My Genealogy Hound

J. D. MILLER, justice of the peace, and proprietor of a prosperous cold storage establishment at Boiling Springs, Cumberland county, is a native of Philadelphia, where he was born July 9, 1870, son of Albert R and Jane Ann (Pollinger) Miller.

Albert R. Miller was born in Lancaster county, Pa., in 1841, and died in 1902. He was the son of John Miller, of Lancaster county, and spent his boyhood in his native place. When a young man, he removed to Mechanicsburg, Cumberland county, and engaged in shoe manufacturing for a short time, later going to Philadelphia, where he embarked in the same line of business, as foreman of a shoe factory. After eighteen months, about 1868, he established his own factory at Harrisburg, in conjunction with John and Henry Forney, under the firm style of Miller & Forney. This firm owned the first shoe manufacturing plant between Philadelphia and Pittsburg. This house continued until 1885, building up a large and profitable business, and giving employment to from 150 to 175 skilled workmen. In 1885, the firm sold the factory to the Harrisburg Boot & Shoe Co., and went into handling shoes at wholesale in Harrisburg, under the name of Forney Bros. & Co., and continued the same for eight or nine years, when the Forney brothers died, and their sons assumed the entire business.

In the meantime, Albert R. Miller had established a cold storage business at Mechanicsburg, with branches throughout Cumberland county, which business he controlled until his death, which occurred at Mechanicsburg. He had an active and successful business life, and made his mark in the world, but aside from these operations, he had a quiet, uneventful existence. Fraternally he was a member of the Order of Odd Fellows, and was a liberal contributor toward all public measures which he believed to be for the good of the community. His wife, Jane Ann Pollinger, passed away about 1883, a most excellent lady, deeply beloved by a number of warm personal friends outside her home circle. She was a daughter of George and Jane Pollinger of Siddensburg, York Co., Penn. Four children were born to Albert R. Miller and wife: Gertrude, unmarried; J. D.; Agnes, unarried ; George P., a chemist of Philadelphia. Gertrude resides with her brother J. D., at Boiling Springs, while Agnes is a trained nurse, with headquarters with her brother and sister at Boiling Springs, although she is away from home the greater portion of the time.

J. D. Miller, the subject proper of this sketch, was educated in the public schools of Mechanicsburg, and when a lad of sixteen years, he went to Pittsburg, with the intention of entering the Iron City Business College, but being a lover of good sport, and becoming acquainted with Mr. J. D. Prindle, sporting editor of the Pittsburg Post, he accompanied the latter to different places of amusement, so that when Mr. Prindle asked the boy to report the progress and conclusion of a prize fight, he was able to do it so well, that young as he was, Mr. Miller received an appointment upon the staff of the Post as space writer, and in the course of a couple of months, was one of the most valued members of the force of bright young writers. He remained with that paper about a year, when he was offered a better position with the Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph, and from that organ he went to the staff of the Sunday Capitol of Harrisburg. His next position was with the Sunday Telegram, and he remained with that paper six of seven years. His ability and intelligence were such as to command for him the admiration and respect of men treble his age.

About this time his father induced him to enter the cold storage business, but Mr. Miller has never entirely abandoned his literary work, being still recognized as one of the most able contributors to the Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York papers. Since the death of the elder Mr. Miller, our subject has succeeded to the control of the business, making his headquarters at Boiling Springs, the branches being located throughout the Cumberland Valley.

Mr. Miller has always taken a deep interest in public matters, and is a stanch Democrat. In 1892 he was elected auditor of the borough of Mechanicsburg, and filled that office for three years. He also filled the office of mercantile appraiser of Cumberland county, and in 1901 was elected justice of the peace in South Middleton township, this county, which office he still holds. Fraternally his affiliations are with the Masonic order, St. John Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 260, of Carlisle; St. John Chapter, R. A. M., No. 171; and St. John’s Commandery, No. 8, K. T. Mr. Miller is one of the energetic, intelligent, ambitious, broad-gauged young men of Cumberland county, and one who is bound to occupy much higher offices of trust and responsibility in the years to come.