Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Robert Willis Miller (1847-1924)

ROBERT WILLIS MILLER was born on 5 September 1847 in Willow Hill, Jasper County, IL. His parents were John Miller and Mary Kennedy.

Robert was married to Matilda M. Morrison on 1 August 1880 in Millbank, Grant County, SD.
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TIMELINE
Robert Willis Miller
1850 - Saint Marie, Jasper County, IL
1860 - Willow Hill, Jasper County, IL
1870 - Auburn Township, Sangamon County, IL
1876 - Move to MN
1880 - Ortonville Township, Big Stone County, MN
1880 - moved to Northern California from MN
1900 - Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, CA
1904 - moved to Hanford, Kings County, CA
1910 - Hanford (Lucerne), Kings County, CA
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RECORDS
14 Dec 1850 census of Saint Marie Precinct, Jasper County, IL, found the Miller family living in dwelling #272:

John Miller 50 OH
Mary 42 KY
William 21 IL
Thomas 16 IL
Jane 18 IL
John 13 IL
James 9 IL
Robert 1 IL
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1860 Census of Willow Hill, Jasper County, IL found the Miller family living in dwelling #1361. Next door in dwelling #1360 was daughter Jane (28), her husband William Neal (28) and their son John T. (2). Neighbors included son John Miller and nephew Thomas K. Miller. Another neighbor was William Ping and family, including daughter Mary Elizabeth Ping (17):

John Miller 60 OH - Farmer
James 26 IL - Laborer
Nancy E. 17 IL
Belinda 13 IL
Robert 12 IL
Jesse 10 IL
Hiram 8 IL
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11 Aug 1870 census of Auburn Township, Sangamon County, IL, showed Jesse and Robert Miller living with the Thomas S. Park family in dwelling #94:

Thomas S. Park 45 IN - Farmer
Nancy 41 IN
Leuticia E. 13 IL
Samuel 11 IL
Minnie 4 IL
Mary 3 IL
Beaumont Park 87 CT
Jesse Miller 20 IL - Farm laborer
Robert Miller 22 IL - Farm laborer
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In a letter to his nephew, Robert W. Miller (son of James David Miller), Robert Willis Miller said that he moved away from his Illinois home in the spring of 1876.
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7 June 1880 census of Ortonville Township, Big Stone County, MN, found Robert living alone in dwelling #130. Big Stone County is just northwest of Chippewa County where brother Jesse Miller was living in 1880. There were two other lawyers listed on this same census page with Robert as well as several railroad workers:

R. W. Miller 31 IL OH KY - Single, Lawyer
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Robert was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1874, the Minnesota Bar in 1876, the Superior Court of California in 1880, and the Supreme Court of California in July 1885. He also served as a Notary Public in Del Norte County, CA, from 1886 to 1895.
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Listed in "The History of the Bench and Bar of California, 1912" by J.C. Bates, which stated that he practiced law in St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN from 1874 until 1880, when he moved to Northern California, where he practiced in Eureka for 2 years, Crescent City for 8 years, and Santa Rosa for 10 years. He then moved to Hanford, CA in 1904. He was working as a Deputy District Attorney of Del Norte County, CA, at the time of his death 5 November 1924.
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5 June 1900 census of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, CA, found the Miller family living in dwelling #98 on Beaver Street. Robert and Matilda said that they had been married 20 years and all 7 of their children were still living:

Robert Miller 9-1848 51 IL IL IL - Lawyer
Matilda M. 7-1854 42 WI Ireland Ireland
Maud E. 5-1881 19 MN IL WI
Edgar H. 9-1883 16 CA IL WI
Frederick C. 10-1886 13 CA IL WI
Robert J. 11-1888 11 CA IL WI
James A. 2-1891 9 CA IL WI
Wayne L. 4-1894 6 CA IL WI
Lowell M. 9-1898 2 CA IL WI
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3 May 1910 census of Hanford (Lucerne), Kings County, CA, found the Miller family in dwelling #326 on East Ninth Street. Robert was listed as a lawyer. Matilda and children Robert J., James, Wayne and Lowell were living in dwelling #153 in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, CA:

Robert Miller 66 IL NY NY - Lawyer
Justin Miller 20 CA IL IN
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The California Voter Registration for Crescent City, Del Norte County, in 1914 showed Robert W. Miller employed as an attorney at law, registered as a Progressive.

The California Voter Registration for Hanford, Kings County, in 1900-1918 showed Robert W. Miller employed as an attorney at law, registered as a Progressive.
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OBITUARY FOR ROBERT WILLIS MILLER

Aged Attorney Passes
R. W. Miller, who recently came here from Arkansas died Wednesday morning at 1 o'clock after a brief illness. The funeral was held Thursday morning, the Rev. N. A. Morrison conducting the services. The deceased was born at Newton, Jasper County, Illinois in 1849, came to Crescent City in 1882, was principal of the grammar school here and assisted in the organization of the high school. In 1883 he opened a law office here and practiced for a number of years. Since coming from Arkansas a few months ago he has been acting in the capacity of deputy district attorney.

(Del Norte Triplicate, Crescent City California, Nov 8, 1924)
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HISTORY of the BENCH AND BAR of CALIFORNIA
Edited by J. C. Bates
Bench and Bar Publishing Company, Publishers
San Francisco, CA 1912

ROBERT WILLIS MILLER

Residence and office, Hanford, Ca. Born September 5, 1847 in Willow Hill, Illinois. Son of John and Mary (Kennedy) Miller.
Moved to California in 1880. Married in 1880 to Mattie Morrison.
Educated in the public schools of Illinois. Attended University of Illinois. Admitted to the bar of Illinois in 1874, Minnesota in 1876, Superior Court of California 1880, Supreme Court of California, 1885.

Practiced law in Illinois until 1874 when he moved to Minnesota where for two years he taught in the schools of that state. Practiced law in Minnesota until 1880 when he moved to northern California practicing his profession in Eureka two years; Crescent City eight years and Santa Rosa 10 years. In 1904 he moved to Hanford where he continues the general pracitce of law to date. Member of Masonic Order. Republican.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ax0LAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA429&lpg=PA429&dq=crescent+california+%22robert+willis+miller%22&source=bl&ots=4O8t46eE3e&sig=nG2sM5vlyrkaX2Ln8Vvir-yGZkk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TjDBT_GzOMWWiQLFg_HYBw&ved=0CFUQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=crescent%20california%20%22robert%20willis%20miller%22&f=false
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Robert W. MILLER was born in Jasper County IL on Sep 5 1847. He was orphaned at an early age and grew up in Crawford county under the care of a guardian who allowed him practically no educational advantages. At 19 he became a student in a public school in Sangamon County, IL and graduated at age 21 with a teacher's certificate. Teaching for the next two years, he prepared himself to enter the University of IL and in 1871 took the law course of that institution and in 1874 was admitted to the bar. He then went to
Minnesota and taught school for two years and also was admitted to practice in the Supreme court there. In 1879 he located in Humboldt County, CA. He practiced at Eureka for two years, then went into mining, and on Jun 17 1885 he became a member of the bar, admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of CA. He then located at Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and in 1904 went to Hanford. In 1889 he married Miss Mattie MORRISON, native of Wisconson.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NORCAL/2004-12/1103688352
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In 1882, Robert Willis Miller was listed as a Steward with the MEMBERS OF OAKLAND LODGE, NO. 188, (Oakland, Alameda County) GRAND LODGE OF CALIFORNIA - FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS.

http://www.sfgenealogy.com/caldatanook/msn82/msn188.htm

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