The Lumber Industry - Miller and Sons Shingle Mill...part 2 of 3.

Mr. Mike Miller has very generously shared a wealth of photographs and information of his grandfather's business, Miller and Sons Shingle Mill from the early days of Sumas. 

According to Mr. Miller, his grandfather Clarence Leonidas Miller and his Great Uncle Percy, moved from Iowa to Port Angeles, WA in 1889 where their father, Michael Hagar Miller was working at a mill (possibly as the owner).  In 1900, the brothers relocated to Bellingham and attended Western Washington Normal School with their sisters. Michael Hagar also moved to Whatcom County, working at the Washington Shingle Company.

In 1905, Michael Hagar Miller purchased the Hastings Mill at Van Buren, WA.  This facility became the original Miller and Sons Shingle Mill.  The Van Buren townsite has now reverted to farmland but was approx. halfway between Everson, WA and Sumas (3 miles SW of Sumas) on what is now Van Buren Road.

Picture 1

 The original Miller and Sons Mill at Van Buren, WA
posted with permission from the M. Miller collection

Picture 2

Detail from picture 1 

 The young man seated on the left is Clarence Leonidas Miller and Percy Miller is standing. 

posted with permission from the M. Miller collection.

 

In 1906, Michael Hagar Miller's wife Louisa died and in 1908 he also died leaving the boys the mill at Van Buren.   In 1918 Clarence and Percy bought the Cline Mill in Sumas renaming it the Miller and Sons Shingle Mill (see my previous post http://nooksackvalleynostalgia.blogspot.com/2014/11/millers-and-sons-shingle-mill.html.) 

 

Picture 3

It appears from the letterhead in picture 3 that Percy managed the Van Buren mill and

Clarence Leonidas managed the Sumas mill. 

posted with permission from the M. Miller collection

 

Picture 4

 

posted with permission from the M. Miller collection

 

 

 

picture 5

Posted with permission from the M. Miller collection.

 

picture 6

 

 picture 6 shows the mill at Sumas, WA.  Notice the mill owner Clarence Leonidas Miller's son Clarence Leon (M. Miller's father), on the top of the shingle pile

Posted with permission from the M. Miller collection.

picture 7

Another picture of Clarence Leon with an unident. lady at the Sumas mill.

Posted with permission from the M. Miller collection

 

 



 picture 8



This a picture of Clarence Leon Miller (b. 23 Dec, 1921 - d. 30 Jan. 2008) son of Clarence Leonidas and Johanna Miller, in front of the mill in Sumas. 

Posted with permission from the M. Miller collection

 

 picture 9

Miller and Sons Shingle Mill was the proud owner of some of the first Duplex 4 trucks. 

'Duplex manufactured one of the early 4 x 4 trucks starting in 1916 until they switched over to making fire engines.  The Duplex manufacturing company was originally located in Charlotte, Michigan.  In 1955, the company was bought out by the Warner and Swasey Company and continued production till 1975. (Michigan State univ. archive and hist. collection) 

In the above picture, the driver of the lead truck was Cliff Howe.  The driver of the rear truck was Glen Vail. (written on the picture back).  Picture 9 was taken in August of 1925.

posted with permission from the M.Miller collection

 

 

picture 10

posted with permission from the collection of M.Miller

 

 

 

 

picture 11

The Miller and Sons Shingle Mill trucks hard at work in the field.   Notice the dog laying in the shade between them.

posted with permission from the M. Miller collection

 

 picture 12

driver Cliff Howe with the mill owner's son, Clarence Leon standing on the front tire (August, 1925).

posted with permission from the M. Miller collection

 

picture 13



driver Glenn Vail with the mill owners son, Clarence Leon standing on the engine cover (August 1925) next to the Mill in Sumas (Johnson Creek).

 

 

According to M. Miller,  during the early 1920s Clarence Leonidas and Percy Miller had a falling out over finances.  The brothers went their own directions and supposedly never spoke to each other again.  Percy ended up in Granite Falls and the mill he founded there is still in operation

and is believed to be the largest supplier of cedar shakes and shingles in the nation.

My next post will be the third and final instalment regarding Miller and Sons and will continue the larger thread covering the lumber industry here in sunny Sumas!  See you then...