Warner Miller | |
|---|---|
 Miller in 1896 | |
| United States Senator fromNew York | |
| In office July 27, 1881 – March 3, 1887 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas C. Platt |
| Succeeded by | Frank Hiscock |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's22nd district | |
| In office March 4, 1879 – July 26, 1881 | |
| Preceded by | George A. Bagley |
| Succeeded by | Charles R. Skinner |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly from the Herkimer County district | |
| In office January 1, 1874 – December 31, 1875 | |
| Preceded by | Eleazer C. Rice |
| Succeeded by | Myron A. McKee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1838-08-12)August 12, 1838 |
| Died | March 21, 1918(1918-03-21) (aged 79) New York City, New York, US |
| Resting place | Oak Hill Cemetery,Herkimer, New York, US |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Caroline Churchill Miller (m. 1864-1903, her death) |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Union College |
| Profession | Paper company executive |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Branch/service | Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1862 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | 5th New York Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Warner Miller (August 12, 1838 – March 21, 1918) was an American businessman and politician fromHerkimer, New York. ARepublican, he was most notable for his service as a U.S. representative (1879-1881) andUnited States Senator (1881-1887).
A native ofHannibal, New York, Miller graduated fromUnion College in 1860. He enlisted for theAmerican Civil War as aprivate in theUnion Army's5th New York Cavalry Regiment. Later commissioned as afirst lieutenant, Miller was taken prisoner in 1862 and paroled, after which he received an honorable discharge.
Following his military service, Miller became active in the papermaking business inHerkimer, New York. His invention of machines for inexpensively making paper from wood pulp made him wealthy, and he later became active in other businesses, including railroads, insurance, and mining.
Miller served in theNew York State Assembly in 1874 and 1875. In 1878 he was elected to the U.S. House, and he was reelected in 1880. After serving one full term and one partial, he resigned from the U.S. House in order to accept election to the U.S. Senate. Elected withElbridge G. Lapham to replaceRoscoe Conkling andThomas C. Platt after Conkling and Platt resigned over a dispute with PresidentJames A. Garfield, Miller served one partial term, July 1881 to March 1887. During his Senate service, Miller was chairman of the Senate's Agriculture Committee.
After leaving the Senate, Miller twice ran forgovernor of New York. He won the Republican nomination in 1888, but lost the general election to incumbentDavid B. Hill. In 1894, Miller lost the Republican nomination toLevi P. Morton, who went on to win the general election. In retirement, Miller was a resident of Herkimer. He died inNew York City on March 21, 1918, and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Herkimer.
Warner Miller was born inHannibal, New York, on August 12, 1838, a son of Hiram Miller and Mary Ann (Warner) Miller.[1] He attended the common schools ofOswego County andCharlotteville Academy, then became a teacher of Latin and Greek at the Collegiate Institute ofFort Edward, New York.[2][3] He then began attendance atUnion College inSchenectady, New York.[4] In 1860, he graduated with anAB degree.[4] Miller maintained a lifelong association with Union College; in 1886, he received thehonorary degree ofLL.D.[5] He also served on the board of trustees, and frequently spoke at the college's public occasions.[5][6]
In October 1861, Miller joined the military for theAmerican Civil War, enlisting as aprivate in Company I,5th New York Cavalry Regiment.[2] He advanced to become the regimentalsergeant major, then received his commission as afirst lieutenant.[2] On May 25, 1862, Miller was taken prisoner during theFirst Battle of Winchester.[2] With TheUnion Army not taking part in prisoner exchanges, Miller was instead paroled by theConfederate States Army at the end of the month.[2] His parole prevented him from returning to military service, so he was compelled to accept an honorable discharge and return toNew York.[2] After the war, Miller participated in veterans' activities and was a member of theGrand Army of the Republic.[7][8]
After his military service, Miller was employed at a paper mill in Fort Edward, of which he soon became superintendent.[3] He engaged in a scientific study of papermaking, including a trip toBelgium to observe paper being made from straw.[3] After returning to the United States, Miller organized a company to buy several paper mills inHerkimer, New York, where he began the manufacture of paper from wood pulp on an industrial scale.[3]
