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MILLER, William Welch 1850-1934

MILLER, THOMPSON, GARRETTSON, HELLEN

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 9/21/2014 at 22:53:39

[Waterloo Daily Courier, Sunday, May 6, 1934, Waterloo, Iowa]

W. W., MILLER, 83, FORMER BANKER, TAKEN BY DEATH

Active Also in Lumber and Real Estate Business; Funeral Monday.

William Welch Miller, 83, one of the organizers and second president of the Commercial National Bank of Waterloo, died at 2:45 p, m. Saturday in Des Moines sanitarium, of a complication of diseases incident upon advanced age.

He had made his home in Des Moines since shortly after resigning the presidency of the bank in 1917. He was succeeded in that office, by his son, Edmund W. Miller, 159 Prospect Avenue. He had been seriously ill for several months and had been in failing health for many years.

Mr. Miller was active in the early business life of Waterloo. The Commercial National Bank, first known as the Commercial Bank, was organized in 1882 by Mr. Miller and J. D. Platt, father of the late Judge Franklin C. Platt of Waterloo.

Preceding the organization of the bank, Mr. Miller engaged in the lumber, real estate and loan businesses in Waterloo with his cousin, Edmund Miller. He came to Waterloo as a young man from Huntington, Pa., to engage in business with his cousin. Later he established a lumber firm with the late Alvin Jackson.

In 1885 he went to Clay Center, Kan., to become interested in the loan business there. Returning to Waterloo in 1889, he and E. L. Johnson purchased the Platt interests In the Commercial Bank.

At this time Mr. Miller was elected president of the Commercial National Bank, succeeding J. D. Platt. Mr. Miller, his son and Mr. Platt were the only three presidents of the bank.

The Commercial National Bank was of great service in the early years of its existence in financing many of the wholesale firms which operated at that time in the cast business section of Waterloo. The Commercial Bank was the third to be organized in Waterloo.

In 1899 the bank was made a United States depository, being the first to be established between Cedar Rapids, Ia., and St. Paul, Minn. Mr. Miller for years served as a member of the Waterloo cast school board.

Mr. Miller married Miss Alice Thompson of Cedar Falls on Oct. 15, 1879, at Cedar Falls. To this union were born three children, including his son who later became president of the bank, a second son, Arthur, who died in Infancy, and a daughter, Mrs. C. W. Hellen, 1108 Vine Street.

Also surviving are a brother, John O. Miller, Berkeley, Cal., and four grandchildren, Edmund W. Miller, Jr., New York City, and Margaret, Ellzabeth and Alice Hellen, all living in Waterloo.

His wife preceded her husband In death 10 years ago. Two sisters, Miss Mary Miller and Mrs. Caroline Garrettson, both of Huntington, Pa., preceded their brother in death. Mrs. Garrettson is the mother of George N. Garrettson, 428 Fourth Street east.

Mr. Miller was born Dec. 17, 1850, in Huntington, Pa. In Waterloo he was a member of First Presbyterian Church and of the Knights Templar.

The body was to be brought early Sunday from Des Moines to Waterloo. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p. m. Monday at the O'Keefe & Towne chapel by Rev. Thomas R. Niven. pastor of First Presbyterian Church. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. The family requests that no flowers be sent.

Mrs. Hellen was with her father in Des Moines when he died. Edmund W. Miller, who left Waterloo Wednesday night for Westport, Conn., will be here for the funeral.


 

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