Biography from Rick B
Monday, March 27, 2006
HISTORY OF INDIANA FROM ITS EXPLORATION TO 1922 BY LOGAN ESAREY, Ph. D., ALSO AN ACCOUNT
OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY FROM ITS ORGANIZATION EDITED BY JOHN B. STOLL (Volume III).
"Some Prominent Figures in St. Joseph County History", published in Dayton, Ohio
by Dayton Historical Publishing Co., 1923, pages 177-178.
Gen. John F. Miller, not only the leading military figure in the county's
history, but a statesman of broad achievement and commercial giant as well, was one of
those who has brought luster to the fair name of St. Joseph county and Indiana. General
Miller was born in Union county, Indiana on November 21, 1831, the son of William and Mary
Miller, Virginians, who had come to Indiana. At the age of two years, John F. Miller was
brought to St. Joseph county by his parents, who settled on a farm in German township,
where the boy was reared to young manhood. He was educated at Baltson Spa, from which he
was graduated in 1852. He then re- [there's a very obvious mix up in printing in this
sentence] in the schools of South Bend, and the New York State Law School turned to South
Bend, and here he became associated with Col. Norman Eddy in the practice of law,
continuing thus for three years. He then went to California where he practiced for a like
period, returning to South!
Bend at the close of that time to resume his legal labors. It was upon his return to
this city that he married Mary Chess of Pennsylvania.
In 1860, he was elected to the State senate, but resigned from that body to organize
the 29th Indiana Infantry Regiment. As colonel of that unit, he was sent to Kentucky, and
there was quickly promoted to Brigadier-general, serving under Sherman, Buell, Rosecrans
and Thomas. He led the famous charge across Stone River, and though severely wounded in
the neck by a minnie rifle ball, continued in the fighting for three days with unabated
courage and enthusiasm. At Liberty Gap, Tennessee he lost an eye, and carried the rifle
ball in his head for twelve years, when complications set in and he was forced to undergo
an operation for its removal. He was brave, dashing and cool, and commanded 8,000 men on
the left at Nashville with such conspicuous bravery that he was brevetted major-general.
Upon the conclusion of hostilities, General Miller was appointed colector of the port
of San Francisco by President Johnson, and held that post for four years, resigning to
organize the Alaska Commercial Company, obtaining from Congress the exclusive grant to the
Alaskan seal fisheries for a period of twenty years. He was president of the company, and
owing to the great success of the enterprise became a wealthy man. His ability was
recognized on the Pacific coast, and he was appointed on a committee to investigate the
Chinese problem in California. On that occasion he suggested legislation for the
regulation of evils attendant upon free Chinese immigration, legislation which met the
hearty indorsement of legislative authorities and which was adopted. In 1880 he was
elected to the United States Senate on the Republican ticket, and was author of the famous
Chinese Exclusion Act. He became the chairman of the committee on foreign relations, and
his entire career at W!
ashington brought him great honor. General Miller died in office at Washington at the
age of fifty-five years, and in his death the country sustained a great loss.