Sandy Miller was born on a farm in Southern Township on February 5, 1870 to James Campbell Miller and Nancy Arnold. Sandy was one of twelve children with one sister and 10 brothers. He was accounted for on the 1880 federal census living on the family farm with brothers; James 23, William 21, Carroll 16, John 14, Monroe 12 and Leonard 8, Sandy was then 10.
Sandy moved into Marion in 1889 and married Rose Chitty on October 20, 1893. Rose was the daughter of George W. Chitty and Julia McIntosh.
In 1896, Sandy became an assistant Postmaster in Marion under Postmaster John Goodall and would serve in this position for 18 years until 1914. The next year an article in the paper revealed that Sandy and his wife Rose had their first child (Geneva) in December 1897.
Marion’s first post office was located on N. Market and caught fire in 1899 under Postmaster Lorenzo Hartwell. The building burned to the ground but fortunately, Sandy Miller, serving as assistant postmaster was credited with saving all of the mail from the fire.
An article appearing in the Egyptian Press newspaper in March of 1899 indicated that Sandy and Rose’s 4-year-old son, Carl, had passed away on February 26, 1899 and was buried in the New Marion Cemetery (Rose Hill).
When the 1900 federal census was taken, Sandy’s family was living in Marion, likely at 901 W. Cherry St. The home was owned and free of mortgage. 30-year-old Sandy and his wife Rose 28, had 2 children in the home; Geneva 2 and Leon, a newborn. Rose indicated that they had birthed 3 children and 2 were living. There was a 44-year-old live-in domestic servant named Norcis Shaw in the home.
Sandy served as Marion city Alderman in 1901 under Mayor William H. Bundy and when the Marion Elks Lodge was formed on August 1, 1902 Sandy was a charter member and served as Chaplain. He would also be a member of the Board of Trustees for the Elks in this early period. He served again as Marion city Alderman under Mayor Charles H. Denison in 1906. When the city council considered building a City Library in 1906, City Ordinance 60 was passed to begin the development of a library for the city.
A 1907 Marion directory and the 1910 census confirms the presence of the Miller family at 901 W. Cherry St. and the fact that Sandy was still serving as assistant postmaster. The children present in the home were; Geneva 12, Dwight (Leon) 9 and Campbell aged 7. Interestingly, Sandy was living right next door to Freeman Chanaberry who would later serve as County Treasurer from 1906-1910.
In 1914, Sandy Miller left the postal service and shortly after began working for Williamson County as alternately Deputy County Treasurer and Deputy County Clerk which he worked at until about 1922 or so. When the 1920 federal census was taken it appeared to confirm that Sandy was working in the county Clerk’s office. His family was still in their home on W. Cherry St. and there was only one child left in the home, Campbell Miller, a son aged 17.
Somewhere between 1922 and 1927, Sandy and his nephew Ray Miller bought the title abstract business belonging to J.C.B. Smith and began the Miller Abstract and Title Insurance business. A 1927 business directory listed the abstract business located at 204 ½ Public Square. (This would be the Goodall building on the North side of the square.)
The 1930 federal census show the Millers still living on W. Cherry Street in their old home but they now have no children in the home. Sandy, now 60 years old, valued his home at $1,500. The Millers at some point in the 1930’s sold their Cherry Street home and moved to 2107 W. Main Street (roughly across the street from the W. Main Street Dairy Queen.) This lot would later be occupied by Virgil Bowman.
2107 West Main Street is where the Miller’s were located in the 1940 census living next to the Earl Blankenship, Sr. family. Sandy, then 70 and Rose, then 68, valued their home at $1,500. Education levels listed on this census indicated that Sandy had reached his 2nd year of high school and Rose had completed 8th grade.
Sandy’s wife, Rose, passed away on April 19, 1949 and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery. After Rose’s death, Sandy, spent his last years living in Evansville, Indiana with his daughter Geneva Underwood. It was there that he passed away on March 11, 1960 at St. Mary’s Hospital of cerebral infarction (a stroke causing lack of oxygen to the brain.) He was the last of his eleven siblings to survive. Miller was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church. Miller left a daughter, Mrs. H.H. (Geneva) Underwood with whom he was living at this death, and a son, G.C. Miller of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
His funeral services were held at Wilson Funeral Home in Marion and burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Notes on attached photo:
Back Row standing, Caroline Durham Miller, A.A. Mosely, Effie Miller Mosely, Martha Miller holding Paul Miller, Emery Millier holding baby Robert Miller, Carrol Miller, Emma Perry Miller, Lou Millier, Sandy Miller, Ann Miller, Nellie Miller (daughter), Monroe Miller, Ella Miller, Sallie Simmons, Jim Simmons, Mary Miller
Middle Row Seated, James Miller, Liz Hawkins, Jim Hawkins (brother of Liz & husband od Han Miller), Janie Mille, Herb Simmons, Joe Miller, Ethel Simmons (Roland), Allen Miller, William Miller, Nellie Miller (daughter), Jan Miller Hawkins, John Miller
Sitting, Arthur Miller, Carrie Miller, Allie Miller, Fannie Miller, Ray Hawkins, Stella Hawkins, Fred Hawkins
(Sources: W.C. Marriage records, The Leader, Egyptian Press, Southern Illinoisan, 1905 Historical Souvenir of W.C., Marion Cemetery records, Federal Census Records, Marion city directories, Williamson County in World War, 1917-18. Complied by Sam Lattuca 9/18/2023)