The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-06-11
G. Ms Oldest Conductor In
Years Of Service, Dead
Remains of David F. Miller Buried
in Sank Centre Friday-Funeral
at Congregational Church

D. F. Miller, oldest conductor of
the Great Northern Railway system
in point of years of active service
died at his home in Warroad, Mimi,
Wednesday, June 4, 1925 at 1925
A. M.
David Franklin Miller was born in
Pennsylvania on Oct. 7th, 1859. He
vas raised in the Ozark Mountain Re-
gion of Missouri.
In the year 1880 he went to
Crookston where he resided until a
short time ago when he removed to
Warroad.
The deceased was married in the
year 1890 to Hattie Dunlap at Wah-
peton, North Dakota.
Mr.. Miller was one of~the out
standing characters in that group OF
railroad men who were trained and
worked under the supervision OF
James J.. Hill. He was close friend
of this great railroad man and was
often guest at his home
Mr.. Miller built the Halstad
branch of the Great Northern rail-
way from Moorhead north and also
the main line of the Great Northern
through Idaho. 1t was in this work
that he earned the fiendship and
esteem of James J. Hill. This work
was considered one of the great feats
in railroad bdilding at that time.
During forty years as a conductor
Mr.. Miller never had a fatal accident
on a train of which he had charge.
A cyclone once struck his train near
Ardoch, N. D., blowing it off the
track but nobody was injured.
He was honored by his fellow rail-
road men by being for many years
head of the "Order of Railway Con-
ductors" and the work he did for that
organization is still in the minds and
memories of the members living.
The remains were accompanied to
Sank Centre by the widow and Mr. :.
and Mrs. William Blake of st. Paul.
Mrs. Blake is a sister of Mrs. Miller
1t was only a comparatively short
time ago that Mr.. and Mrs. Blake and
Mrs. Miller brought the remains OF
the ladies' mother, Mrs. Dunlap, to
Sank Centre and laid them to rest in
Greenwood cemetery. The families
were residents of Sank Centre 81
years ago.
|, Out of town relatives and friends
attending the funeral were: Mrs F
Briden, Neche, N. D.; Mrs. A. H
Smith of Austin, Mimi; Lee Town
send of Warroad, Minn,; Mr.. anc
Mrs. J. o. Nelson and family Of
Breckenridge, Mimi; Mr.. and Mrs
A. Dunlap (brother of Mrs. Blake,
of Brainerd, MINI. The latter is {
conductor on the N. P. through
Sank Centre; R. E Lands of Mime
apolis, Division Superintendent of G
NJ; J. R. Miller, trainmaster G. N. OF
this division.
The, following veteran conductor.
acted as honorary pail bearers: w
H. McGraw, Grand Forks, N. D.
Mr.. Lekey of GAINESVILLE, Mimi.
Mr.. Burns of Crookston, Mimi; Mr.
Hinze of Grand Forks, N. D.; Mr.
Reimshardt, of Grand Forks, N. D.
Mr.. Whitney of Crookston, Mimi.
The active pail bearers We're: E. A
Richards, Frank Parker, 7. L. Nc
Cormick, Frank Perry, Sherman
Strong and Vern Burgess.
The funeral services were from
the Congregations, church, Frida!
June 5, at 1:15 P. NJ, the pastor
Rev. C. E. Sparkes, officiating. Mrs
R. E. Cooper organist, was in charg
of the music; vocal selections by Mrs
George Berggreen and Mrs j. W,
Ward
Interment was made in Greenwood,
cemetery.
Mrs. Blake returned to Warroa
with her sister. Sunday evening. Mr.
Blake returned to st. Paul.