Windham

MILLER, Joseph

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 276-277 
(portrait p 276)

Joseph MILLER, of East Dummerston, was born 03 March 1817 in Dummerston 
[Windham County, Vermont], son of Joseph and Elizabeth (WILSON) MILLER. His 
great grandfather, Capt. Isaac MILLER, who surveyed the township of 
Dummerston in 1767, gave in 1775 the land, which was lot No. 37, containing 
one hundred acres, to his eldest son, Capt. Vespasian MILLER. Vespasian had 
been a soldier in the old French war in 1759, afterward followed the sea 
until 1775, when he came to Dummerston and in 1778 moved his family to this 
town. Joseph MILLER received a somewhat limited education in the public 
schools, but profitably availed himself of his opportunities; for five 
winters was an instructor in the village schools; and was made town 
superintendent in 1857. The business of his life has been farming, and his 
intelligent and industrious efforts have gained him merited success. His 
farm is pleasantly situated in the eastern part of town and produces 
excellent crops. He has a large orchard from which he manufactures the best 
quality maple syrup; some friends of Grover Cleveland during his first term 
as president bought a box of this product and sent it to him, and a similar 
purchase was made and sent to President Benjamin Harrison. His sugar was 
especially noticed by the French commissioners at the Centennial in 
Philadelphia in 1876, and received an award at the Columbian Exposition in 
1893.

He began political life at age of thirty-two, when he was chosen town clerk; 
having held the office for forty-four years, was re-elected at the last March 
meeting; from 1850 until 1884 was a justice of the peace; has represented his 
town in the state Legislature two successive terms, 1862 and 1863; soon after 
the war was chosen town treasurer, holding that office at present; and was 
made census enumerator of the U. S. for the township of Dummerston in 1880. 
His long experience in public business makes him a valuable officer and 
reliable legal counselor in matters pertaining to town affairs; his 
assistance and advice are often sought in making wills and settling estates. 
He is an excellent penman; the town records kept by him can be as easily read 
as typewriting. On 03 March 1841 Mr. [Joseph] MILLER was first united in 
marriage, to Eliza A., daughter of Isaac and Abigail (McWAYNE) REED; she 
[Eliza] died 26 November 1843. On 25 December 1844 he [Joseph MILLER] 
married his second wife, Sophia, daughter of William and Polly (FROST) ARMS; 
she [Sophia] died 26 July 1883. Of this marriage there are three children 
now living: J. Arms MILLER, Adin F. MILLER, and Ansel Irwin MILLER.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly