James Winfield Miller (1916)

CUMMINGS, GETCHELL, MILLER

Posted By: Kent Transier
Date: 9/1/2006 at 13:34:37

The Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, January 26, 1916
Page 1, Column 1

Death of J. W. Miller

Word was received from Mrs. Miller at noon today of the death of her husband, J. W. Miller, editor of the Reporter, who passed away at 1:30 this morning, of heart trouble at Long Beach, Calif. The body will be brought here for burial.
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The Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, January 26, 1916

Editor J. W. Miller Dies at Long Beach

Telegram Announcing Death From Heart Trouble
Received this Morning

A profound shock to this community was the announcement by telegram this morning of the death of J. W. Miller who died at Long Beach, Calif., at 1:30 a.m. from an attack of heart failure.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller left here two weeks ago yesterday to spend the winter in California as has been their custom for several years. Mr. Miller's friends have known that his health has not been good for several years past, but his trouble was not regarded as serious.

Mr. Miller was born at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in 1852 and came to Winterset in 1873. His father, Judge Miller, of Iowa City, was an Iowa pioneer and in later life became a member of the supreme court of Iowa.

Mr. Miller first engaged in the lumber business in Winterset. In 1877 he became associated with The Madisonian and in 1890, sold out to engage in the stock business. In 1899 he was appointed postmaster and served four and a half years. For the past thirteen years, he has owned and published The Winterset Reporter.

His association in public affairs, gained him a wide acquaintance, not only in this county, but throughout the state, and the announcement of his death will be received with genuine sorrow where ever he was known.
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The Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
, 02 Feb 1916

JAMES W. MILLER

James Winfield Miller, editor and publisher of this paper, died at Long Beach, California, last Wednesday morning (January 26, 1916). It is with sadness and some trepidation that we inscribe this our appreciation of one whose life meant so much to us personally, and we confidently believe the community where he so long lived and wrought. Our personal relations were intimate and confidential and such as can only arise from years of trusted business activity.

He was a man of few words, and they were always well weighed and considered before uttered. He was of mild and uniform temperament; not subject to sudden or periodic outbursts of anger. Brought daily in contact with all kinds of people and adverse business and political interests he necessarily met with treatment which could not fail to suggest in justice and ingratitude, but these were always met with a spirit of charity and forbearance. It has been said that “an honest man is the noblest work of God,” and in this he met the full measure of requirement. He was honest not only in a business way; but honest in his views and positions on all social, political and moral questions that came up for disposition week by week in all periodicals; they cannot be ignored if one would; and he would not have ignored them if he could.

He was a republican by birth, education and from principle, and held steadfastly to the men and principles of the post war time period. He was a standpatter of the most pronounced type, and never could see and use for, or consistency in, the so called reformers, commonly designated as progressives. Religiously he believed in the faith of his fathers and this faith never wavered amid the attacks of skeptics or higher critics.

Socially he was pre-eminently a commoner and all men were equals if they behaved themselves. Unexpectedly to us and the community, he passed of the stage of action, but he has left to all of us the memory of a clean, active and well spent life. With these few and sincere words of commendation, doubtless appropriate for the columns of the REPORTER, which was the product of his riper years, there is nothing to add except a brief biographical sketch.

He was born at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, April 5th, 1852. His father, Judge William E. Miller, came to Iowa when the subject of this sketch was less than a year old and settled in Iowa City.

He was for a time judge of the district court; he was a veteran of the civil war and colonel of the 28th Iowa infantry. On returning from the army, he was appointed one of the judges of the Iowa supreme court.

J. W. Miller was one of a model and self reliant family and had scarcely attained his majority when he set out to achieve his own fortune; he first engaged in the lumber business at Winterset where his brother-in-law, B. F. Getchell, had established a yard; was married to Miss Laura J. Cummings in 1876, and the following year became assistant to the editor of the Madisonian, in which business he continued with the exception of a few years after the Madisonian passed into other hands.

He was appointed post master of Winterset in 1899 and served for over four years. A short time before his connection with the post office was severed he purchased the REPORTER which he successfully edited and managed till the summons came so unexpectedly to us but, not entirely to him, as we are now reminded by the recollection of words he spoke during a conversation shortly before starting on his last trip to the coast, and a letter written us the day before he died; from the tenor of which we are led to believe he had premonition of the coming and final event.

The funeral services were held at Long Beach Friday afternoon conducted by Rev. J. H. Malcom, the remains placed in a receiving vault there and later on will be brought to Winterset for burial.

Written by Elias Reynolds Zeller
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The East Peru Mail
East Peru, Iowa
Friday, January 28, 1916
Page 1, Column 3

J. W. MILLER DEAD.

We were pained yesterday to learn of the death of our friend Jim Miller, who has for a number of years been editor and owner of the Winterset Reporter. We met Mr. Miller the first year we were in Peru, and always admired and liked the man. It seems he has been in poor health and the past few years and himself and wife have been doing more or less traveling about on that account. He died in California Tuesday night of heart disease Mrs. Miller in telegraphing gave no particulars, only stating that another message would follow.

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