Title: Willis H. Miller Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1860-1994

Creator:

• Miller, Willis H., 1918-2008

Call Number: River Falls Mss BS

Quantity: 14.8 cubic feet (37 boxes and 2 oversize volumes)

Repository:

Housed at the University Archives and Area Research Center, Chalmer Davee Library, University of Wisconsin-River Falls; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

UW-River Falls, Chalmer Davee Library / River Falls Area Research Ctr. (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of Willis Miller, a northwestern Wisconsin editor-publisher, local historian, and genealogist. Included are correspondence, diaries, memoranda, genealogical materials, minutes, news clippings, and scrapbooks. Financial records for the Hudson Star-Observer, the Hammond News, and the Publishers Printing Service; family papers of Miller's parents and grandparents; and material relating to the Hudson, Wisconsin, area also are present. Most prominent among the materials on Hudson history are papers concerning the Hudson Toll Bridge, 1909-1917, documents on the Hudson Housing Authority, 1967-1979, and records of the Saint Croix County Historical Society, 1945-1971. The correspondence contains exchanges with friends and relatives, business acquaintances, persons sharing genealogical information, letters to the editor, and people encountered in Miller's world travels. Included are letters on Saint Olaf College, from people in military service and from Europeans and Americans abroad during World War II, and an extensive series of letters from prison inmates, 1960-1980. Also included are diaries written by Miller depicting brief descriptions of weather, friends' visits, and daily life, 1935-1939, 1968-1994.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-rf00bs

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Willis Harry Miller, until 1980 co-owner and editor of the Hudson Star-Observer (Hudson, Wisconsin), was born November 28, 1918, in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of Harry Willis Miller (1878-1942) and Ida Day Miller (1881-1962). Miller attended Saint Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, and while there, sang in the choir and worked in the archives of the Norwegian-American Historical Society. Upon graduation, he became associated with the Hudson Star-Observer and was one of the group which purchased the paper from Mrs. Charles A. Ward in 1958. Miller also published the Hammond News (Hammond, Wisconsin) and ran the Publishers Printing Service, a commercial job printing business.

During his lifetime, Miller has been an extensive world traveler. In conjunction with his travels, he has compiled many booklets and diaries of his impressions, some of which are included with his papers.

Miller has been active in a number of organizations including the Stamp Collectors' Exchange Club and the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society; has sung in barbershop quartets; and was one of the founders of the Saint Croix County Historical Society. He has donated numerous manuscripts and genealogies to historical societies throughout the United States, and has done considerable research on local history, an example of which is his Historic Hudson which was prepared to salute Hudson's centennial.

The Willis H. Miller Papers consist of personal, family, business, and collected papers, documenting his life and family and the history of Hudson. The collection is arranged in six series: Personal, Hudson Star-Observer Records, Hammond News Records, Publishers Printing Service Records, Family Papers, and Collected Papers Relating to Hudson. Beginning in his years at Saint Olaf College, Miller kept a journal and preserved letters he received. His later interests in local history, genealogy, travel, stamp collecting, and people generally, encouraged his letter writing and collecting further, especially during World War II. The Miller papers preserved here are not a complete collection; he has donated personal papers and collected documents to a number of other repositories, most notably his diaries of the 1940s and 1950s to the Minnesota Historical Society.

About one-half of this collection consists of correspondence with friends and relatives, business acquaintances, persons sharing genealogical information, people writing letters to the editor, and people the world over. Most of this correspondence is found in the PERSONAL series. Correspondence with Mari Ann Sprissler of Frankenthal, Germany, dates to the mid-1930s. Letters from Saint Olaf's concern courses, work-study hours, and the student health service. During World War II, many letters from people in military service and from others, both Americans and Europeans, share their views of the difficulties of war. Most notable in the files from 1960-1980 is an extensive series of letters from prison inmates. Following the container list are processors' notes on genealogical information found within letters. Also in the Personal series are Miller's diaries (1935-1939, 1968-1981), financial records, travel reports which were published in the Star-Observer, and other items.

HUDSON STAR-OBSERVER RECORDS include primarily financial records plus some correspondence and other items. Similarly the series for the HAMMOND NEWS and the PUBLISHERS PRINTING SERVICE consist largely of financial information.

FAMILY PAPERS date 1862-1959 and include Civil War letters, twentieth century family correspondence, military and pension documents, an autobiography of Miller's father, and other items.

The COLLECTED PAPERS RELATING TO HUDSON contain various records of area people, businesses, and organizations. Most prominent in quantity are papers concerning the Hudson Toll Bridge, 1909-1917; documents on the Hudson Housing Authority, 1967-1979; and records of the Saint Croix County Historical Society, 1945-1971.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Willis H. Miller, Hudson, Wisconsin, 1957, 1967-1985. Accession Number: M67-143, M71-241, M71-368, M72-426, M74-058, M74-434, M75-002, M75-355, M75-450, M76-454, M76-497, M77-318, M79-073, M79-197, M79-378, M79-395, M79-396, M79-440, M80-448, M80-449, M80-467, M80-476, M81-113, M81-548, M81-547, M81-550, M87-388, M2004-195

Processing Information

Processed by K.R. Leary and Selma Troyanoski, 1975-1982; Matthew Alexander and Joanne Hohler, 1984; and Sue Steinwall, 1986.

