The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-02-07

to many OF the younger members.
On this occasion, remarkable
sculptured likeness of Major Miller
made at the request Of the Malta
tuck Drum Band by the renowned
sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, will
be revealed for the first time.
In every sense, Major Miller, held
in the highest esteem and affection
by hosts of his fellow-citizens, is a
true son of Waterbury. He was
born on Cherry street, September
q, 1858, attended first the Clay
street school and later the second
oldest schoolhouse in America,
which is in use today in Woodtick.
On November %, 1883, he married
Mary Ann Pierpont of this city, and
it may truly be said that the tradi-
ton of leadership of the famous
Mattatuck Drum Band has rested
in the hands of the Miller and Pier
pont families, as it does to this day.
Two years before his marriage,
Major Miller joined the band, then
known as the "Wolcott Drum Band,
reunited it's somewhat scattered
members, infused new life into the
organization, renamed 1t, re-urli-
formed it, and took up the unique
method of drumming which had
been a vital tradition Of the band.
From that day to this, his interest
in "the boys" has been the dominant
part of his life.
Major Miller's interests are wide
and varied. Many of the city's older
residents will remember the black
smith shop which he established in
his youth at the corner Of the pres
emit EngleWood avenue, which reach
ed to the surprising height OF three
stories, containing saw mill, a
paint shop and the means of max
ing all sorts of vehicles. Until the
modern automobiles replaced the
wagons, carriages and sleighs OF his
making, Major Miller's shop was the
transportation center" for Water
bury. When the new era broke, he
moved this business out of the cen
ter of town. Later, he spent quar-
ter of a century as superintendent
of machinery of the International
Silver Company, before that COM
pany moved to Meriden.
Always alert and continuously &C
tive, Major Miller follows the die
tates of his many talents today, fill
ing his days with zestful work, his
torical research lin which a phe-
nomenal memory serves him with
unfailing accuracy, literary study
Che is a book collector and an au-
thority, for example, on Noah Web
ster), the making of many drums,
and endless other pursuits. Younger
men can scarcely credit the reports
of his enterprising spirit, and when
they watch that spirit at work, are
even more astonished.
In this patriot of Waterbury are
united the varying trends of history
to a remarkable degree. From the
days of his early membership in
the Mattatuck Drum Band, when he
met and talked with a veteran, 103
years old, who had known George
Washington, through the occasion
when he drummed for General
Grant on the generals visit to
Hartford, the Civil War events, the
welcoming of transports returning
from World War 1, down to the
present day, when he keeps in close
touch with his four grandsons in the
service of the United States: all
corps, army, engineering and anti
aircraft the story of Major Miller is
the fabric of the nations history.
From the year 1887 on, the Mat
tatuck Drum Band has won many
first prizes, comparatively awarded
under his leadership. Consistently
high, his standards have won fof
the band national acclaim in which
Waterbury may take justifiable
pride. Once more the power OF
martial inspiration is needed in this
country, and once more the noble
response of Waterbury citizens is tc
be heard, as it will be heard on Sum
clay, February IS, reverberatine
through the ancient square as il
stirred mems hearts nearly two CEN
turtles ago. Major Miller's pupils
will never "let him down, and theil
tribute to him, springing from theil
deep affection, establishes anew thu
honorable legacy Of ancient days.