Brief Miller Family History

As far back as 1745 that we were able to trace our Muller ancestors, their occupation had been farming.

They lived in the village of Lenterode, Germany, and as was the tradition of the times, all farmers lived in the village, and went out each day to work their farms that surrounded it.

It was also in Lenterode where JOHANN JOSEPH and BARBARA MULLER lived with their family. Before immigrating to America, they sold the land they owned. It must have been their intention to be farmers in America when he applied for the land grant before sailing.

Later records show that he lived at New Ulm, Texas, where he farmed and had a gin until his death there.

He became a United States citizen April 20, 1854. He was a charter member of the Cat Spring Agricultural Society which was organized in 1856. He continued as a very active member until his death in 1861.

A story that has been verbally handed down through the generations is that he loved the land and to watch vegetation grow. When he realized that he was dying of tuberculosis, he seemed to regret that he would be unable to see the forthcoming spring and said that everything would soon come sprouting out of the ground and grow, but, "I must go into the ground forever."

He is buried in the New Ulm, Texas cemetery where his tombstone still marks his grave.

Not too much is known of Grandmother Barbara's family, except that she was a native of Fretterode, Germany until her marriage, and that her father owned a mill there. She died in Elgin, Texas and is buried there. It is assumed that on account of the lack of proper transportation in those days was the reason that she was not buried beside her husband in New Ulm, Texas. She also has a nice tombstone to mark her grave.

I shall now give a brief history as much as we know, of the ten sons in order of their birth:

CHRISTIAN, as far as we know was a farmer. However, little is known of his life, except that he died at about the age of thirty-six years, from the results of injuries he received when a bull gored him. He was survived by his wife and a small son.

AUGUST, as a young man during the Civil War was a freight hauler from Austin, Texas to Brownsville, Texas for the Confederate States. He helped his mother with farming until his marriage, when he settled on his farm at Latium, Texas. He -farmed and also operated a gin on this farm until his death in 1928. The Brenham Banner Press, newspaper of Brenham, Texas, in 1965 mentioned him and his occupations in the "80 years ago column."

WILLIAM, during the Civil War enlisted on June 3, 1862 in the Confederate Army at Elmore’s, Reg. 26th Infantry of Texas and was Discharged Honorably, November 1864. He also was a farmer. Soon after his marriage he moved to Elgin, Texas where he and his bachelor brother, Charles, were in partnership in farming. They also at one time operated a business in Elgin, Texas in a two story brick building which they built in 1901. The building still stands today with its sign on the second story front "Miller Bros. 1901. If However the "0" is missing in 1901, but we know that it was built in that year, as one can see the impression of the "0".

NICALAUS, was also a farmer most of his life. He was left a widower early in his life with six children. He never remarried. Later in his life he moved to Fort Worth, Texas to be near his children. He died and is buried there.

CHARLES, as mentioned before, lived in Elgin, Texas, and was in partnership with his brother William in farming and business in Elgin, Texas. He remained a bachelor.

JOACHIM was a farmer at New Ulm, Texas, and a good carpenter, which trade he followed as a side occupation. He was a very talented musician, playing the violin by ear excellently and teaching it. He also played the piano, and other instruments, playing often for community socials. He was left a widower at the age of thirty-four years with a family of five small children, ages ten years down to nine months. He never remarried.

HENRY, was also a farmer. His first wife died leaving him with three small children. After his second marriage he moved from the New Ulm, Texas area to the Taiton community in Wharton County, later to El Campo, Texas, same county.

He occupied a two story dwelling on Blue Creek Road where he farmed and raised cattle. This farm is still being farmed by the third Miller generation.

After his retirement when he moved into the city of El Campo where up until the time that he stopped work completely, he was a skilled carpenter.

He also was blessed with a musical talent playing the accordion and Bass violin.

LOUIS, and his family lived in Brenham, Texas, where he was a salesman for a lumber company for many years.

He also was a fine cabinet maker. The large Grandfather Clock, with its intricate design which he built, is a masterpiece of art and certainly in the museum class. It is still in the family. He was talented in music and played different instruments by ear.

Louis' wife, Helena, started the first florist business in Brenham, Texas. Her daughter, Mrs. Clara Schubert took it over after her mother's death and continued operating it until her death, when her daughter and son, Mrs. Ora Nell Schmid and Oscar Schubert, Jr. took over. They are still operating it under the name of Schubert's Florist.

FREDERICK, lived only to the age of seven years, when he drowned in a well. I regret that we were unable to find the date of his death or his grave. Naturally it was impossible to find a picture of him, therefore his place on the picture family tree will have to remain empty.

HERMAN, was also a farmer, he loved the land like his ancestors. At one time during his first marriage he lived at Elgin, Texas where he helped with the laying of the first railroad track into the town.

His first wife and infant twins were buried there. Later, he and his other two children returned to the family home to live with his mother, in the New Ulm, Texas area and helped her with the farming.

After two years he married again and continued farming. In 1901 he and his family moved to Coupland, Texas where he again farmed for ten years.

For a short period, he and his family operated the Coupland Hotel which he owned but his desire to farm was still too strong so when the “land boom" selling was in progress in 1912 at Robstown, Texas, he bought a farm there.

In August 1913 he and his family moved to this Robstown, Texas farm where he continued farming until his death in 1931. He was also a talented musician, as were so many of his brothers. He played the violin excellently by ear, also the piano, and other instruments. He was often called on to play at community gatherings.

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As you will note from this history that farming was the occupation of most of the ten brothers and that many were gifted with a musical talent.

During my research, I learned how very many of the descendants inherited this musical talent and art.

But as far as we know there was only one that made music his career, he was Joseph Miller, son of Joachim. At an early age he already was teaching violin in Caldwell, Texas. It was there that he gave violin lessons to the girl who later became his wife.

It is also understood that he taught violin in Baylor University, Belton, Texas. Everyone that knew him said he was a genius with the violin, and an accomplished musician with many other instruments. He was conducting an orchestra in Hotel Galvez, Galveston, Texas when he passed away at the age of thirty years, leaving a wife and three small daughters.

From information I recently received from Germany is that many of Charlotte Muller Glorius’ descendants were also talented in music.

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