Miller invented a machine for making wood pulp paper inexpensively.[3] After initial difficulty marketing his machines, other papermakers began to recognize their value and began to purchase them.[3] Miller became wealthy as his invention became the industry standard.[3]
In addition to his papermaking business, Miller was involved in several other enterprises.[9] These included serving as president of the Nicaragua Canal Construction Company, a venture to build a cross-isthmus canal in Central America prior to thePanama Canal.[9] In addition, he served as a director of the Industrial and Mining Guaranty Company.[10] After theSpanish–American War, Miller was an original incorporator of a venture in the Philippines, the Philippine Plantation Company.[11] Miller's other ventures included serving on the board of directors of the Traders Fire Insurance Company[12] and the St. Louis, Emporia and Denver Rail Road.[13]
ARepublican, Miller was a member of theNew York State Assembly (Herkimer Co.) in1874 and1875. Miller was interested in public education, and introduced an unsuccessful bill that would have resolved an ongoing conflict between the state superintendent of public instruction and the stateBoard of Regents by eliminating the Regents.[14] He also introduced a successful bill to require that drawing be taught in public schools.[15]
In 1878, Miller was elected to theUnited States House of Representatives. He was reelected in 1880, and served in the46th and47th United States Congresses (March 4, 1879, to July 26, 1881).[16] During his House service, Miller was a member of the committees onEngrossed Bills, Insurance,Railways and Canals, andWays and Means.[16] His peers ranked him as among the most effective members of the House.[16]
In 1881, Republican U.S. SenatorsRoscoe Conkling andThomas C. Platt, leaders of the RepublicanStalwart faction, resigned their seats during a dispute with PresidentJames A. Garfield, who was supported by theHalf-Breed faction, over patronage positions inNew York.[17] They assumed they would quickly be reelected by theNew York State Legislature, which would strengthen their position with respect to the patronage dispute.[17] Instead, the legislaturechose two new senators, StalwartElbridge G. Lapham to replace Conkling, and Half-Breed Miller to replace Platt.[17]
Miller served from July 27, 1881, to March 3, 1887 (the47th,48th, and49th Congresses).[18] His committee assignments includedAgriculture,Commerce, andEducation and Labor.[19] He served as chairman of the Agriculture Committee in the 48th and 49th Congresses.[19]
In 1887, Miller was a candidate for reelection.[20] Republicans controlled the state legislature, ensuring that their nominee would win.[20] Platt was determined to see Miller defeated, and supported StalwartLevi P. Morton.[21] A third candidate,Frank Hiscock, was not affiliated with either faction and had little initial support.[21] After 17 ballots failed to produce a nominee, Morton asked his supporters to back Hiscock, thus ensuring that Miller would be defeated.[20] Hiscock won the nomination and went on to win the seat in the vote by the full legislature.[22]
He ran forGovernor of New York at theNew York state election, 1888, but was defeated by the incumbent DemocratDavid B. Hill.[23] In 1894, Miller was again a candidate for governor, but Platt succeeded in obtaining the Republican nomination for Levi P. Morton, who won the general election.[24]
WhenInternational Paper was formed in 1898, Miller sold his paper mills to the new concern.[24] In retirement, he was a resident of Herkimer.[25] In 1906, Miller was appointed chairman of a state Special Tax Commission, a panel of legislators and citizens that reviewed New York's tax laws and recommended revisions to the state legislature.[26] He died inNew York City on March 21, 1918.[24] Miller was interred at Oak Hill Cemetery in Herkimer.[27]
In 1864, Miller married Caroline Churchill.[3] They were the parents of four sons and a daughter: Ralph, Max, Burr, Guy, and Augusta.[3][28]Burr Churchill Miller became a noted sculptor.[29]
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Media related toWarner Miller at Wikimedia Commons
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of New York 1888 | Succeeded by |
| New York State Assembly | ||
| Preceded by | New York State Assembly Herkimer County 1874-1875 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 22nd congressional district March 4, 1879 – July 26, 1881 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 1) from New York July 27, 1881 – March 3, 1887 Served alongside:Elbridge G. Lapham,William M. Evarts | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 3 | ||
| Agriculture (1829–1857; 1863–1881) | | |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and Forestry (1884–1977) | ||
| Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (1977–) | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
