As a young man, John C. Miller (1874-1945) worked as an ice wagon driver for L. P. Larson's ice business in Green Bay. Later, Miller joined with his brother, Frederick Miller, and Lawrence P. Rasmussen to buy out his former employer and establish the Miller-Rasmussen Ice Company. This new company was incorporated on November 18, 1903, with a capital stock of 10,000 dollars. Their business was the harvesting, buying, and selling of ice at wholesale and retail.
The new company prospered and by 1906 was the largest of its kind in Green Bay. In May 1916, the capital stock was increased from 10,000 to 50,000 dollars. Lawrence Rasmussen died on February 25, 1921, leaving his wife, Emma, as sole heir. She remained a stockholder in the business, but was not interested in taking an active role. The Rasmussen name remained on the company, with John C. Miller in charge.
Miller married Christine Damer, a native of Germany, on November 2, 1898. They had two children, Irma and Myron. Myron succeeded his father as director of the company in 1945. On August 5, 1947, Frederick Miller sold his family's stock to the company, leaving John Miller's children in sole control. Myron Miller became president and his sister, Irma Miller Wilson, became secretary.
The Miller-Rasmussen Ice Company experienced financial difficulties during the 1960s. The possibility of liquidation is first mentioned in the company minutes in 1966. On April 26, 1973, Northland Cold Storage bought out the Miller-Rasmussen Ice Company, and dissolution papers were filed March 3, 1975.
