APPENDIX 



541 



APPENDIX. 



THE LATE MR, MILLER, OF ILLINOIS, L T . S. A. 



HOW HE BENEFITED HEREFORD BREEDERS. 



It will doubtless be with a feeling of sincere 

 regret that many breeders and others interested 

 in Hereford cattle will receive the news of the 

 death of that veteran champion of the breed in 

 America, Mr. T. L. Miller, which took place at 

 De Funiak Springs, Florida, U. S. A., on 

 March 15, 1900, at the age of eighty-three. 



Mr. Miller had, in spite of his great age, 

 been in the enjoyment of excellent health, un- 

 til a short time before his death, when he had a 

 severe fall in the street, causing concussion of 

 the brain. Although the serious nature of the 

 accident was apparent from the first, he 

 lingered on for some six weeks, until congestion 

 of the lungs supervened, and was the imme- 

 diate cause of death. 



Mr. Miller was born in Connecticut, but 

 early in life settled in Chicago, and engaged 

 successfully in the insurance business. He then 

 made one of those kaleidoscopic changes in 

 business, so frequently made in America and 

 the Colonies and so rarely with success in 

 England, and exchanged city life for agricul- 

 tural pursuits. For this purpose he removed 

 to Beecher, where he had a large farm, about 

 thirty miles from Chicago, built a large house 

 and elaborate farm buildings. It was here, 

 having discovered the merits of the breed, that 

 he established and carried on for many years, 

 his famous herd of Hereford cattle. 



It is not too much to say that he was prac- 

 tically the pioneer of the breed in America, 

 and it was mainly due to his persistent advocacy 

 of their good qualities that American farmers 

 realized how well suited to their purpose the 

 Herefords were, both as a pure breed and also 

 for crossing with native cattle. This result he 

 achieved in the face of the strong opposition 

 of the Shorthorn influence, which was at that 

 time paramount in the United States. 



Breeders in this country have cause to re- 

 member with gratitude his untiring and suc- 

 cessful efforts to make the Herefords widely 



known on the other side of Atlantic, for his 

 action was the means of bringing about the 

 great boom, of some years back, which enabled 

 those who were fortunate enough to possess 

 pure pedigree herds to reap a golden harvest. 



In 1883 he visited England, accompanied by 

 Mrs. Miller and their niece, and bringing with 

 him his rock-away carriage, pair of black horses, 

 and American harness, with which to drive 

 about the country and visit the principal breed- 

 ers. This turn-out excited a great deal of in- 

 terest and curiosity wherever it appeared. 

 Among those who entertained Mr. and Mrs. 

 Miller were Lord Bateman at Shobden Court, 

 Mr. J. H. Arkwright, Hampton Court, Mr. T. 

 Duckham, at Baysham Court, Messrs. Goode, 

 at Ivingtonbury, Mr. J. Price, Pembridge, Mr. 

 T. Powell, at the Bage, etc. 



The home breeders availed themselves of Mr. 

 Miller's presence in England, to show their 

 appreciation of the valuable work he was doing, 

 by presenting him with a public testimonial, 

 in recognition of his efforts. On August 1st, 

 he was entertained at a public dinner, at the 

 Green Dragon Hotel, Hereford, at which a very 

 large and representative gathering assembled, 

 to do him honor, including Lord Glanusk 

 then Sir J. R. Bailey who was in the chair, 

 Lord Bateman, Lord Coventry, the county 

 members, etc. The chairman then presented 

 to him, on behalf of the subscribers, a beauti- 

 fully illuminated address, signed by one hun- 

 dred breeders, and a purse of 200. A silver 

 cup was also presented, to his able lieutenant, 

 Mr. Geo. Morgan. 



Characteristically, he declined to spend tho 

 money in silver plate, but bought with it a num- 

 ber of animals, which he took on with him and 

 which were known as the "Testimonial Herd." 

 Successful though he was, fortune was not al- 

 ways kind to him. Twice over, the costly and 

 handsome buildings on his farm were burned 

 to the ground. The first time they were struck 



