The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-13
NOBLE MAN DEAD.
James Miller Passes
Away at North
Brookfeld.
A LONG AND NOTABLE CAREER
The Strike Settled-Pro-
prietors Talk Very Frank
ly to the Men.

NOFlh AIOOkIlSlu, july lE.-OedcOn
James Miller, after an illness of several
months, died early this afternoon at
his home on South Main street.
The members of the family were at
the bedside and administered to his dy-
ing wants with loving hands. For
about three years the health of Dea-
con Miller has been failing. For the
past five months he has not been out
of the house, but did not take his bed
until Va week ago today. Since that
any moment.
The funeral will take place Saturday
afternoon, at lis o'clock. There will
be private services at the home and at
2l5 o'clock public services will be held
at the Tucker Memorial church of
which Mr.. Miller was member.
Deacon James Miller was the third
son of Comfort and Polly Dane Miller
and was born in New Braintree June
is, 1928. He received his early educa-
ton in the district schools Of New
Braintree.
Later he attended Monson Academy,
where he was especially favored in be-
Ing under the instruction of Rev. DR..
Richard Storrs, now of Brooklyn, n. Y.
He himself became a teacher In the
schools of New Braintree and vicinity,
and did much more than he then real
lied towards moulding the future lives
of many who in later years returned to
express their deep Indebtedness to him.
His father was a well known tanner
and with him Mr.. Miller was associat-
ed from boyhood until his removal to
Barre, in 1852. For nearly six years
his home was in Barre, where he was
engaged first in the tannery business,
and later in the manufacture of boots,
being treasurer of the Barre Boot Co.
In December, 1858, he came to North
Brookfield and went into business with
H. P. jerks & Co., in manufacturing
boots at the old jerks shop which is
still standing. Two years later, in com
pany with Oliver Conklin, now of
Lacrosse, Wis, Mr.. Miller fitted up
russell shoes in the S. M. Edmands'
shop, now occupied by the Standard
Overall Co., on Summer street.
The war broke out in 1861 and in
August, 1862, he enlisted in Co. F,
Forty-Second regiment, Massachusetts
volunteers. Returning a year later he
was employed by Stoddard & Montague
at the Batcheller shoe shop and con-
tinued in their employ until March,
was, upon retirement of w. H. Mon
tague, made superintendent of the E.
& A. H. Batcheller shoe factory and
held this position for 10 years, until
the reorganization of the company.
In the year 1892 Mr.. Miller bought the
Bradford yarn mills, and in company
with his son, Jas. e. Miller, first in
East Brookfield and later in Warren,
engaged in the manufacture of wooden
yarn.
In November, 1S48, he was married
to Julia A. Lincoln of Oakham, who
still survives him. Of the seven chill
dren born to them, the following are
still living: Mrs. j. Fannie Stoddard
of East Brookfield, Jas. e. Miller of
Warren, Horation L. Miller of Worces-
ter, Mrs. Laura M. Grout of Hopkinton,
Mrs. Edith NJ. Gordon of Chicago, ILL.,
Mr.. Miller has always taken a decided
interest in the welfare of his town and
church. In 1857 he represented the Town
of Barre in the general court. In North
Brookfield he has served as a member
of the school board, as assessor for 10
years. as trustee of the free public IL
Drary and reading rooom, and as its
only treasurer until his resignation in
March of the present year.
He was one of the earnest supporters
of the project of building the North
4
| ed a director of the company, and at
the time of his death held the position
of vice president. He was also wee
president of the North Brookfield Saw
| ings bank.
| He was elected deacon of the Con-
gregational church in Barre in 1857.
After his removal to North Brookfeld
he was elected to the same office IN the
| Union congregational church in 1860
al T,Pf 1nR or TDaTh
these offices he held at the time OF his
Geath, being made deacon emeritus in
January, 1899. He had held this office
so many years that the title most fa-
miliar to every one was Deacon Atl-
ler." His last appearance in public was
at the roll call of his church in January
| of the present year.
The strike at the e. & A. H. Batchel-
Ter shoe factory is off.
Early this forenoon the bal trimmers
who left their work yesterday, re-
turned to their benches, and after a
duration of "a hours the strike was at
an end.
Every one is delighted that solu-
ton of the difficulty was so happily
reached, as for a time the condition of
affairs wore a most serious aspect, and
the worst was feared until the men had
declared themselves SdllSueQ anu re-
turned to their work Today the word
was hustle all along the line, and most
of the bal workers who were thrown
out of work last night by the stopping
of the bal lists, were called back. The
remainder of them will go back tomor-
row.
The men who struck yesterday abb
solutely refuse to state on what condi-
lions they returned to / work. This
morning they were as determined to
remain out as men well could be, and it
was a man to man meeting on the
street, between Supt. Calvin w. Woods
and Edward Donnelly, foreman of the
trimming room on one side, and Daniel
Mahoney and Michael Noonan on the
other, that brought about the desired
result and averted trouble.
Supt. Woods has nothing but the high
est praise for the men who returned to
work this morning, and by most peo-
Pile he is given the credit for effecting
a peaceful settlement, though he takes
none for himself In conversation with
The Spy reporter this afternoon, Supt.
Woods complimented The Spy highly on
the fair and complete story it contained
this morning of the existing difficulties.
He said that The Spy described to a
dot the situation yesterday and last
night and up to the very hour the
strikers returned today. Supt. Woods
readily gave to The Spy reporter the
information as to how the difficulty
was adjusted With Foreman Donnelly
he went to the strikers this morning,
man fashion, and told them what the
results would be If they continued. How