The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-21
End Came Unexpectedly
as Great Shock to
His Family.
HAD BEEN CHEERED
IN EVERY STATE
For Twenty Years He Had Pic
tured Darky Life in Story and
Song-Was Veteran of Con-
federate Service and
Prominently Known
in Business.

Polk Miller. a well-known business
man of Richmond. veteran OF tho
Confederate service, and for the past
twenty years an entertainer of nation
wide reputation. whose songs and
stories OF plantation life in the South
nave been heard IH-every State, died
last night at 1880 o'clock at his home in
Bon Air OF heart failure. He was
sixty-nine years of age. Mr. Miller
had been slightly indsposcd for sew
eral days, but II had been considered
untmportant. and his sudden death came
as great shock to his family and
friends His only son, w. Withers Mil
ler. of 1862 West Grace Street, left
LOT i Bon Air last night at 11:45 o'clock
reach his only brother. Captain a. T.
Miller. who was travelling, and whose
exact location was not known.
No Funeral Plans Announced
BESIDES his son and brother Mr. Mill
Ter Is survived by two daughters
Misses Maude and Virginia Miller
who made their home with him at Bon
Ar. and by one sister-NTrs. Wiley, OF
biackstone Arrangements for the
funeral had not been completed last
night, but 1t is probable that the SER
vices Will be held In tho PRESBYTERIAN
Church ut Bon Air. in which Mr.. Miller
was an officer. and that the interment
VIII be made in Hollywood Cemetery
Because OF tho large number OF Rich
mond friends, who desire to attend, it
mas been suggested that the service
be held in the Second Presbyterian
Church. in which Mr.. Miller was an Of
hcer before removing to Bon Air.
tInd Cnme Suddenly,
Mr.. Miller had been in his usual
health until Saturday. Last Wcdnes-
day night he assisted committee OF
the Chamber OF Commerce in entertain
Ing the members OF the American Gas
institute at the Jefferson Hotel. and
received much applause from the visi-
tors from all sections
On Friday he was in Richmond at
tending to business affairs, since which
time he had remained In the house
complaining OF Il slight nilment, which
was considered OF small Importance.
Since moving his home to Bon Air he
mad taken active interest in the well
rare OF that suburban settlement
Mr. Miller was born on August 2.
lS4i, and celebrated his sixty-ninth
birthday last summer He moved to
Richmond as mere boy In 1860, and
during the later years of the war saw
active service in the Second Company
of tho Richmond Howitzers.
Prominent fn business.
Entering the drug business with the
old firm OF Meade & Baker, Mr. Miller
opened for himself some years after
the war, and for q generation his old
drug store in the basement OF the Hani-
winckel Building, where tho Old Do
minon Trust Building now stands
was one OF the landmarks of Rich
mond. With n genial, kindly humor
and ready fund Of anecdote, ia
Iility with the banjo. which was lfttle
short of marvellous, and a gift at imi-
tntion of the negro dialect which no
professional actor has ever equaled
he attracted many OF tho best known
men OF Richmond about him in the
leisurely days when mule cars ran UP
Ninth Street and when men had time
to make the acquaintance OF each
other.
Selecting from the tobacco factc3ses
of Richmond a quartet of negroes WITH
unframed but truly melodious voices,
he began 10 make engagements for
lectures and entertainments, and for
twenty years had been in constant de-
mand in every section OF the Union,
more applauded frequently in tho
North than IN the south.
Taught Valuable Lesson.
Few If any have done more to teach
the people OF tho North the true his
tory of the ante bellum Southern plan
tation and the real relations which
then existed between master and SER
want. In the midst OF all his fun and
frolic, he never failed bitterly to con-
denim the injustice TO the negro him
self. of an act which set free millions
Of people hitherto entirely dependent
on their masters without at tho same
time providing In any way for their
maintenance or support. Never de-
scending to the burlesque of minsteiry,
the blackfacc or other stage tricks
for his effects Mr.. Miller was able to
make almost any audience see the reSi
character Of the Southern darky with
both the humor and the melody which
are native 20 the race.
In recent years Mr. Miller travelled
less, almost retiring from the enter
tainment PLATFORM but his services
had ever been at the disposal of local
committees Of the Chamber of Com
mcrce and similar bodies in the enter
Wrote sketch of His Life.
Mr.. Miller was always fond OF coun-
try life. and preserved his interest in
hunting and in the free life OF the
open air.
Some years ago me prepared for The
Times Dispatch the following auto
biographical sketch, In which he called N
attention to some OF the changes z
whicn have occurred in Richmond 500
cial life since he came here when
boy to seek employment in drus
store
I came to Richmond as country boy
(where all good boys come from) ON NJ
the 18th day OF February. 1850. That
] remember THE day we'll is due to
the fact that the 22d came three days
afterwards. I had entered the service
OF Meade & Baker on the goth. had
read about the 22d OF February In my
school histories. but I had never seen q
Il military parade, nor had over heard n
a band OF music. When sew tho sol Is
der boys who belonged to the Howe
tiers, the tirays. Company r, the
Young Guard and Captain Gays Stata31
Guard hurrying through the strcetSa5tfsls - -