Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 147. L. N. MILLER Among the fruit growers of the west the name of L. N. Miller is widely known, for he has practically revolutionized the fruit drying methods of former days and is making, using and selling a drying and dehydrating system that is generally acknowledged to be the best and most practical method devised. His success has been gained through a long series of experiments under average working conditions, so that his theories have been vindicated in actual results, and the Miller dehydrating plant is one of the prominent industries of Lane county. Mr. Miller was born in Falmouth, Maine, in 1882, and is a son of A. C. and Elsie M. (Bruns) Miller, the latter now deceased. They were both born in Denmark, where the father remained until the section of country where he lived was annexed by Germany, when he came to the United States. He located in Portland, Maine, and then went to Falmouth, where he followed shoemaking for awhile, and later farmed. The mother came to this country to marry Mr. Miller the ceremony taking place- in Portland. L. N. Miller received a limited education in the public schools of Falmouth and when eighteen years of age began to learn the cabinetmaking trade in a cabinet factory, under the direction of his mother's brother. While employed there he formed the acquaintenance of a pipe organ manufacturer, H. C. Harrison, of Portland Maine, and eventually entered that gentleman's employ. Mr. Miller there gained valuable knowledge of air currents and other matters that were distinct assets to him later on. However, the factory conditions affected his health and, leaving the organ company, he formed a partnership with a brother-in-law, John Robinson, under the firm name of Robinson & Miller, and engaged in the contracting business. In 1908 his father decided to move west and, selling his interests in Maine, came to Oregon and eventually took an option on a tract of land near Eugene, after which the other members of the family, excepting L. N., joined him. L. N. Miller remained in Maine until 1911, being connected with the Smith & Rumery Company, contractors of Portland, as superintendent of the jobbing department, he and Mr. Robinson having dissolved partnership. In 1911 he came to Oregon, with the intention of going into the contracting business here with Mr.- Robinson, but the outlook for success in that line was not good. He built a house and soon afterwards bought a prune orchard of eight acres, to which he has since added by purchase until now he has forty-four acres, about thirty acres being planted to prunes . He cleared much of the land himself and planted the orchard. His first year's crop was a failure, and in the following year he rented a dryer from Mr. Shebondy, a neighbor, which he operated during 1913-14. The second year's crop was plentiful and during that season he became acquainted with some of the problems of fruit drying. He quickly saw the opportunity for radical improvements in the methods of handling and drying and during his third year built his own dryer. From that time to the present he has constantly been engaged in an effort to solve the various problems which have come up from time to time in his line of work, the result being a succession of improvements leading up to his present system. During his fourth year he experimented with the fan-type dryer, but was not satisfied because it did not recirculate the air in the dryer. Finally he devised the Miller trayer, which is now used all over the northwest, a machine for handling, dipping, spraying and traying the fruit by vibration, and which turns out the fruit in the best possible condition for drying. It is-not only a great labor saver, but avoids all damage to the fruit a most important feature. During his career here he has built and redesigned many drying plants, and when the Oregon Growers got into trouble he was placed in charge, and redesigned and operated their plants. In 1921-22 the idea of a forced draft came up and at about that time Mr. Miller became agent for the Puccinilli Dehydrating Company, of Los Gatos, California. He put in about a dozen ,of that company's plants, using his own trays, trayers, etc., but he was not satisfied with the Puccinilli equipment, so he worked out his own design for a plant, which he built and demonstrated at Vancouver, Washington. The superiority of his own plant was amply shown and from that time on he has had no trouble in selling his equipment, having put in twenty plants in 1926. His own dehydrating manufacturing plant represents an investment of about twenty-five thousand dollars and includes machinery specially designed by him for making the products. He employs twelve men throughout the year and during the busy season in 1926 employed fifty men. He designs, sells and erects dehydrating plants and has had inquiries from points all over the west, as well as British Columbia, South America, Russia and the eastern states. He has worked hard and persistently and is now meeting with gratifying success. In 1903 Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Annie M. Hensen, who was born in Falmouth, Maine, a daughter of Nels and Christine, both of whom were natives of Denmark. Her father is deceased and her mother still lives in the east. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had four children: Ruth and Elsie, who are at home; Richard, who died at the age of nine months; and Pauline, who died when five years old. Mr. Miller served nine years as clerk of the Bethel district school-board. He represents the Lane County Cooperative Prune Growers on the exchange board at Portland, and is a member of the board of directors of the Oregon Growers. A man of great energy and marked executive ability, he has managed his affairs in a masterly way and has gained an enviable standing throughout his section of the state. He is a man of many excellent qualities of head and heart and commands the esteem and good will of all with whom he comes in contact. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2011 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.