The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-18


the Building In Which the Newspaper ii
Located-Sketch of the Life Of Miller
Written by Himself About a Year Ago
His Work in the Early Days of Kansas.
Topeka, Kan, April 17-Sol Miller is
said to have willed his wife his life in
surance, $1,000. His daughter, his print
ing office building, worth $1,000. and his
son his newspaper, valued at fully s12,-
900.
Mr.. Miller is very low. His death
leaves Marshall Murdoch Of the Wichita
Eagle, The oldest continuous editor in
service in Kansas.
The most interesting sketch of Sol.
Miller's life ever published, was from
his own pan, and appeared in a historical
edition Of the Troy Chief, printed over
q year ago. In It he said:
During the past thirty-six years, the
question has often been asked US, why
we do not let our readers know some
thing about ourself: and few years ago
q writer for Kansas newspaper (N0ble
Prentis) said that the public was very
little taken into our confidence regarding
our history. Perhaps the principal rea-
son for this was that there was not much
history TO speak Of. But since we are
urging other people to print their pict-
ures and publish their histories in this
edition, we shall set the example, and
tell a brea thlessly expectant public some
thing about our history, in which there
is not very much to be ashamed of.
Our father, for whom they invented the
name of John, was born in Anderson
county, Tennessee, September 10, 1900;
our mother, in Preble county, Ohio. Sep
TENDER %, 1906. They gave her the name
of Dicey. Rather an odd name; but be-
fore and for many years after the revo-
luton it was a popular name in the Car
olinas, and some other parts OF the
south. We do not know of any person
now who bears that name. We never
knew Of but two. One was our mother,
and the other was the wife of one of our
fathers brothers. We used TO think that
family had a corner on the Diceys. At
Ter that, the road that led to us was
easy. But think of the chances we ran
previous TO that time,
Our father. few years after his mar
rage, took the pioneer disease. Some
Of his friends had moved to a famous
new country, called "the Wabash" and
he determined to follow, which he did
in 1880, settling in the new town of La
fayette, Tippecanoe county. There used
to be mysterious disease in that coun-
try, known as milk sickness The
eravelsr, on inquiry at stopping places,
was never able to find it. The disease
was never in the neighborhood, but al
ways ''just six miles further on But
our father was a man of great energy
and research. and had better luck than
most of them. He found it! 1t laid him
up. that fall and winter, and almost kill |
ed him. So he decided that as soon as |
pleasant weather came, he would quit be- |
ing pioneer ION the Wabash and get
back 10 Gods country, in Ohio. He did
50; but We had taken the precaution 70 7
De born on the 22nd day of January, 1881, |
and were a few months old when the |
back track OF Ohio was struck. This is |
how we came to be an Ohioan, although |
born in Indiana. This is how our earliest
memories came TO be associated with the
hills and meadows, the mills, and the
fishing and swimming holes along Twin
Cree-bless God,
The history of our youth is the history
of almost every boy. Fighting humble
bees and yellow Jackets. fishing and
swimming, and all the fun and mischief
going, were the events, all of which we
saw, and most of which we were. We
had an unusual share of being thrown,
kicked and tramped on by horses, which
made us SO much afraid of horses that
we are just getting over ii, and are ven
turing in the horse business once more
Had we lived among Indians, we would
have been entitled 70 the name, MAN
His-Horse.
AS we grew up, we caught all the con-
tagious diseases that were going, such
as whOoping-cougn, measles and mumps-
We were always around and had to have
a share in whatever was going. The
caused our head to swell up so
big, that we do not believe we ever go:
entirely well Of it. Then we went to
school, in the old school house on Chick
Fl street." the only one We ever sttend-'I
I'd. After we got a start, We learned
very easily, and rapidly. But that start
was terrible. We had got an idea that
the multiplication table was something
lust awful, and were MORALLY afraid of
(. We were two years trying 10 comit
hat multiplication table-no, not trying
o commit it, but lodging and evading
T, afraid to tackle it. Finally the MAS
err told US that If we did not commit
{ within a week he would tan our jack
Z. We knew that he would do il. and
hat he whipped hard. So We went 10
york, and found IL so easy that il al
most committed itself. We were so mad
because we had wasted so much time on
I. that We had a great mind 10 run
If from school and go fishing. We
lever Dragged much on the beauty OF
'ur penms nship, but spelling was our
srong point In spelling matches, FRI
lay afternoon, when the two captains
would decide, 10y grasping hand over
and. the first pick Of spoilers, always
hose me. We spelled down every hing
n school, the teacher included. Now,
re come 10 think OF it, there was a pref
V girl who was also a very good speller.
nd she was always last on the floor to
ackle US; but for the life Of us. We new
= could spell each other down, and when
ne missed the word. even though 1t was
n easy one, the other would miss il, and !,
9th would go off the floor together.
omehow, we have never yet managed :
; get over a sort of warm feeling for :
zee girls.
Our father was a carpenter, and Oft :
a took US with him 70 assist him in his :
-ork. 1t took us a long time in the morn
,g TO warm up 70 business; but by noon
"a r,ould pet The hang Of IT. and ar fhe Il