Nancy D MILLER

Otis P Miller
SECOND LIEUTIENT Company I 41st Regiment
Missouri Infantry
Missouri Volunteers
Civil War Union
1834 - 1925
Grand Army of the Republic

Parents:
Ransley Miller (1806 - 1890)
Abigail Zulema Darrow Miller (1808 - 1875)

Nancy
1840 - 1925
Parents:
David E. Sloan (1794 - 1842)
Mary Osborn East Sloan (1796 - 1886)

He was a member of Company A, 39th Infantry, Missouri Volunteers. He is listed as a survivor of the battle of Centralia.

Ref: 1911 History of Adair County Missouri by E.M. Violette, pp 89-91.

Birth date is calculated from his age at the time of his death as recorded on his death certificate.
He and his wife, Nancy, were buried on the same day as they died three days apart. His burial was delayed due to the poor health of his wife. They both died of influenza.


OTIS MILLER was born near Hudson, Ohio, May 18, 1834. His parents were Ransley and Abby Miller. He was married September 19, 1858, to Nancy D. Sloan daughter of David E. and Mary A. Sloan. They had nine children: Mary A., born June 29, 1859; Minnie V., January 22, 1861, died September 18, 1862; Clara E., February 28, 1863; Edwin D., September 16, 1866; Letitia A., May 6, 1868; Otis, Jr., March 28, 1870; Conrad B., October 8, 1872; Grace N., July 4, 1877; Kate E., September 30, 1879.

Mr. Miller moved to Iowa in 1853, going to Hillsboro, coming from there to Kirksville, Missouri, on January 5, 1854. He farmed seven miles northeast of Kirksville until 1899, then retired, came to Kirksville and built a residence. He sold his farm, which consisted of 140 acres. His residence in Kirksville was destroyed in the tornado of April 27, 1899, at which time his wife and daughter received serious injuries. Mrs. Miller has never recovered from the injuries she received.

He was a member of Company A., 37th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, taking part in the battle fought at Centralia, Missouri. His Company lost their captain and fifty-six men in that battle. Mr. Miller was first sergeant, and it was part of his duty to report loss of life. He enlisted as private, was made Sergeant, later Sergeant Major, then promoted to Second Lieutenant in Company I, 41st Regiment Missouri Volunteer Infantry.

He is a Republican, and he and his wife belong to the Christian church. He is member of Corporal Dix Post, No. 22, G.A.R.

History of Adair County
By Eugene Morrow Violette
pp 513, 516



The following is from Violette's History of Adair County, Missouri, 1911. It was written by Mrs. Otis Miller who is Nancy (Sloan) Miller, daughter of David Sloan, first resident of Kirksville, Mo.

Reminiscences of Adair County, Missouri, by MILLER, Mrs. Otis

When the Indians yet lived in Adair county; when wild turkeys, wolves and deer roamed about the uncleared forests which are now cultivated; when everything about was undeveloped, men used to follow a trail from Howard County, going along the Salt River, east of Kirksville, hunting bees. My father, David E. Sloan, and neighbors were following this trail one day, when he found a place near old Wilson Town, where he decided to make a home. He entered land there, built a log house and brought my mother to her new home in 1839. There I was born six months later, and brought to Kirksville when six weeks old. We lived in a cabin which my father built. There were but three or four houses in Kirksville, and they were built of logs.

The first school I attended was held in the court room in the first Adair County Court house, which stood where the National Bank is located. David James, the first county and circuit clerk of Adair County, who had his office in the court house at the time, used to amuse the children by cutting paper baskets which he hung up with string and filled with pebbles. Our first teacher was Nathan Taylor, who afterward went to California, died on the plains and was eaten by the wolves.

When I was young, we wore Lindsey dresses with bright stripes around the skirt. Our sheets were woven from flax and we had flax buttons on our clothing, which was made of home-made material.

The first stores I remember, were conducted by Jesse Coleman Thatcher and "Uncle Patton" Hannah. Howard Sheeks had a grocery shop near our home. Our mother would hardly allow us to steal a glance in that direction. We lived in a house, part wood and part frame, where Murphy-Mills & Garges' store now stands.

When grown I married and lived in the country for a time. During the war, however, I lived in a home where Hermann Herboth now has a residence, on North High Street. On the morning of August 6th, 1862, I went to my sister's to borrow a washboard. She lived in the home place. I didn't know there was a soldier in town, but when I reached there, the house was full of rebels, who were much excited, and talking of the coming fight. I hurried home, and seeing a toy which belonged to the children -- a drum on which was painted a picture of a Union flag, I took it and hid it in the cellar, fearing the rebels might see it and do us harm. I was preparing to take my two children and to go the cellar for safety, when my mother came, and against my protest, sent the children to the country with a minister who was riding on an old flea-bitten horse. Later she sent back for me. Before we had gone two blocks, the muskets were cracking like corn in a popper. Some of the rebel solders entered our house, and from there gave the forlorn hope signal. We stopped out north of town, stood on an old rail fence and watched the battle.

About dusk we returned home. All day I had been separated from my children. Our house was so mutilated that we could no longer live there. Most everything on the place had either been destroyed or stolen. Somebody had dropped a pair of pillows across the back fence, unable to get away with his entire load. When I stepped inside the door, my feet were in a great clot of human blood. Several rebels had been killed there. We supposed our sheets and other white goods were taken to the academy, which was being used as a hospital, to be used for binding the wounds of the soldiers. The walls were full of holes from the cannon balls fired by the Union soldiers. One ball, which had cut through several studding in the wall, broke the side rail of the bed. Another, entering through the fire-place busted the cook-stove to mere fragments.

I went over to spend the night at Mrs. Turner's, and saw nine dead rebel soldiers taken from a corn-field, about where Mrs. Sarah Avery's residence now stands. A man came to Mrs. Turner's door and asked to see the lady whose house had been so badly shot up. I went to the door. He had a bolt of purple calico which had been unrolled and then wrapped about his arms. This he asked me to take to make dresses for me and the children. I refused, but he left it for me, knowing I needed it. It came from one of the stores which had that day been rifled.

The troublous times of the Civil War are passed; the old wounds are healed, and many of its stirring episodes have been forgotten. One of the tangible evidences of the heart rendering scenes through which we passed, as well as one of our treasured souvenirs, is a piece of board which was a part of the siding of our old home. It is perforated with a cannon ball, one of the missiles which almost destroyed our home on the day of the battle.

--Mrs. Otis Miller

Photo contributed by Larry and Susan Olson lolson60@cableone.net

Contributed on 1/14/16 by hawkinsdonna48
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