Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 1162.

     WILLIAM MILLER, one of Oregon's pioneers and a prominent and successful
agriculturist of Marion county, came to the State in 1846.  He is descended from
one of the old clans of the Highlands in Scotland, Malcom Miller, a renowned
Highland chieftain being one of his ancestors.  His parents, Andrew and Isabelle
(Spear) Miller, were also natives of Scotland; they had a family of nine
children, only two of whom survive, the youngest daughter and William the
subject of this biographical notice.  He was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, July
26, 1815, and when he grew to man's estate he engaged in coal and iron mining.
At the age of twenty-seven years he emigrated to the United States, arriving in
the port of New York, May 28, 1842.  He went to Pennsylvania, and there engaged
in mining for coal, but remained only a short time; from this point he went to
Shelby county, Illinois, where he had some mining and farming interests.  After
about five years spent in Illinois, March 20, 1846, he started across the plains
to Oregon, making the journey with ox teams.  They encountered a tribe of
Indians, 1,500 strong, who demanded presents, saying that the great White Chief
(meaning Fremont), had told them that trains passing through should give them
gifts; the travelers readily consented to this.  That night the chiefs and
braves came to the camp, receiving flour and provisions and a supper; they
assured the emigrants that they need not guard their stock that night and on the
following morning, after partaking of breakfast, the Indians assisted in
breaking camp, and allowed the journey to be resumed.  When Mr. Miller arrived
in the Willamette valley he settled upon a Government donation of land, the
tract consisting of 640 acres, and built a residence there.  When the Cayuse war
broke out, he was one of the first to offer his service to quell the revolt, and
was one of the seventy men who volunteered to go to the rescue of Walker and
Neal when they and their families were in danger of being murdered.
     Longhead, a chief who had not engaged in the war, gave his reason in a
speech, that he had been informed that there was no end to the guns and
ammunition owned by the Bostons, and that they were thick as grass on the
prairie; they would, therefore, come by legions and over-power and destroy the
Indians.
     Mr. Miller went to California, in the fall of 1848, accompanied by his
partner, Mr. Blevins, the agreement being that they would take care of each
other at all hazards; they mined on the Mokelumne and Stanislaus, and were very
successful.  Mr. Blevins, however, fell sick, and it was decided that they
should return to the East; this they did, coming by the Isthmus.  Mr. Miller's
family were in Illinois, and in 1850 he came back to Oregon, accompanied by them
and a party of thirty-five; he purchased the outfit, and was to receive $100
each from the men, but upon his arrival here he would accept nothing from them.
On the journey a daughter was added to his household, who was named Caroline;
one of the children, Andrew, was born before leaving Scotland; and Jane in
Schuyler county, Illinois, February 13, 1845; and in Oregon there were added to
the family five children; of all these, only Jane survives; she is the wife of
Frank Kellogg.
     Prosperity has attended Mr. Miller, and he is the owner of 1,070 acres of
land and a pleasant dwelling in Salem.  For some years he has been engaged in
raising sheep, horses and cattle, but more recently has devoted his attention to
the cultivation of wheat, oats and hay.  He has produced forty-four bushels to
the acre, but latterly twenty-seven bushels have been an average crop.  In 1891
he reaped from 960 acres a crop of 10,000 bushels of wheat and oats, and sixty
tons of hay.  Our worthy subject has been a member of the Masonic order since
1849.  He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.  During the war
he stood firmly for the Union, but he affiliates with the Democratic party.
     His marriage occurred in Scotland, March 28, 1837, when he was united to
Miss Jane McDonald; they crossed the sea together, and traveled the plains side
by side, and for fifty-four years have been true and tried companions.  They are
now spending their declining days in the enjoyment of peace and plenty, having
made a name honored wherever it is known.


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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.