Killian Miller

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Killian Miller

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| state = New York

| district = 12th

| term_start = March 4, 1855

| term_end = March 3, 1857

| predecessor = Isaac Teller

| successor = John Thompson

| birth_date = {{birth date|1785|7|30}}

| birth_place = Claverack, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1859|1|9|1785|7|30}}

| death_place = Hudson, New York, U.S.

| resting_place = Hudson City Cemetery, Hudson, New York, U.S.

| party = Opposition

| otherparty = {{unbulleted list| Democratic-Republican | National Republican}}

}}

Killian Miller (July 30, 1785 – January 9, 1859) was an American politician and attorney who was a U.S. Representative from New York from 1855 to 1857.

Early life and career

Born in Claverack, New York on July 30, 1785, Miller attended Washington Seminary. He then studied law with Jacob R. Van Rensselaer, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Livingston, New York in 1806.Everts & Ensign (Philadelphia), [https://archive.org/stream/historyofcolumbi00ever#page/110/mode/2up History of Columbia County, New York], 1878, page 110

Miller became active in politics as a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, and was a Justice of the Peace from 1804 to 1808.R. M. Terry and J. W. Prentiss, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aX5QAAAAYAAJ&q=%22killian+miller%22&pg=PA118 Civil List of Columbia County and Official Hand-Book, 1786-1886], 1885, page 118

Military service

During the War of 1812 and the years immediately after, Miller served in the New York Militia, first as a Captain of Cavalry in 1st Squadron, 4th Regiment, 3rd Brigade and later as a Major in the 5th Cavalry Regiment.Council of Appointment of the State of New York, [https://books.google.com/books?id=1PV4AAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Killian+Miller%22+captain&pg=PA1343 Military Minutes of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York], Volume 2, 1901, page 1343Council of Appointment of the State of New York, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Rd0TAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Killian+Miller%22+cavalry&pg=PA1915 Military Minutes of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York], Volume 3, 1901, page 1915

Later career

During the early 1820s Miller held the position of Master in Chancery, a judicial position in the New York Court of Chancery.The Plough Boy: And Journal of the Board of Agriculture, [https://books.google.com/books?id=MOjmAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22master+in+chancery%22+%22killian+miller%22&pg=PA55 Appointments by the Hon. The Council of Appointment], Volume 7, July 17, 1819, page 55 In addition, he served as Livingston's Postmaster.United States Post Office Department, [https://books.google.com/books?id=J8c5AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22killian+miller%22+livingston&pg=PA65 List of Post-Offices in the United States], 1823, page 65United States Department of State, [https://books.google.com/books?id=LOdIAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22killian+miller%22+postmaster&pg=RA1-PA59 Register of All Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States], 1830, page 59

He served as Livingston's Town Clerk from 1823 to 1828,R. M. Terry and J. W. Prentiss, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aX5QAAAAYAAJ&q=%22killian+miller%22&pg=PA118 Civil List of Columbia County and Official Hand-Book, 1786-1886], 1885, page 118 and Town Supervisor from 1829 to 1830.R. M. Terry and J. W. Prentiss, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aX5QAAAAYAAJ&q=%22killian+miller%22&pg=PA118 Civil List of Columbia County and Official Hand-Book, 1786-1886], 1885, page 117

Miller served as member of the New York State Assembly in 1825 and 1828 and was a member of the National Republican Party, the faction of former Democratic-Republicans who supported John Quincy Adams and opposed Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.Hudson Gazette, [https://books.google.com/books?id=adM4AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22killian+miller%22+anti+federalist&pg=PA113 Columbia County at the End of the Century], 1900, page 113R. M. Terry and J. W. Prentiss, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aX5QAAAAYAAJ&q=%22killian+miller%22&pg=PA118 Civil List of Columbia County and Official Hand-Book, 1786-1886], 1885, page 36 He moved to Hudson, New York in 1833 and continued the practice of law. Miller became a Whig when the party was founded in the 1830s.William Henry Seward, Frederick William Seward, [https://books.google.com/books?id=FE47AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22killian+miller%22+whig&pg=PA569 William H. Seward: 1831-1846], 1891, page 569Horace Greeley, Park Benjamin, [https://books.google.com/books?id=pKMeAQAAMAAJ&q=%22killian+miller%22+republican The New-Yorker], Volume 3, 1837, page 475

Miller served as Columbia County Clerk from 1837 to 1840.R. M. Terry and J. W. Prentiss, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aX5QAAAAYAAJ&q=%22killian+miller%22&pg=PA118 Civil List of Columbia County and Official Hand-Book, 1786-1886], 1885, page 52 He was Secretary of the Columbia County Board of Canvassers from 1838 to 1840.R. M. Terry and J. W. Prentiss, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aX5QAAAAYAAJ&q=%22killian+miller%22&pg=PA118 Civil List of Columbia County and Official Hand-Book, 1786-1886], 1885, page 149 (The Board of Canvassers was the body responsible for overseeing the conduct of elections and counting of ballots.)

In 1841 Miller ran unsuccessfully for the New York State Senate, losing to Erastus Corning.Horace Greeley, editor, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V5E6AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22killian+miller%22+abolition&pg=RA1-PA39 The Tribune Almanac and Political Register], Volume 1, 1868, page 39 From 1845 to 1846 he was one of Hudson's representatives on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors.R. M. Terry and J. W. Prentiss, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aX5QAAAAYAAJ&q=%22killian+miller%22&pg=PA118 Civil List of Columbia County and Official Hand-Book, 1786-1886], 1885, page 110

Miller was also active in several businesses, including serving on the board of directors of the Hudson and Boston Railroad.New York State Engineer and Surveyor, [https://books.google.com/books?id=RFgaAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22killian+miller%22+hudson&pg=PA105 Annual Report on the Railroads of the State of New York], 1859, page 105

Congressional career

He was elected as an Opposition Party candidate to the 34th Congress (March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857). Miller was elected as an opponent of extending slavery. Serving in Congress at the end of the Whig Party and the founding of the Republican Party, Miller often sided with opponents of the Franklin Pierce administration, including old-line Whigs, newly-identified Republicans, and the Know Nothing movement.Horace Greeley, editor, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0B4XAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22killian+miller%22+kansas+question&pg=PA17 The Tribune Almanac: House of Representatives, XXXIVth Congress], 1856, page 17William E. Gienapp, [https://books.google.com/books?id=AWtZnsxMCDEC&dq=%22killian+miller%22+%22know+nothing%22&pg=PA229 The Origins of the Republican Party, 1852-1856], 1987, page 229 He did not run for reelection in 1856 and resumed his law practice.

Death and burial

Miller died in Hudson, New York on January 11, 1859Janet Wethy Foley, [https://books.google.com/books?id=3RXxAh_sHaAC&dq=%22miller+killian%22+january+1859&pg=PA544 Early Settlers of New York State: Their Ancestors and Descendants], Volume 1, 1934, page 544 and was interred in Hudson City Cemetery.Thomas E. Spencer, [https://books.google.com/books?id=eLWao2lIGTEC&dq=%22killian+miller%22+hudson&pg=PA246 Where They're Buried], 1998, page 246