster at that place. Hale, who founded his ferry in 1846 also founded a rival town called Syracuse at the south ferry landing on the Linn County shore. Jacob L. Miller died Jan. 28, 1884.

Elizabeth Miller. Born September 8, 1824. She married Samuel Brown on November 5, 1845.

Nancy Miller. Born Sept. 5, 1829. She died Jan. 15, 1880.

Samuel Miller. Born May 23, 1833. Died January 21, 1836.

Mary Ann Miller. Born Jan. 10, 1836. She died April 21, 1875.

Lydia Miller. Born Aug. 23, 1838. Died Sept. 18, 1856.

Abraham Miller. (The informant's father) was born Nov. 9, 1840. He married my mother, Mary Jane Crooks, July 8, 1866.

Francis Miller. Born Nov. 20, 1843 (Commonly known as Frank M. Miller.) Died July 5, 1908. He married Nancy E. Bowman, May 15, 1873. She was a cousin of the Hale family of whom Milton Hale, early ferryman on the Santiam, was the head.

Joseph T. Miller. Born March 7, 1847. Died Jan. 28, 1884.

Ellen Jane Miller. Born July 20, 1852 in Oregon. Died March 17, 1872.

John B. Miller. (No birth or death dates obtained) He married Mary Ann Smith, Apr. 9, 1850.

I neglected to state that Nancy Miller married Samuel Jones on Feb. 20, 1851. Samuel Jones was an emigrant to Oregon in the same train with my grandparents. This couple has a son, Joseph Jones living near Dever in this county.

Now I will try to explain the exact relationship between my own family and that of my husband. We are both descended from the same great-grandfather Miller, but his given name I cannot tell. He was a blacksmith in the colonies during the Revolutionary War. To him were born four sons, named respectively:

George Miller.

John Miller.

Isaac Miller.

Abraham Miller.

All of these sons came to Oregon. Abraham Miller was the youngest and he became my grandfather. George Miller was the oldest of the family and he became my husband's grandfather.

Of the above four brothers, one settled in Kings Valley in Benton County, one at Independence, in Polk County, and two of them in Linn County. My grandfather, Abraham Miller, had founded a town called Millersburg, in Illinois before coming to Oregon. This neighborhood in Linn County is also known as Millersburg because of the many Millers who have lived or settled here. The exact location of my grandfather's claim was a mile or two north of present Millersburg, just where what is known as the "Scrabble Hill" road branches from Highway 99E.

Now I will tell you as much as I know about my husband's branch of the Miller family. George Miller Sr., his grandfather took up a claim about two miles northwest of the present station of Millersburg. The "Miller Cemetery" in that locality is situated at the northeast corner of his claim. George Miller was married a number of times and became the father of a family of twenty-four children. His last wife, and the mother of most of his children, was Nancy Ann Miller who, before she married, was a Stockton from California. (Note: When Mr. Lee Miller was asked to give the name of his own mother, his answer was, "I do not know my mother's name. My mother and father separated soon after I was born and I never knew her." By searching through family records, Mrs. Miller finally discovered that the name was Magdalene Rudy. Born Mar. 14, 1832. Died Aug. 1929.) "Mrs. Miller continued, "Lee's father was Isaac Miller. He took up a claim situated just where the station of Millersburg is now situated. (Note: A probable mistake. An I.D. Miller owned land there in 1878 but the original claimants of the land were of different name. However, as there were a number of different Isaac Millers, settlers in this region, exact persons can not be now determined. L.H.). Isaac Miller, my husband's father, was a Modoc War Veteran.

(Note: It was impossible to secure a list of George Millers 24 children, but apparently none are now living.

On Lee's grandfather's place, at the site of the Miller Cemetery, there was an early Baptist Church which was known as "Little Bethel". It was first organized at the home of Exum Powell, south of here, in 1848. The first members of the church were my mother's father, John Crooks, Abraham Miller Jr., Exum Powell, Elizabeth Powell, Louisa McClain and William Allphin. The first pastor was Elder Turnidge. When the gold fever struck this settlement certain members were allowed to take the church society and its legal records with them to the mines and it became known as "The Church Which Traveled" as its meetings were held in various places in Southern Oregon before it again came to rest in some place in the Southern Section. George Miller Sr., and Abraham Miller Jr., were among those who carried the church society with them on it's travels.

