LEON R. MILLER

Sacramento County

Biographies

LEON R. MILLER

LEON R. MILLER.—The flourishing celery industry of California owes much of its increasing importance to such progressive agriculturists as Leon R. Miller, who owns ninety-five acres of very choice celery land on Lower Andrus Island, below Isleton. He was born near Winnemucca, Nev., on November 21, 1872, the son of Lafayette and Ellen (Richards) Miller, the former a native of Texas and a schoolteacher, and the latter a native of Wisconsin. She was brought to California, a babe in arms, in 1852, by her father, John Richards, who was lured to the Coast on account of the hope for gold. John Richards came from Cornwall, England, to Shullsburg, Wis., where he engaged in lead mining. On learning of the discovery of gold in California, he crossed the plains in an ox-team train in 1849, and followed mining until 1852, when he returned to Wisconsin for his wife and little child, and brought them across the plains. He owned the old Potosi mine near Plymouth. Later he located on the Cosumnes, where he became a large landowner in the Sheldon district, and there he spent his remaining days. Lafayette Miller also came to California in early days, and then went to Nevada; and there for a short time he engaged in raising and selling cattle. He then returned to Amador County and taught school at Volcano for a number of years, and from 1879 to 1882 he was county school superintendent of schools for Amador County. He also taught the last year of his life in the Slough House district, Sacramento County. He died at the age of sixty-six years, while Mrs. Miller attained her sixty-eighth year. They had four children, Leon being the eldest, Evelyn was Mrs. Dart, and died at Florin; Emma J., who was Mrs. Rust of Sacramento, is now deceased, as is also Lafayette, Jr.

Leon R. Miller attended the local grammar school and Elk Grove High School, and later went to the business college at Sacramento, where he was graduated; and when twenty-one years of age, he started out for himself. He served as assistant secretary, and as secretary, of the State Agricultural Society for thirteen years, and then put in seven years in the city auditor and collector’s office at Sacramento. In 1918 he bought ninety-five acres, half of the old Donnelly ranch on Lower Andrus Island; and here he has since resided, operating the ranch for the growing of celery and truck vegetables. He is a Republican in politics; and as a trustee of the Isleton union district school he has done something for the elevation of public ideals.

Mr. Miller was married at Sacramento on January 1, 1901, to Miss Blanche A. Gilliam, a popular belle of Sacramento, born near Franklin, and the daughter of Thomas and Aceneth (Stephenson) Gilliam, born in Chillecothe County, Mo., where they were married. During the Civil War the army devastated their farm, and their home was burned, and they lost all they had. Soon after the war they came to California. Here they met with success on their ranch near Franklin; and on this farm Mrs. Miller was born. Mrs. Gilliam was married a second time, becoming the wife of George Bailey, a farmer in the Sheldon district, and there the children were reared. By the first union there were five children, the two eldest having been born in Missouri. Arzela is Mrs. F. W. Bond of Elk Grove; Susie has become Mrs. Buell, of Lodi; N. J. Gilliam lives at Sacramento; Archie is in Franklin; and Blanche is now Mrs. Miller. By the second marriage there was one child, Jas. O. Bailey, of Isleton. Mrs. Miller attended the Reese school. She is the mother of three children. Ruth is Mrs. R. P. Everly, of Lower Andrus Island; and the others are Leon Harry and Alma Marie. Mr. Miller is a charter member of Oak Park Aerie of the Eagles, in Sacramento. Mrs. Miller was active in the organization of the Parent-Teacher’s Association, and as president she presides gracefully over their meetings.

Transcribed by Gloria Wiegner Lane.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 773-774. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.