Miller, Jacob

Other Events:

• Immigration: 1879, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA

Notes:

Buried:
Jacob was buried in Bellemont Cemetery.

Died:

The following is a transcription supplied by Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts of an obituary for Jacob Miller. Gretchen Leenerts reported that the obituary had appeared on 27 February 1941 in the Wathena Times, of Wathena, Kansas.

One of the largest crowds ever to attend a funeral in Wathena paid its last respects Tuesday afternoon in the Methodist Church to Jacob Miller who passed away Sunday morning, 23 February. Mr. Miller became ill Christmas day with pneumonia. After a few weeks at home, returned to his business for a short time. But the first week in February he was forced to his bed, and on 13 February he entered St. Joseph Hospital. On 21 February he expressed a desire to come home, he was brought home the next day, death coming the following morning. Mr. Miller would have been 78 years of age had he lived until 6 March. Rev. T. W. Siever, Rev. J. H. Reynolds, and three former pastors of the Methodist Church, Rev. Vernon of Leavenworth, Rev. G. C. Meyer of Topeka and Rev. Q. W. Brakebill of Severance, had part in the funeral service, with Mrs. P. F. Dubach at the organ. Burial was in Belmont Cemetery in charge of the Masonic Lodge, with arrangements by Dodds Funeral Home. Pallbearers were R. B. Carter, P. F. Dubach, F. C. Poirier, Dr. J. G. Swails, George T. Groh, and L. W. Stewart. Mr. Miller was born in Weidenthal, Germany, 6 March 1863. He retained his birth certificate, which is quite a lengthy document, written in German. Mr. Miller was educated in Germany, his schooling including several years of Latin, Greek and French. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1879, coming directly to Wathena where he had an uncle. He was employed 1 January 1880 by the late Dr. W. W. Carter in a drug store. The store was housed in a small frame building on the present location of the Miller Pharmacy. With the exception of a few months spent in Montana, he had been on the same location for nearly 60 years, buying Dr. Carter's interest in 1892, after having been made a partner in 1884. Mr. Miller made a trip to Germany in 1904, returning to the United States more satisfied than ever with his adopted country. He and his brother traveled the length and breadth of Germany while he was there. Mr. Miller and Miss Emma Fiegenbaum were married 15 September 1886 and they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 1936. He is survived by the wife, five children: Louise, Wilma and Kenneth of Wathena; Mrs. R. G. Larzelere of Troy; Mrs. Roland Beery of Kansas City; six grandchildren; three sisters and one brother, living in Germany; one cousin, Mrs. Octa Myers of Milwaukee; two second cousins, Mrs. Harlan Bradley of Milwaukee and Charles Chase of St. Joseph. Two daughters, Emily and Elsa died in childhood. Mrs. Beery was unable to attend the funeral, having undergone an operation recently. Mr. Miller was an unusual man because of the rarest of a combination of good qualities. Here was a man who loved God, his fellowmen, his family, nature, animal life, and all the fine arts. He was patient, sympathetic, always on the right side of every moral question that ever reared its head in Wathena. Joining the Methodist Church some 50 years ago, he has been one of its most loyal members, helping build the church, serving as chairman of the board of stewards and in many other capacities. He helped establish the Wathena Red Cross Chapter during the World War, and served as its treasurer all these years. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, serving as treasurer for many years. He was president of the Fruit Growers Bank. As a breeder of Scotties, he gained quite a reputation in the dog world. Wathena businessmen paid tribute to Mr. Miller by closing for the service, every businessman and woman contributing towards a beautiful floral offering. Truly, he must have been a man to have retained the respect of so many people after 60 years of being in business!

Jacob married Fiegenbaum, Emma Maria 15 Sep 1886, Eudora, Douglas County, Kansas, USA. Emma (daughter of Fiegenbaum, Friedrich Wilhelm and Otto, Louisa) was born 16 Dec 1864, Woodbury, Washington County, Minnesota, USA; died 26 Mar 1951, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; was buried , Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Residence (family):
Mrs. Emma Miller, a resident of Wathena, Kansas, was listed as one of the eight children attending a family reunion in November 1892 at her parents home at Oregon, Missouri.

Residence (family):
"Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Miller and children Louise, Frieda, Wilma, Kenneth and Katherine" of Wathena, Kansas attended the celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Emma's parents at Oregon, Missouri in April, 1902.

Residence (family):
According to an obituary in January 1934, Benjamin Friedrich Fiegenbaum was survived by his sister, "Mrs. Emma Miller, Wathena."

1. Miller, Louise Dorothea was born 16 Sep 1888, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; died 3 May 1969, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, USA; was buried 6 May 1969, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA.
2. Miller, Fredricka Frances was born 13 Jan 1892; died 4 Jun 1981, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; was buried 7 Jun 1981, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA.
3. Miller, Wilma Pauline was born 6 Jul 1894, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; died 8 Jun 1982.
4. Miller, Emily Cordelia was born 2 Sep 1896, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; died 7 May 1900, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA.
5. Miller, Elsa Jessica was born 2 Nov 1898, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; died 20 May 1900, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA.
6. Miller, Kathryn Hortense was born 30 Jan 1901, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; died 13 Apr 1975, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, USA.
7. Miller, Kenneth Carter was born 30 Jan 1901, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; died 20 Feb 1970, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA; was buried 22 Feb 1970, Wathena, Doniphan County, Kansas, USA.