Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 452.

NELSON A. MILLER, one of the self-made business men of Umatilla county, Oregon,
is the subject of this sketch.  He was born in Delaware county, Iowa, January 3,
1858.  The name of his father was A. B. Miller, who married Mrs. Matilda Lewis,
a native of Missouri.  When Grandfather Lewis died our subject was ten years of
age and the grandparent was 101, in 1868.  The father of our subject moved to
southern Iowa and there the mother died at the age of fifty-three years.  Mr.
Miller married a second time and our subject did not wish to remain with his
stepmother, therefore started out from home alone, without a cent, at the age of
fourteen years.
     The first business contract our subject formed was that of hiring out to
work for a farmer for $25 for one year with clothes.  The next year he had $75
and clothed himself and the following year he began to learn the trade of a
carpenter, serving an apprenticeship for three years.  His next venture was in
the painting business, and another art for some time, then clerked in a hotel
for Mr. McKey of Centerville, Iowa, for two years.  At this time our subject had
seen something of his surrounding neighborhood, and he then went to Warrensburg,
Missouri, where he worked at the trade of painter for a year.
     Desiring to see the western country, Mr. Miller then traveled to Kansas and
Colorado for some time in the interest of the Shotwell target gun, returning to
Centerville, in 1883 he went to Kansas city, Missouri, and engaged with Lewis &
Co's. Great West Paint Company, taking charge of the painting squad and paint
depots for all the railroad buildings and bridges on the gulf road, from Kansas
city to Memphis, Tennessee.  Later he returned to Centerville, remaining but a
short time.  From here he went to Waukena, Kansas, where he engaged in the
shipping of fowls of all kinds to Denver, Colorado.
     Our subject sold this business and returned to Kansas City, where he
entered the Union Signal service, and after traveling all over the country he
received his discharge at Philadelphia and then returned to Iowa.  In 1886 he
was married to Miss Emma Stormfeltz, a native of Iowa, who was reared in Iowa.
Soon after his marriage, our subject came to Oregon, settling at Athena and in
March, 1886, bought out William Wagoner's furniture and undertaking store, but
in 1889 sold it to W. M. King, and in 1890 he took the store back again.
     While our subject was out of business he visited the Sound country, looking
for a location, made a visit to his home in Iowa, returned and again settled in
Athena.  At this place Mr. Miller carries a stock of furniture, valued at
$3,000, and is doing a business of $7,000, owns his residence and two other
lots.  Mr. and Mrs. Miller have one little boy,
R. A. Miller, born December, 1887.  Mr. Miller is a member of the Masonic order,
having filled some of the most important offices in that fraternity, and also
carries a $5,000 insurance policy in the order.  Politically our subject is a
Republican and upholds the principles of that party.  Although in his youth he
had very limited advantages for obtaining an education he embraces every
opportunity offered.  He taught himself while acting as clerk in the hotel
Having earned all that he owns he very naturally appreciates it.  His prospects
are bright and as he is yet a young man he has the future before him.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.