There is small wonder that this section should be called "The Millersburg" community for all of my grandfather's sons who grew to maturity took up claims here, as well as many of great-uncle George's sons from a family of 24 members. There were other Miller families who settled here also, not related to our tribe who are of German descent. The Miller family near the "Santiam Forks", a numerous tribe, also founded a Miller's Cemetery near there, but they were not Germans but Scotch.

Mr. Miller stated, "My mother was a daughter of John Crooks. Grandfather Crooks came to Oregon in 1848 and settled on the Willamette River just above its confluence with the Santiam. Mother was born there in December 22, 1838; just a few weeks after her people reached Oregon. At the time grandfather Crooks came west, there were seven boys in his family, all born in the east. They were:

Barton Crooks.

Aaron Crooks.

Richard Crooks.

John Crooks.

Joseph Crooks.

Abraham Crooks.

Samuel Crooks. (Samuel Crooks was the father of Mrs. Henry Hoefer of this neighborhood.)

After the Crooks family reached Oregon there were two daughters born. They were:

My mother. Born Dec. 22, 1848.

Ellen Crooks, born a year or two later. Her married name was Bowen.

My mother and her sister went to school at a cabin schoolhouse on the Thomas Allphin place. Other pioneer children who went there were the McClains and the Meekers, both early settler's children. Ollie Kirkpatrick was one of the early teachers there. She was an aunt of Clyde Bryant of Albany. My own schooling was at the Millers Schoolhouse where the first teachers were Ina Robertson and Bell Bodine.

My own mother and father were the parents of five children, three of whom died while infants. Those who survived were:

Edith Miller, born 1867. (The informant.) Married Lee Miller.

Pearl Miller. Born 1888. Married name Calahan.

Bessie Miller. Born 1884. Married name Bilyeu.

My grandfather Crooks was a member of the 1855 Oregon Territorial Legislature which met at Oregon City. The Legislature met in the fall, for I know that grandfather was away attending the session when grandmother died, and that was in September. Grandfather walked to Oregon City to attend the Legislature, leaving his team at home to be used on the claim by his sons. Grandfather also owned and operated a very early sawmill in this region and made all his own furniture. I can remember in the old Crooks home the many bookcases, spool bedsteads, tables, stands, etc., that grandfather had made.

The Ferry on the Santiam between the towns of Santiam City and Syracuse was founded in the very early spring of 1846. Almost all of the very early Linn County settlers crossed by that ferry. I can remember when it was still running. I believe that at first it was operated simply by poling it across the current. Later it was operated with a cable and pulley and the ferry was pushed across by the force of the stream current. The ferry would be set at a slant with the current so that the force of the stream would shove it slowly forward. Milton Hale was always a great friend of the Indians.

He felt that by treating them well he could gain their friendship and preserve the safety of the settlement. Whenever he shot a deer he would take a part and hang the rest on a certain oak tree near his home. The Indians understood that whatever was hung in that tree was a gift. The deer were hung on a stout wooden peg driven into the tree, and that tree is still standing with a portion of the original peg in place. (Location of the tree was carefully described but has not yet been seen by this writer. L.H.) "When I was growing up, fruit was becoming very plentiful in Oregon, for the first improved orchards were beginning to come into full bearing. In the early days all the fruit was dried or made into thick butters and preserves for winters use. The first fruit that my mother ever canned was in tin cans made by the local tinner. Each can was cut and soldered separately and a loose tin lid was provided. After the can was filled with fruit the lid would be put in place and wax or rosin poured all over the top to seal it.

