William A MILLER

November 25, 1845 - September 14, 1918

*Obituary
Rogers Democrat
Thursday, September 19, 1918

MILLER, William A. - W.A. Miller, one of the pioneer business men of Rogers, died Saturday night at nine o'clock at his home on South Fourth street, between Cherry and Pecan. He had been in a dangerous condition for some time but few of our citizens knew that the end was so near and the news of his death was a complete surprise to most of them. Mr. Miller has been confined to his home for nearly two years. Funeral services were held at the residence Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 and were conducted by Rev. Robt. Guthrie, pastor of the Presbyterian church. After the conclusion of the services the Masonic lodge took charge of the body and conducted the final ceremonies at the cemetery. In the death of Mr. Miller Rogers loses another of its best known citizens and while he had for some time been out of the harness in civil and commercial enterprises he had not been forgotten. He was always a man of integrity and honor. William A. Miller was born in Warren County, Tenn. November 25, 1845 and was a son of Alexander C. and Jane Miller. He was educated in that state and his early days were spent on his father's farm. He was married February 15, 1868 to Miss Clarissa Thomas, also of Tennessee, and to them were born ten children, all but two of whom are still living: Horton Miller, Ft. Hall, Idaho; Hugh J. Miller, Tulsa, Okla.; John F. Miller, San Francisco, Calif.; Author Miller, Finis Miller and Miss Maud Miller, all of Rogers; Horace and Claude Miller, both of Fayetteville; Mrs. Gene Miller Fant and Mabel C. Miller, deceased. In 1868 Mr. Miller and family moved to Lawrence Co., Mo. where he was engaged in the general mercantile business at Pierce City until 1881 when he came to Rogers. They arrived just a few days ahead of the Frisco railroad, early in the spring, and Mr. Miller at once opened a general mercantile store which he conducted for nearly fifteen years. He built one of the first brick business houses in the city and was always an important factor in business circles. After the retirement from the store Mr. Miller devoted his time to writing life insurance and the management of the Miller Opera House, for years the only public gathering place in Rogers and which is still a portion of the Miller estate. As owner of a large farm, Mr. Miller has also been interested in the agricultural development of this section and was a member of the early horticultural societies, being for years a director of the Rogers Shippers Union. For a considerable number of years he was a buyer during the shipping season for Northern commission houses and traveled over the south and west in their interests. Few men of Northwest Arkansas were better known among the berry buyers or shippers than Mr. Miller, especially in Denver where he used to go each fall to escape the terror of hay fever. He served several terms as mayor of Rogers and was on the school board and city council for several years. In fact Mr. Miller served as a pioneer along almost every line of civic and commercial life in Rogers and in connection with his son has given to the city one of the best known and most interesting families of its history. No story of the early years of Rogers will be complete without reference to the Miller family and to its head, W.A. Miller.

Contributed on 9/14/13 by judyfrog
Email This Contributor

Suggest a Correction

Record #: 926619

Don't Follow