Miller
 

School –

Dist. 54. Built a $3,500 in 1893. 10-grade in 1915, went to 12 grade. High school closed in 1968. Sumner-Eddyville-Miller. Had elementary grades for a while but its closed now also.

Newspapers –

May to Dec. 1888 – Will Hale, editor - The Armada Times

Dec. 1888 – R. A. Reid editor – changed name to Armada Watchman

April or May 1889 - July 10, 1890 – Charles Houston editor - Armada Watchman

Born at Sidney, Iowa, in 1869

 
Father a newspaper man so he learned the printing business in the home office.

 
He came to Armada in April, 1889, (age 19) & purchased The Armada Watchman

 
Moved paper to the new town of Miller, and changed the name to Miller Union.

 

July 17, 1890 – The Miller Union made its first appearance and was issued from a barn, "which had been hurriedly erected for a shelter from the weather until better quarters could be secured."

Date unknown – Name changed to the Miller Forum.

1915 – Miller Sun – (But we have a copy of the Dec. 31, 1914 Sun in an archives file.)

Churches –
 

United Brethren Church - organized in 1890. Built a church in 1893.

 
Methodist Episcopal Church – organized in 1890. Build a church in 1893.

        Disbanded and sold their building to the Church of Christ.

 
Church of Christ – organized in 1913 (very small). Purchased a building in 1914.

 
Christian Church – organized in 1905. Built a church in 1907.

Other Organizations –
 

Woman's Christian Temperance Union – organized in 1910. By 1915 had a library, club room, & supporting and caring for a ladies restroom.

 
Grand Army of the Republic – Established in 1885 with 35 members. Had 11 in 1915.

 
Square & Compass Lodge (Masonic Lodge) – chartered in Armada in 1888.

        Moved to Miller in 1890 and rechartered at Miller Lodge in 1891.

 
Modern Woodmen of America – Started in (no date given) with 13 members. Up to 85 in 1915.

 
Knights of Pythias – Organized in 1890.

 
Odd Fellows – organized in 1905.

Banks –

First Bank of Miller - organized in 1887 as the First Bank of Armada by Frank D. Brown and J.E. Dickerman

        Moved to (1915) building in 1909.

        Picture of stone building, no date (1909?)

        First building has been restored and sits on the south side of main street.
Bank of Miller – organized in 1889 – building burned Nov. 1915, new building early in 1916.

Telephone –

Miller Independent Telephone Company

        Organized in 1906 with 40 phones

        By 1915 had 150 phones

Ag Business –

      Grain elevators – 3 in 1916
        International Harvester dealership sometime after 1955

Downtown in the Past:
Outdoor movies; Big fair comparable to county fair in Kearney – trained dog act by relative of Naomi Harnagle’s

Present Downtown:
        A drinking fountain
        Restored First Bank of Miller (white frame building)
        Store
        An ag business at the intersection of the two highway called the Crossroads, formerly operated by Quail
 

Opera House/Community Hall –
No date – Abel’s Hall
ca 1920 – Community Hall
2005-2006 – Remodeled last year, more this year.
        New furnace & air conditioning, ceiling fans for air circulation.
        Removed suspended ceiling, installed acoustical panels on ceiling.
        Added a room for Village Board & fire department meetings.
        New siding blends addition to the rest of the building.
        Kitchen and restrooms still to be done.

Uses:
        Dances – 1920-present
        Roller skating
        Donkey Basketball game

Famous People
Bill Greutman – Swiss family
        Invented a fence stretcher 19teens
        Manufactured as the Golden Rod

Dr. (Doc) Clint Ramer – veterinarian, self taught
        Very busy, had a driver who let out the clutch fast, sprayed gravel and dug ruts
        Driver would bring Doc to the animal
        Doc would sleep in the car as driver took him from farm to farm, esp. in epidemic

 
        1880 census – Isaac Ramer, 32, wife Hattie, 29, daughter Minnie, 3, and Oliver, 1, living in Odessa Township

 
        1900 census – Isaac Ramer, 51, head, farmer. Living in Harrison Township. Wife Harriet, 51, sons Oliver, 21, and Clinton, 14, and a daughter, Fannie, 16. Oliver was born in Indiana but the other two were born in Nebr. Harriet had given birth to 6 children, 5 were still living. Isaac and Oliver were farming, Fannie and Clinton were in school.

 
        1910 census – Harriet Ramer, farmer, head of household with son Clinton, 24. Living in Harrison Township. Living on the next farm was Oliver Ramer, 31, wife Viola, 20, and son Hazekiah, about a year and a half.

 
        1920 census – Living with mother in Harrison Township. He was 34, his mother was 69. His occupation is listed as veterinary. He was born in Nebr. But his mother was born in Ohio and father in Indiana.

 
        1930 census – Living alone in Harrison Township. Listed as John C. Ramer. He was 44 and his occupation is given as a farmer.

 
        Armada Cemetery – Ramer, I. N., Born June 8, 1848 - Died May 13, 1906;
                I. N. Jr., Born Dec 11, 1881 - Died Nov 18, 1888
                Ramer, John Clinton (Doc), Oct 15, 1885 - Dec 18, 1979
        Would hold sιances – All sit in circle and place hands on knees of person on each side.  Naomi Harnagel’s father took her to one when she was about 10. She said a voice spoke to her, calling her by name. She was so surprised that she took her hands off the knees of her neighbors and stopped the sιance. She knew it was not her grandfather because he spoke only Czech.

        He would serve food which he prepared himself. People would be lined up for two blocks. When someone else prepared the food there would not be a line.