No mention of the business men of Nezperce would be complete without the subject of this article having a prominent place in it. He is a man of integrity and excellent practical judgment and possessed of sufficient executive force to give exemplification to his good business ability, which have resulted in his being at the head of one of the most prosperous and up to date establishments in the County. We refer to the model livery hams that are operated by our subject and his brother.
Curtis Miller was born in Linn County, Oregon, on June 3, 1872, being the son of John and Amanda (Redman) Miller, natives, respectively, of Illinois and Iowa. Our subject was educated in the public schools of Sprague, Washington, where he resided tor twenty-two years all told.
When fourteen he in company with his two brothers, Norton and Perry, rode the range for five years. They handled the I. R. band of horses and other stock. Then in company with Norton Mr. Miller rented six hundred acres of good farm land six miles north from Sprague, Washington. They farmed until 1893, when they lost all and then our subject bought a small stock ranch thirteen miles northeast from Sprague. He continued in the handling of that until 1901, when he sold out and embarked in the livery business in Nezperce, in company with his brother Norton. They bought the barn, doubled its capacity and placed in it all the modern conveniences to the business. Twenty head of horses are not too many to handle their now increasing patronage, and their horses are well selected and excellent specimens, while all the rigs arc new and fully up to date, and the management of the business under the skillful hands of our subject has grown in a most gratifying manner, making it favorably known among the traveling public. Mr. Miller also makes a specialty of boarding domestic stock and his stable is patronized in a liberal manner in this line. We can hardly speak too commendably of the excellent equipment and skillful manner of handling their business. There is no better barn in the northern part of the state and in Lewiston only is there anything that equals it in size. They have a large excursion rig, the finest in the Clearwater valley that finds popular favor among the people of the town.
On November 28, 1892, Mr. Miller married Miss Paulina McGlade, who came from the east in 1887 with her widowed mother. She was born in Iowa, on April 29, 1873. Mr. Miller has two brothers, Norton P., his partner; Perry E., a furniture dealer in the town, and one sister, Lettie, wife of Charles Bartlett, at Fairfield. Washington.
Mr. Miller is a member of the W. W., Nezperce Camp, No. 447. He is a prominent citizen of excellent standing, whose wisdom, integrity and reliability have gained for him a very enviable prestige.
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