Joel Miller (abt. 1820 - abt. 1882)

Born about 26 Apr 1820 in Scott CO, Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 26 May 1882 at about age 62 in Sisquoc, Santa Barbara, CA

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Biography

Joel Miller, called "Grandpa" by many and "Judge" by others, was a Virginian by birth. Early in life he had been stricken with what was then called rheumatism and it had affected his spine, so that he was forced to walk in a bent position. The disability in no way affected his brain, however. At the age of twenty-four he was teaching school at a small Missouri settlement called New California. When his family moved to California in 1853 he came with them, and was soon made county clerk and auditor of Santa Rosa county. In his spare time he studied law.

In Santa Rosa he met Mrs Charlotte Miller, widow of Milton Miller, Sr., and the mother of two children, Milton Jr. and Rebecca. Milton Miller was not related to Joel, whom the widow married. To them five children were born: Emma, Sarah, Jennie (Melvina), Everett and Tom. Tom was the child whose coming had prompted Ben Wiley to make his lumber available to Joel Miller for a home. He was born May 17, 1869.

Sources

• self
• Carlson, Vada. "This is our Valley". Santa Maria Valley Historical Society publication, 1959. Pg 59-60