Another method of sealing was to take a coarse cotton string or a piece of candlewick and dip it in the melted wax. Then it would be put on the can, under the tin lid, and pressed down until the wax hardened. One end of the string was left loose and when the can was to be opened all that was necessary was to take hold of the loose end of string and pull it out. That would break the seal all around. Later, stoneware jars, and glass jars were used. These were made with a grooved lip to receive a convex disk of tin.

A waxed string was first coiled carefully in the groove, and then the lid would be placed with its "dished" edges fitting in the groove on top of the string. Last of all, wax would be poured into the groove until it was quite full. The lid was held down until the wax hardened. When it was desired to open a jar the string would first be pulled loose and that would break the seal all around. It was much easier and more convenient than present screw lids.

Pumpkins, green beans, apples and plums were dried or made into big jars of apple and pumpkin butter. Later green beans were salted down in brine, then freshened by soaking in many waters to prepare for eating. When the cooking was done at the fireplace there was lots of work in preparing a meal. At my Grandfather Crook's house there were many Baptist gatherings which would often last for from one to three weeks. Everyone was welcome and all partook of the family meals. Mother would be in the kitchen cooking from morning to night.

Perhaps that is about all I can tell you of early days in the Crooks/Miller family. I never heard many stories of the crossing of the plains.

Evidently, outside of common hardships, they had little trouble. I did hear of one incident, however. Samuel Jones, who married my aunt Nancy Miller, at one time thought that it would be a good joke to offer to trade his pretty sister-in-law, Lydia Miller, to an Indian for ponies. The Indian, of course, took it in earnest and for a time the whole party was nearly scared for their lives.

The roads, in the early days, here in this community, were merely lanes from house to house. There was a gate at every claim line. The lanes were muddy, too, and at each farmstead ended in a muddy barnyard.

There were a few of the old timers of this county who were more than locally prominent. One of them was the man for whom Prineville, Oregon, was named. He was Barney Prine who was born twelve miles from Kansas City, Jan. 1, 1841. His father was Frank Prine, a Methodist preacher. His mother was Elsie Daley Prine, born in Kentucky. Prine was twelve years old when he came to Oregon. His home in Linn County was in the "Forks of the Santiam".

Later he moved to Eastern Oregon where he was City Marshall of Weston.

Another prominent pioneer was John B. Horner who was a Professor of History at Oregon State College for many years. Few persons know it but his name was not Horner at all. This is his history as nearly as I know it.

John B. Horner's mother was an Austrian woman and when she was young she worked for seven years as an offbearer in a brickyard with wages of 17 cents per day. That was in a Moravian village and her purpose in earning the money was to accumulate enough to come to America. One of her sons was named John Baptiste and his mother dedicated him to the ministry of the German Reformed Church. He was born on the Brazos River not far from Galveston, Texas. His surname was Swadlenak. That was the boy who became Oregon's historian, John B. Horner. He died Sept. 17, 1933.

(In concluding this interview the writer herewith attaches a short sketch of another member of the Miller family, secured from other sources.

Frank M. Miller, successful farmer of Linn County. (Note: This is the Francis Miller of the attached interview.) He was born Nov. 20, 1843 at Millersburg, Mercer County, Ill. He was seven years old when he came to Oregon with his parents, in 1850. He attended school in a log schoolhouse in the "Millersburg" neighborhood, Linn County, Oregon. The school was fitted with slab benches and desks, and had puncheon or hewed-slab floor.

Frank Miller married May 15, 1873 to Nancy E. Bowman who was the daughter of Preston H. Bowman and America (Allphin) Bowman. America Allphin and Preston Bowman were married in Linn County, Oct. 11, 1850. They were pioneers of the year 1847.

Frank Miller and his wife were the parents of two children, namely: Norah Miller whose husband was Arthur Holt of Albany.

Albert A. Miller whose home was at Jefferson, Marion County.

The father of Frank Miller was Abraham Miller of the attached interview.

Copyright © 2000 Patricia Dunn. All rights reserved. This transcription may not be reproduced in any media without the express written permission by the author. Permission has been given by the Transcriber to publish on the LGS web site.