Philip Derr Miller

25th Michigan Infantry

Age, 24 years. Residence, Schoolcraft, MI

Enlisted on September 1, 1862, at Kalamazoo, MI

Mustered in on September 11, 1862, as a Hospital Steward

Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of Co. A, on December 13, 1864

Promoted to Assistant Surgeon on March 3, 1865

Mustered out on June 24, 1865, at Salisbury, N. C.

Philip D. Miller died at his summer home at Torch Lake in Michigan on October 31, 1915 at 11:20 p. m. Mr. Miller was born in Union Co., Pa., in 1838. He was Married to Miss E. Sophronia Fisher in 1870; five children were born to this union, three of whom survive. Mr. Miller was a representative from Kala-mazoo county for two terms, 1892 and 1895. He later became manager of the Widdicomb Furniture Co. of Grand Rapids. He was an advanced mason-member of the Knights Templar. Was a retired member of the Commandery Staff of the Grand Army. He is survived by a widow, two daughters, Mrs. Agnes Blanchard of Marshall and Mrs. Fanny Boals of Rapid City, and a son, Dr. George E. Miller of Rapid City. The funeral services were held from the summer home, and the body taken to Schoolcraft for interment. Rev. C. H. Heskett officiated and C. J. Brundage was in charge of the services.

PHILIP D. MILLER. This retired banker of Schoolcraft was born in Lycoming County, Pa., February 11, 1838, and is the son of Enos and Christiana M. (Frazier) Miller, natives of Montour County, Pa. The father died in Schoolcraft Township and the mother in Kansas. The eldest in a large family of children, Philip D. was quite young when he removed with his parents to Danville, Pa., and there he passed his youth, receiving his education in the common and High Schools of that city. After completing his education, Mr. Miller took up civil engineering and, when fifteen years old, joined a corps of civil engineers and assisted in building a railroad in Schuylkill County, Pa. For three years he followed that occupation, and then learning telegraphy at Danville, was thus engaged for about three years, during the last half of which he was chief operator in Philadelphia for the Susquehanna Telegraph Company. In the spring of 1858, Mr. Miller came to Schoolcraft with his father and engaged in farming near the village until August 1862, when he enlisted in Company L, Fifth Michigan Cavalry, from which, three weeks later, he was transferred to the Twenty-fifth Michigan Infantry as Hospital Steward. He marched with his regiment to the front and served until the close of the war in the capacity of Hospital Steward, Second Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon. Having served in Kentucky, he marched with Gen. Burnside into East Tennessee and served under Gen. Sherman in Georgia until after the capture of Atlanta. Under Gen. Thomas he followed the Confederates back to Nashville and was in the two-days fight at that place, after which he was transferred to the East at Ft. Fisher. He was at Wilmington and Raleigh, and at the surrender of Johnson's army, being absent from his regiment only nine days on a furlough. In July, 1865, he was mustered out of service, having gained a record as a courageous soldier. His brother, Daniel F., also enlisted in the defense of the Union and was killed in front of Richmond while with Gen. Sheridan on his raid. Prior to his enlistment, Mr. Miller had been clerk in a drug store at Schoolcraft and had gained a practical knowledge of the business. Thus equipped, upon his return from the battlefields, he bought a one-half interest in a drug store with Oscar R. Hatch, the firm name being Hatch & Miller. Upon the death of Mr. Hatch in 1870, our subject formed a connection with Franklin Barnhart, the title of the firm being P. D. Miller & Co. The firm disposed of the business in 1879, and two years later, in January 1882, he entered the banking business with Thomas Nesbitt, under the firm name of Nesbitt & Miller. The connection thus entered into continued successfully until January 1, 1890; then, concluding to retire from the banking business, they disposed of the same, since which time Mr. Miller has mingled very little in active business affairs. His life, however, is by no means an idle one, but in the supervision of his farm in Schoolcraft Township, in the discharge of his duties as a citizen, in his social connections, and in the various interests which he still retains, he finds ample exercise for his energies. August 23, 1870, Mr. Miller was married in Schoolcraft to Miss E. Sophronia, daughter of the late William and Mary (Mercer) Fisher, natives of Pennsylvania and New York State, respectively. Mr. Fisher was an early settler of Schoolcraft Township, having located here in 1835. His wife came two years later and still resides in the place where her entire wedded life was passed. Mrs. Miller was born in Schoolcraft and is a graduate of Hillsdale College. For a number of years, she engaged in teaching at Schoolcraft and was an efficient and successful instructor of the young. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller, the eldest of whom, Mary S., died when sixteen years old; the others, Agnes C., Fanny, Philip F. and George E., are at home with their parents. A strong Republican, Mr. Miller has taken an active part in local political affairs and has held some of the offices of the township. He has also taken an active part in religious affairs and, with his wife, is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He has assisted in the settlement of many estates and his work in that line has been eminently satisfactory. In his social connections he is a Mason, belonging to Schoolcraft Lodge, No. 118, Prairie Ronde Chapter, No. 54 and Peninsular Commandery, No. 8, of Kalamazoo, and Burson Post, No. 303, G. A. R., at Schoolcraft.