Grayson County TXGenWeb

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, March 22, 1903
pg. 3

CONDENSED HOME NEWS
Tuesday, March 17 - Mrs. Anna Miller, a noted pioneer, died a few days ago at her home northwest of this city. The deceased was born in Macon county, North Carolina, in 1829 and was married in that state in 1846 to the husband who survives her. In 1852 Mr. and Mrs. Miller moved to Texas, and in short time took up their residence where a portion of Denison now is, on the old homestead at Miller's Springs, which attracted many pleasure parties from Denison. It was a favorite picnic ground, and thousands of school and Sunday School children have passed the day in the beautiful grove of forest trees which grew at the
Springs. The Denison Oil Mill now occupies a portion of the Millet estate, and the old spring furnishes an abundant supply of water for all purposes connected with the mill.
Mrs. Miller was the best type of pioneer woman and made her impression upon the history of this section. She raised a large family of children and her descendants are the most numerous of any family in the county. A few years ago the deceased and her husband purchased the beautiful home and fruit farm where she resided at the time of her death.
The funeral took place Sunday and the interment was at the Layne cemetery, where many Grayson county pioneers are at rest .

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, January 26, 1908

J.K. MILLER DEAD
A Noted Pioneer Passes Away - The First Settler of Denison Forty Years Ago

J.K. Miller, one of the most noted and best known of Grayson county pioneers, died last Saturday at the home of his son, Dr. Miller, at Basin Springs, near Saddler [sic]. The deceased was 80 years old. He was the best known of Denison pioneers, casting his lot here 40 years ago.
The Denison Herald furnished the following sketch of Mr. Miller's career:
John Kinsey Miller was born in Macon County, North Carolina, December 10, 1826. He came to Texas in 1852 and was one of the first settlers of Denison. The trip to Texas was made in a wagon, for which 2 months was necessary. He settled 5 miles west of Sherman where he lived till 1862, when he bought property which later formed 2 additions to Denison. His first home, built more than 40 years ago still stands at No. 1401 West Walker street and slightly modernized and improved is remarkable for its stability and comfort. Sherman was only a village when Mr. Miller first came to this section, and a large pecan tree stood where the present Grayson County court house is located. During the Civil War Mr. Miller served as frontier guardsman and scout under Colonel Bolden and Colonel Diamond. He endured all the hardships of those perilous times and up to the time of his death clearly told interestingly of Indian attacks and hardships of the settlers in obtaining the necessities of life. He watched Denison grow from its earliest infancy. He traded 50 ponies for part of the land that now forms some of the most valuable of Denison property, and grew cotton where the Denison Hotel and other downtown property and business houses now stand.
Mr. Miller was married December 26, 1826 to Miss Orrena Tabor, who died in 1903, after 57 years of happy married life. Of this union 14 children were born, 3 having died several years ago. Surviving are 8 sons and 3 daughters, together with more than 100 grand-children, great-grand-children and great-great-grandchildren.
A daughter, Mrs. G.T. Rowland, was the first child born in Denison.
The surviving children are: Mrs. M.A. Teague, Barstow, Texas; J.R. Miller, Lubbock, Texas; W.T. Miller, Sadler, Texas; A.C.D. Miller, Denison; G.W. Miller, Barstow, Texas; J.F. Miller, Olustes, Oklahoma; G. Miller, Atoka, Oklahoma; J.N. Miller, Mrs. G.T. Rowland and Mrs. F. Jennings, all of Denison; and Dr. Wm. Miller of Basin Springs, Texas.