Joseph Miller

Joseph Miller was born in De Kalm County, Indiana, on March 20, 1854, and fell asleep in Worth County Missouri on October 17, 1924, being 70 years, five months, and twenty-six days old at the time of his death. He was the youngest child of Benjamin and Sarah Miller, who with their family of seven children migrated by wagon to this country starting when their son was six weeks old.  In the same year they arrived and entered from the government the farm they at once moved upon during the long years of their remaining life lived upon as their home.  Here too amid the privations and hardships of pioneer life their son grew to manhood and on this same farm spent almost his entire life except three years in Grant City.  On the 27th day of October, 1874, he united in marriage to Isabelle Jackson, a neighbor girl. To this union five children were born, who together with his wife are all living.  They are Nora Ewing, Stanley Miller, and Joseph Miller, Jr., of Grant City; Addie Adams of Dodge City, KS; Maude Griffith of Redding, IA.  Mr. Miller was converted at the Jackson school house in 1893 under the pastorate of T.E. Glendenning and united with the Advent Church and was thus a member of that early devoted loyal band at Jackson and remained true to that faith until he fell asleep on the old Miller farm, October 17, 1924.  Mr. Miller was an honorable upright citizen, unfailing loyal friend, a kind and devoted husband.  He daily went forward down the path of life with a smile and a kind word bringing sunshine and happiness into the lives of others.  While it may be he has not met and known so many people that his circle of acquaintance was not so large nor so extended as many, yet it can well be said that few have left this old world with fewer enemies and all his acquaintance his friends. He made the remarks a few days before he died that his days were short that he wanted to have his lamps trimmed and burning and his vessels filled with oil.  His old testimony was, “I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my course henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the righteous judge will give to me at that day and not to me only, but to all who love his appearing.”  He was in feeble health for about one year and bore his suffering with patience.  He leaves his wife, five children, six grandchildren, one brother, William Miller of Mount Ayr, beside a host of friends and relatives to mourn his departure.  The funeral services were conducted October 19,  at the Jackson Church by E. J. Ball and interment waqs made in Lotts Grove Cemetery.