California Biographies

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


JOHN WILCON MILLER. Probably no name in Tulare county is more widely or favorably 
known than the one introducing this review, and no work of this nature would be com- 
plete were mention of this honorable pioneer and successful business man to be omitted. 
A '49er, Mr. Miller came to the state when all this country was a barren waste of land, and 
where one now sees beautiful orchards and well cultivated fields was then an endless 
expanse of sand that no one thought would ever be used for any purpose. 

A native of Indiana, he subsequently removed to Missouri, being one of the very early settlers 
of that state. It was in the early '30s that Mr. Miller took up his residence there, and St. Louis 
was merely a French trading post, numbering but a few hundred souls. Not being satisfied 
with the prospects in Missouri, he soon after went to Texas, locating near Paris, where he 
erected a tannery and engaged in the tanning business until 1849, the year of his arrival in 
California. The trip overland was made with ox teams, and none but those who have made a 
similar journey can tell of the hardships these venturesome pioneers endured. After spending 
some time in the mines, Mr. Miller engaged in the hotel and livery business at Marysville. Later 
he went to Havila, and still later to Visalia, where he conducted a livery stable on the corner 
that is now occupied by the Harrell block. Subsequently he sold this business and started in 
to raise sheep. This was about 1868, and his first ranch was located near where the Welcome 
school house now stands. Soon after he purchased the old Lewis place, on which he located. 
From that time on he began adding to his landed possessions until at one time he ow.ned ten 
thousand acres of, valuable land, six thousand five hundred acres of which was located on the 
Tule river. For many years he was one of the largest and most successful sheep raisers in the state, 
but during the last few years of his life he devoted more of his time to general farming and grain 
raising. It is quite natural that a man so prominent in a business wav should take a leading part 
in public affairs, but Mr. Miller never had the desire to hold office, although he was deeply in- 
terested in the success of the Republican party, which organization he always supported by his 
voice and vote. 

In fraternal relations he held membership with the Masons, in which lodge he attained the Royal 
Arch degree. His death was caused by an accident in 1886, which happened during a visit to 
Portersville. He was driving a spirited team which became frightened and ran away ; the 
wagon struck against some obstruction, and he was thrown from his seat against the post of the 
bridge; this resulted in internal injuries from which he died twenty-four hours later. His 
death was a sad blow to the whole county in which he had lived so many years, and the fu- 
neral was one of the largest ever held in the vicinity of Portersville. 

Such, in brief, is an outline history of this man who took such an important part in the develop- 
ing of the county. He was public-spirited to the last degree and never withheld his support from 
any movement calculated to be of material benefit to the county or state. Had he desired he could 
have been elected to any office within the gift of the people, and his circle of friends was co-ex- 
tensive with his circle of acquaintances. Such men are history makers, for they blaze the way 
for later day developments, and while the present generation has done much to perpetuate the 
memory of the pioneer, these noble men and women will never receive too much credit. But 
for them California would never have been developed, and what is now one of the greatest 
states in the Union would still be a wilderness.