Published in Holmes County Advertiser, Bonifay, Florida, 
Friday, March 26, 1915
Highly Respected Citizen Dies
T. J. Miller, Sr., Succumbed Wednesday Evening After a Long and Painful Illness.
   Died, at his home in our city, Wednesday afternoon at 5:30 o'clock, T. J. Miller, Sr., aged seventy years.
   For the past several weeks Mr. Miller's condition had been critical, and the end came after the most intense suffering, due principally from a cancer of the face as well as his advanced years.  While his death was not unexpected, for all realized, as he realized, that recovery was impossible, nevertheless the grief that was felt over the close of his long and useful career was wide spread and sincere.
   Mr. Miller remained conscious almost to the last minute, and although fully aware that his life was near its close, he manifested no dread but bravely awaited the termination of the struggle.  Just a few hours before his death he called the various members of the family, talked with them of the past, the present and the future; pointed out the road to the evergreen shore, which appeared so plain before him; to each and all made a request that must live in their memories and finally draw them towards the haven of rest to which her has journeyed.
   Besides a devoted wife, deceased leaves to mourn his loss one sister, Mrs. J. W. Roach, of Vernon, and seven children, five sons and two daughters.  They are: W. R. Miller, of Caryville, A. J. Miller, N. D. Miller, M. C. Miller, Mrs. W. W. Brown, Mr. E. C. Barker, of this city and Dr. G. C. Miller of Vernon, all of whom were at the bedside during the last hours.  The other family connection consists of nineteen grandchildren and eleven great grand children.
   The funeral services were held at the Methodist church at one o'clock Thursday, Rev. H. T. Strout, assisted by Rev. B. B. Blitch, officiating and paying a beautiful tribute to the memory of the deceased.  The casket was covered with the most beautiful floral designs loving fingers ever wrought.  The music rendered consisted to two numbers by the choir and a solo by Mr. Wm. A. Sessoms which was such as to soften all hearts and moisten all eyes.  At the close of the services an unusual long procession followed the funeral car to out silent city, among the procession being large number of school children, who feel that in "Grandpa Miller's" death they have lost a special friend because he was kind, jovial and good to all of them.
   The Pall bearers were Messrs. M. King. W. B. Hammond, F. M. McDonald, L. D. Carkhuff, D. L. Strickland and J. H. Bowen.
   The death of Mr. Miller strides from the ever lessening roll of our old settlers another name that has long been identified with the affairs of his section  How much this community owes him and such as he, it is impossible to estimate, though to trace his influence through some of the more direct channels, in his  various characters of husband and father, of neighbor and friend, we have only to speak of the sons and daughters he has reared to perpetuate his name and emulate his virtues.
   Thomas Jefferson Miller was born April 13, 1845 in Holmes Valley, near Vernon, Washington, county, Florida.  He lived in this county all his life up to about a years ago when he moved to Bonifay.  He was married Oct 19, 1865 to Miss Sarah Jones, the daughter of the first county judge of Washington county after the civil war.  To them was born nine children, seven of whom still survive.  Deceased united with the Methodist  church at the age of twelve years and from that time lived a faithful and consecrated member, always regular in attendance upon church services and always freely gave of his means to the spread of the gospel and the support of the church.  He was superintendent of the Moss Hill Sunday school for forty years and also at Caryville for many years.  He was a regular attendant at the annual reunions of the old confederate soldiers and was known and loved by many of the prominent heroes of the "lost cause". 
   The subject of this sketch was a men of generous impulses and never forgot the hospitable way of the pioneer.  The stranger, even though a beggar, never failed to find food and shelter if he sought it at his hands, and he was at home by the bedside of the sick and delighted in all kinds and neighborly offices.  He had borne adversity bravely and enjoyed prosperity quietly.  He had filled the various relations of life as son, husband, father, brother, friend, and filled them well.  Who can do more?

(Transcibed by Mona Spears, March 1999)