General Notes

Custom Field:<_FA#> Buried in Anthony, Dona Ana, NM.@@S726784@@Date of Import: Jul 31, 2003
[coosa1.ged]
THE CHRONICLE
Local and Personal
"John T. Miller, a former Coosian but now a prosperous farmer in Erath
county, Texas, with his family is visiting relatives and friends in Coosa
and Elmore counties. Mr. Miller was in town Saturday and said that he is
pleased with his home in the west."(1)
(1) The Chronicle, Local and Personal, 29 Dec 1911, p. 5. Published in
Rockford, Coosa Co., AL. Microfilm: Located in the Alabama Archives and
History, Montgomery, AL.
This is a transcribed copy of two typed pages from my grandfather, John
Thomas Miller, Sr. I had asked him to write a story of his life so that I
might have it for my records. He told his entire life story on two short
pages. I have typed it exactly as he typed it, mistakes and all, so that
it might be preserved in his own words:
(by Annabell Lines)
LIFE HISTORY OF J. T. MILLER
"Born 1877, January 21, borned near Rockford, in Coosa Co. Ala. Went to
school at the age of 10. First teacher were Dee Mathues, place Poplar
Springs, 3 ½ miles thru the woods, a dim trail. They were 4 of us
children. 1 girl the oldest named "Rminu Allis" (we presume that he was
referring to Arminna Alice and just  did not know how to spell it),
oldest brother, Eli Walter and Berry Wibert, and my name John Thomas.
My father name John McBride, mother Martha Ann Logan. My first school I
went to Dee Mathus, then to Joda Ford then to a Mr. Riley then to James
Miller. The term of this schools were 2 months in the summer and had to
stop and pul folder during that time. The nearest school I atended wer 2
½ miles and the farthest were 4 miles. I had to walk.
When all the other children left home I were coming on 18 years of age.
Father said he would give me a choice. I could work for him till I were
20 and then he would give me one years schooling and a horse and sadle or
I could make a crop for my self and give him one half of what I made so I
taken the crop on holves and the year I were 20 on the 18th of February,
before I were 21 in January, I got married to Miss Mary Darcus Jones and
lived on my fathers land. After we married I bought a new one horse wagon
for 34 dollars and that were what we used to visit and go the church in.
We joined the baptis church the first year we were married. I cleaned out
a well for uncle Hill Shurbut for $1.00 for a dayswork. A days work then
were from sun rise to sun set. I lived ther on fathers farm 3 years and
then me and Jot Miller came to Texas in 1899 in the fall. We came to
DeLeon , Texas and I worked in a blacksmith shop the first year. I think
I got $300 for my work that year then I hired out to a Mr. Davis to work
on a far for 20 dollars per month till in the Fall then he gave me $30
per month to work in a gin. The next year I worked for W. T. Henderson
for $20 per month and all of these times I boarded myself. I had had two
children borned to us in Ala. The second one died when it were less then
a month old but we had one child to care for. Then I rented some land
from Zack Hulsy and then the next year I rented land from Uncle George
King near Dowing, Texas. I lived there two years and then went north of
DeLeon and bought 160 acres of land and lived there 6 years and built a 6
room house and put up a windmill then sold out and went to Victor, Texas
and bought a drug store and kept it 2 years and traded it for 40 acres of
land, all in woods except 2 acres were cleared and they were a 2 room
house. I will go back to Deleon, the first year there I bought one acre
from J. Doss Miller and build a one room house in it till I rented that
farm from Zack Hulsy. Back to the 40 acres, I sold the 40 acres and went
to Florida and diden like there and went back to Ala and my father deeded
me 140 acres to live with him. I made one crop and got hailed out and
liked $270 dollar