Miller, John Andrew, 1832-1912
Biography
John Andrew Miller (1832-1912), son of Matt L. and Lucinda. E. Miller, was born in South Carolina.
He and his family moved to Jackson County in Alabama in 1845, then to Lafayette County in
Mississippi in 1847. In October 1852, Miller was licensed to preach by the quarterly conference of
Coffeeville Circuit, Grenada District, Memphis Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
He was admitted on trial into the Memphis Conference and served the following appointments:
Pontotoc Circuit in North Mississippi (1852-1853), Carrollville Circuit (1853), Fulton Circuit (1854),
Okolona Circuit and Carrollville Circuit (1855). He was ordained deacon in October 1854. In the fall
of 1855, Miller transferred to the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He
served the following appointments: New Orleans Circuit (1856-1857), Mound Bayou and Bayou Vidal
Circuit in Tensas Parish (1857-1858), Richmond and Madison Circuit and Colored Mission in Tensas
Parish (1858), Pattersonville Circuit in Saint Mary Parish (1859-1860), and Island and Wright's Chapel
in the Monroe District (1861-1862). In 1862, Miller served as chaplain in the Ninth Mississippi
Regiment of the Confederate Army. Next, he continued serving appointments in the Louisiana
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South: Homer Circuit in Claiborne Parish (1863-1864),
Claiborne Circuit (1865), Minden Circuit in Webster Parish (1866), presiding elder of the Homer
District (1867), Mount Lebanon Circuit in Bienville Parish (1868), Haynesville Circuit in Claiborne
Parish (1869-1872), South Bossier Circuit in Bossier Parish (1873), Minden Circuit in Webster Parish
(1874), presiding elder of the Homer District (1875-1877), Haynesville Circuit in Claiborne Parish
(1878-1880), Minden Circuit in Webster Parish (1881), Haynesville Circuit in Claiborne Parish
(1882-1885), Arcadia in Bienville Parish (1886-1889), presiding elder of the Opelousas District
(1890-1893), Ruston in Lincoln Parish (1894-1897), Patterson in Saint Mary Parish (1899-1902), and
Clinton in East Feliciana Parish (1903). He retired in December 1903 and lived with his son in Perry,
Louisiana, until 1908. From 1908 to 1912, Miller lived with his daughter in Patterson, Louisiana.
While a pastor, Miller also held positions on boards and agencies of the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. This includes the following positions and approximate dates:
Louisiana Missionary Society director (1864-1866), Homer College trustee (1865-1874), Board of
Missions member (1873-1890), Pierce and Paine College trustee (1874-1882), Conference trustee
(1892-1905), Mansfield Female College trustee (1899-1905), and Historical Committee member
(1907-1910).
Miller married Rosabella “Rosa” Budd Mills (1838-1871) on July 29, 1859. Their children are:
William Thompson Miller (1860-1862), William “Willie” Pickens Miller (b. 1863), John Andrew
Bedford Miller (1864-1915), Thomas Louis “Louie” Miller (1868-1896), and Mary Emma Miller
Wadsworth (1871-1951).