Among the substantial residents of Rogers county are Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Miller, who are residing on their farm seven and one-half miles northwest of Chelsea. Mr. Miller is a native of Missouri, his birth having occurred at Butler, Bates County, on the 4th of June, 1884. His parents were John M. and Rachael (North) Miller, natives of Ohio. In 1866 they moved to Missouri and locating in Bates County, the father farmed until his demise in 1919. He was one of the well known agriculturists in that county and a representative and progressive citizen who did much toward public development and improvement. His widow is living in Butler, Missouri.
In the acquirement of an education S. J. Miller attended the schools of his native county and in due time put his textbooks aside and engaged in the oil business. In 1914 he came to Oklahoma and locating at Delaware, Nowata County, he engaged in the conduct of an oil business until 1921. He achieved more than substantial success in that connection. In 1921 he moved onto his present farm which is the property of his wife, her mother having willed it to her. This farm is located seven and one-half miles northwest of Chelsea in Rogers County and consists of seventy-six and a quarter acres of valuable land, highly cultivated. The farm boasts of a modern home and splendid outbuildings and every-thing is kept in the best state of repair. Here Mr. Miller is engaged in general farming and in raising Poland China and Duroc hogs and black Jersey cows.
On the 23d of October, 1917, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Miller to Miss Ada G. Thompson, a daughter of Alexander and Ada Jane (Bankhead) Thompson, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Texas. The mother was of Cherokee Indian extraction.
Mr. Thompson came to Indian Territory at an early day and located on the old. homestead, where his daughter and son-in-law now reside. He engaged in farming here until his demise on the 25th of April, 1903, in his fifty-third year, and achieved substantial success. He was one of the leading men in the county and his demise caused a feeling of deep bereavement to sweep the community where he had so many stanch friends. Mrs. Thompson died on the 9th of August, 1920. Their marriage was celebrated in Kimball, Texas, and they became the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are living: J. P., who is a farmer near Hayden in Nowata county; W. C., who is farming five miles south of Centralia; Ora Lee, who is the wife of W. E. Dowell of Foyil, Rogers comity ; Stella, who married J. F. Pruitt of Claremore ; Fannie F., who is the wife of W. A. Jackmon, who is engaged in farming near Hayden ; Mrs. Miller ; and Ruby M., who is the wife of Ira Dowell, a farmer near Foyil. Mrs. Miller received her education in Alluwe, Nowata County, and also attended the public schools in Catale, Rogers County. She is a woman of much culture and refinement and takes a prominent part in the club and social affairs of this community.
Mr. Miller has always been active in the furtherance of any movement for the community’s development and improvement and he is readily conceded to be one of Rogers County’s most representative citizens.