Mr. Miller is a man of varied and extensive experiences in the enterprises of life and has always wrought with a manifestation of industry and wisdom. He is at present located on his estate, one mile northeast from Peck, where he does a general farming business and is prospered in his endeavors. He is a man of zealous interest in the educational progress of the country, labors assiduously and unremittingly for this end and is also allied on the side of general progress as well.
Rufus B. Miller was born on March 7, 1858, in Wythe County, Virginia, being the son of Austin and Elizabeth (Newland) Miller, both natives of Wythe County, where they passed their lives.
Rufus was reared there and received a good education in the common schools and then finished with a course in the college at Marion, Virginia. Following this, he devoted himself to teaching for a time and then, on September 1, 1881, he married Miss Josie S., daughter of Joseph and Sarah E. Hutton, natives of Washington County, Virginia, where also the mother died. The father is still living on the old homestead. Mrs. Miller was born on October 11, 1863. In 1884 Mr. Miller came with his family to Dayton. Washington, and remained one year with his uncle, R. G. Newland, who represented the territory of Washington three terms in the United States congress. In 1885 a move was made to the vicinity of Sprague and Mr. Miller located a homestead and tilled it until 1892. Then he sold out and removed to Oakesdale, Washington, and there operated the farm of Hon. T. G. Mulkey for two years.
In 1898 Mr. Miller came to the vicinity of Nez Perce and settled on school land and in the fall of 1901 he sold this and came to his present place and is now engaged in general farming. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller: Bessie E., born August 9, 1882, and now the wife of Asa Baumgardner, living near Kamiah: Marion M., born June 7, 1884, and now deceased; Margie M., born January 2, 1886, and now attending school in Milton, Oregon: James V., born October 9, 1888: Robert B., born October 10, 1890: Paul, born March 17. 1804 and now deceased: Blanch E., born February 2. 1896; Frank T., born May 31, 1898: Maud E., born May 7, 1901.
Mr. Miller and his wife and four eldest children are members of the Methodist Church, South, and at the present time Mr. Miller is superintending the union Sunday school in the neighborhood. He is a zealous supporter of the faith and is a man of broad views and possessed of a public spirit that allies him on the side of progress and the betterment of all in advancement along all lines.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903