Harry John Miller in Washington State
Harry John Miller
The Hoo-Hoo's were/are an
organization of men and women involved in the lumber/timber
industry. Its serious but has its tongue firmly planted in the
cheek!! . I do not recall the actual specifics of the founding of
the org. but they can be found on the web if so desired.)
Our New Snark
"Harry John Miller, of Index, Wash., newly elected Snark of the
Universe,[1910] is so well known throughout lumber and Hoo-Hoo
circles as to make an extended sketch of him quite superflous. He
operates a big sawmill at Index, and writes poetry for diversion and
to prevent the cares of business life from grinding him too hard.
Poetry tends to preserve one's mental equilibrium......
Brother Miller presents a fine instance of perfect balanc.& nbs He
is a successful business man, besides being a poet and a scholar.
The story of Brother Miller's life is a record of ups and downs,
with the ups at last predominating. He could very appropriately
quote and apply to himself that line of Defoes: 'No man hath tasted
varying fortune more'.
Mr. Miller was born January 15, 1863, at Renfrew, Ontario, but the
family shortly afterward removed to Warren, Pennsylvania. His
father was a lumberman. In 1876 the Millers left Warren and went to
Greenwood, Wis., the father of the present Snark there engaging in
milling and logging until 1879, when, through a deplorable accident
at the mill, he lost his life. Hard times followed for the family.
Harry John Miller was obliged to leave school and go to work, the
death of his father having left him the sole support of a family of
five. For years he toiled cheerfully all day and studied at night.
When the family had become self-supporting, young Miller went Wet
and worked on a farm belonging to his uncle [MN, probably Honeywell
relations]. No doubt this proved a mascot. Nearly all great men have
come from farms. It was, therefore, lucky that young Miller went to
a farm as otherwise he could not have come from it. On the farm he
arose at 4 a.m. every day and went to follow the plough. Despite
the hard life, Mr. Miller's unusual intellect and studious habits
enabled him to become in time a man of high literary attainments. He
fitted himself for college by studying hard at night. In the fall of
1885 he went to Madison, Wis., and entered college. He remained
there two years, when his funds ran low and he had to leave and look
for a job. This he found at a drug store in Madison. About a year
later he procured a better place with a sawmill firm, and in 1891 he
went to Centralia, Wash., where he entered the employ of the Tower
Lumber Company. In 1893 he branched out into a partnership-just
before the great panic hit the country. In the spring of the
following year this firm dissolved partnership, and Mr. Miller
started selling lumber on commission. In October, 1894, through the
failure of a bank, he found himself reduced to a point where $10
represented his total assets. It was not the first time such a thing
had happened to him, and so he was not greatly discouraged. Soon
thereafter he was again selling lumber on commission. In 1896 he has
prospered sufficiently to make him feel that he could afford to get
married to a very charming young lady of Chehalis, Wash., to whom he
had been for some time engaged. [Miss Mabel Ingersoll - who later
became one of the first women to represent Snohomish County in the
State House of Representatives in Olympia, WA.]
In February, 1897, Mr. Miller became associated with Jerry G.
Startup, and they conducted a very successful wholesale business at
Chehalis. Later they bought a sawmill at Gate City, Wash., and
another at Index, Wash. They also opened some retail yards in Esten
Washington. In 1908 they sold all their interests except timber at
Index and Mr. Miller moved there, building the present big plant,
of which he still has charge and which is known as the H .J. Miller
Lumber Company.
Brother Miller brings to the office of Snark a wide knowledge of matters pertaining to the Order's welfare. He has been a Hoo-Hoo for fifteen years and has been energetic and enthusiastic in promoting the Interest of the Order. His sound business judgment and his thorough knowledge of men pre-eminently fit him for coping with the many problems which in his new position he will be called upon to handle."
Harry John Miller was the eldest son of Edward and Mary Honeywell Miller. The Millers came to Greenwood in the late 1870's.
there were three Miller brothers who married three Honeywell sisters; Edward and Mary, Thomas and Olive and John Charles (Charley) and Bessie. John and Catherine Halstead Honeywell had come down to Greenwood earlier, as her brother, Stephen Case Honeywell had arrived earlier.
Edward died in the mill accident; Thomas died in OtterTail, MN and Charley died in Seattle WA in 1920. I am related through Charley and Bessie.
Contributor
Pat Kay; Pictures courtesy of Mark Miller, great grandson of Harry John Miller; granddaughter Catherine Miller.
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