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Gustavus Hindman Miller Biography & Facts

Gustavus Hindman Miller (1857–1929) was a merchant, manufacturer, financier, capitalist farmer, author and public spirited citizen of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Early life Gustavus was born in frontier Texas, September 4, 1857, in a small board house on a ranch, on Raney's Creek, Beat No. 3, near where the present site of Coryell County now stands. He was the eldest son of Franklin Lafayette Miller (b. 1832, Millersburg, Tennessee; m. 18 Oct. 1862) and Emily (McGee) Miller (b. 11 May 1841, Jackson, GA), early pioneer settlers of that county. Interesting sketches of their experiences and accomplishments are given in Millers of Millersburg (1923) a family record published by Gustavus H. Miller in conjunction with J. Bailey Nicklin, Jr. He had two brothers, Felix Grundy Miller III (b. 17 Dec 1859; d. 18 Oct 1863) who died age three, and Franklin Lubbock Miller I (b. 21 Jan 1862), who later became one half of the Miller Brothers. He and his brother Frank were toddlers when their father died in army (CSA) camp in Galveston, Texas, 18 October 1862. Yellow Fever took Franklin Lafayette Miller, he never faced combat. In his book The Millers of Millersburg he Miller reminisced: "It is interesting to follow the illusive tracery in memory across that hazy span of life between the ages of four and seven. My father and Grandmother McGee died when I was about four years of age. I only remember to have seen my father going to the barn or attending to the stock—a colt or calf was prominent in my affection at that age. I only remember to have seen my grandmother when cooking. She must have encouraged me, her second grandson, in loving her, by giving me such dainties as she could prepare from meager after-servings. My grandmother's death lost her children a boundless love. My memory of these two ancestors is no doubt due to an inherited love of saddle and bridle, and a more primitive instinct to look for something to eat. I do not remember having seen my father about the house, or any game he may have played with us." His mother remarried, 20 March 1865, to James Franklin Mayfield (b. 20 Dec. 1846). The orphan brothers were raised in the crowded house of their maternal grandfather (James Lowery McGee b. 29 Dec. 1816, Jackson Co., GA d. 10 Jul. 1895, TX), along with the two groups of children sired by that worthy, and his surviving wife. Between the large number of mouths to feed, and depressed conditions following the Confederate loss of the Civil War, conditions for all the inhabitants of the McGee household were grim. Miller recalled: "About two years after grandmother's death, grandfather married a young widow with two children, Mrs. Hannah Miller, daughter of William Miller. Six children were born to this marriage. Owing to the second marriage of my mother, grandfather became the guardian of my brother and myself. We therefore spent much of our time in his home. When the family was rounded out, there were four sets of children; ten by his first wife, six by his second, two stepchildren, and two grandchildren. My grandfather was a man of sterling character; the trick fellow who would cheat in a trade did not appeal to him. He had contempt for many successful men because he believed them dishonest. He used to trade in a dry goods store where there were two brothers. He said one was honest, but the other was not. Time proved his insight correct." G. H. Miller obtained his education in the common schools of Coryell county, Texas, 1867–76, at the old board shanty and the old rock house. In 1870, the census lists Gus and his brother Frank, as living with their mother, stepfather, two half-siblings and a lodger, in Bosque County, Texas. Recollections of their school days by William King Sadler, a close friend of G. H. Miller: "Gus, I think of you more than ever as I get old. The happiest of my days were when we went to school at the old board shanty and the old rock house. ...those were great days. We never dreamed of violating the law; our minds were in a different channel. We were taught honesty if we were taught anything. We ran our own boat from the beginning, almost." "I want to impress upon you that this Rainey's Creek country is level prairie, fine black land, owned by Germans. Gus and I can well remember when it was the greatest country, socially, in the world. The boys and girls who were raised there have proved to be the very highest type of manhood and womanhood. No one ever heard of trouble with the old settlers, that is, between themselves. Then we visited and loved each other and lived peaceably with all mankind. We were what you folks call wild, but we were sons of adventurers who came here, to land untried. We would ride the wildest horses ever known to the world. We didn't do anybody any harm. I have seen this same polished, shrewd Gustavus Miller ride the wildest horses I ever saw. I saw him tie a red handkerchief around his head, make his horse pitch around the arbor where preaching was to be held for the benefit of the crowd. He didn't charge a cent nor do any harm!" Professional life As soon as Gus and Frank were of age, they put aside their textbooks and turned their attention to mercantile interests, Gus left Texas age 20, and he and Frank traveled to Tennessee, where their father had been raised, ten miles (16 km) south of Murfreesboro. He first obtained a position as clerk in a country store at Christiana, Tennessee, January 23, 1877, and subsequently was employed at Waco, Texas. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr Miller has supported the men and measures of the republican party, while in religious faith he is a Unitarian. In 1879 he opened a general merchandise store at Burrustown, Tennessee. Then started a business of his own at Bellbuckle, Bedford County, Tennessee, 1880; and was engaged in business there from 1883 until 1889. His brother, Frank Lubbock Miller, married Mattie Johnson of Shreveport, Louisiana, 25 January 1887. His busy mercantile life had not kept him from devoting his evenings after business hours to literary pursuits; and as a writer he has won wide and favorable attention, from his pen having come some very bright stories, among them, the following books: Lucy Dalton, 1883; Is Marriage a Failure, 1895; What's in a Dream?, 1901; Thysparia the Mysterious, 1909; Tribute to His Brother, 1921; The Jew, 1921; and The Millers of Millersburg, in collaboration with John Bailey Nicklin, Jr., 1923. The year 1889, due to various business ventures, witnessed their removal to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he settled with his younger brother, F. L. Miller, Sr., and became prominent in the business world. They opened their first store at 510 Market Street, where they prospered in the retail business, first in distressed merchandise, eventually moving up to a full-featured department store: the Miller Brothers' Company department store, founded 1889, adding a wholesale department in 1895. They conducted business under the name of Mil.... Discover the Gustavus Hindman Miller popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Gustavus Hindman Miller books.