River Falls Mss BS	Series: Personal
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   1-4	1936-1940, Saint Olaf Years
Box   1 Folder   5-7	1937-1938, A-Z
	1939-1940
Box   1 Folder   8-9	A-M
Box   2 Folder   1	N-Z
Box   2 Folder   2-4	1941, A-Z
Box   2 Folder   5-7	1942, A-Z
Box   3 Folder   1-3	1943, A-Z
Box   3 Folder   4-6	1944, A-Z
	1945-1946
Box   3 Folder   7	A-L
Box   4 Folder   1-2	M-Z
Box   4 Folder   3-5	1947-1948, A-Z
	1949-1950
Box   4 Folder   6	A-L
Box   5 Folder   1-2	M-Z
Box   5 Folder   3-4	1951, A-Z
Box   5 Folder   5-6	1952-1953, A-Z
Box   6 Folder   1-2	1954, A-Z
Box   6 Folder   3-4	1955, A-Z
Box   6 Folder   5-6	1956, A-Z
	1957
Box   6 Folder   7	A-L
Box   7 Folder   1	M-Z
Box   7 Folder   2-3	1958, A-Z
Box   7 Folder   4-5	1959, A-Z
	1960-1961
Box   7 Folder   6	A-J
Box   8 Folder   1-2	K-Z
Box   8 Folder   3-5	1962, A-Z
	1963
Box   8 Folder   6	A-H
Box   9 Folder   1-3	I-Z
Box   9 Folder   4-6	1964, A-Z
	1965
Box   9 Folder   7	A-L
Box   10 Folder   1	M-Z
Box   10 Folder   2-5	1966-1967, A-Z
	1968-1969
Box   10 Folder   6	A-L
Box   11 Folder   1-2	M-Z
	1970
Box   11 Folder   3-6	A-O
Box   12 Folder   1	R-Z
	1971-1973
Box   12 Folder   2-5	A-P
Box   13 Folder   1	Q-Z
Box   13 Folder   2-4	1974, A-Z
	1975
Box   13 Folder   5	A-H
Box   14 Folder   1-3	I-Z
Box   14 Folder   4-7	1976, A-Z
Box   15 Folder   1	Clapp, Robert L., 1936-1948
Box   15 Folder   6	Prisoners, 1974-1976
Box   17 Folder   1-5	1940-1976, A-Z
	1977
Box   17 Folder   6-11	A-M
Box   18 Folder   1-4	N-Z
	1978
Box   18 Folder   5-12	A-R
Box   19 Folder   1-2	S-Z
Box   19 Folder   3-12	1979, A-Z
Box   20 Folder   1-11	1980, A-Z
	1981
Box   20 Folder   12	A-B
Box   21 Folder   1-5	C-Z
Box   21 Folder   6	Author unknown, undated
Box   15 Folder   7	Author unknown (continued)
Box   21 Folder   7	Writings, undated
	Diaries
Box   21 Folder   8	1935-1939
Box   21 Folder   9	1968 February 5-November 12 Note: Vol. 95
Box   22 Folder   1-5	1968 November 13-1974 August 3 Note: Vols. 96-105
Box   23 Folder   1-8	1974 August 4-1981 August 11 Note: Vols. 106-119
Box   35 volume   1-11	1981-1986
Box   36 volume   12-22	1986-1990
Box   37 volume   23-30	1991-1994
Box   24 Folder   1	Certificates, awards, notary public authorization, 1958, 1977-1981
Box   24 Folder   2	Legal, 1932-1978 Note: Includes 1957 will.
	Financial
Box   15 Folder   2	Ledger of Expenditures, 1936-1948
	Receipts, statements, orders
Box   24 Folder   3	1945-1966
Box   24 Folder   4	1968-1980
Box   24 Folder   5	Travel brochures, 1971-1978
	Organizations (member of)
Box   24 Folder   6	Minutes, 1977-1980
Box   24 Folder   7	Newsletters, 1977-1980
Box   24 Folder   8	Genealogical papers, 1881, 1974-1980 Note: Includes lists; newsletters; researchers; and German Settlement cemetery inscriptions, 1974, compiled by Willis H. Miller.
Box   24 Folder   9	Travel Reports for the Hudson Star Observer, 1972, 1974-1978 Note: Also includes newspaper clippings, 1856, 1943-1978, undated.
	Series: Hudson Star-Observer Records	⇧
Box   24 Folder   10	By-laws, incorporation, 1929
Box   24 Folder   11	Subscription lists, 1920, undated
Box   24 Folder   12	Minutes, 1929, 1937
	Correspondence
Box   24 Folder   13	1933-1941
Box   24 Folder   14	1944
Box   24 Folder   15	1952
Box   15 Folder   3-5	1958-1973 Note: Some letters relate to the Hammond News.
Box   24 Folder   16	Legal publications, ledger of, 1926-1940, 1944-1972
Box   24 Folder   17	[folder number skipped]
	Financial
Box   24 Folder   18	Correspondence, 1958
	Operating statements
Box   25 Folder   1	1952-1954
Box   25 Folder   2	1955-1956
Box   25 Folder   3	1957-1959
	Ledgers
Box   25 Folder   4	1914-1922
Box   26 Folder   1	1922-1928
Box   26 Folder   2	1909 November 16-1929
Box   26 Folder   3	1921-1928
Volume   1	1952-1957 Note: Oversize
Volume   2	1971-1972 Note: Oversize
	Accounts
Box   26 Folder   4	1953
Box   26 Folder   5	1954
Box   26 Folder   6	1955-1956
Box   26 Folder   7	1957-1958
Box   26 Folder   8	1959, 1962-1964
Box   26 Folder   9	1965-1967
Box   27 Folder   1	[Bad debts], 1954-1964
	Taxes
	Federal
Box   27 Folder   2	1952, 1956-1957
Box   27 Folder   3	1958-1959
	State
Box   27 Folder   4	1953-1956
Box   27 Folder   5	1957-1959
Box   27 Folder   6-9	Returns, 1952-1966
	Miscellany
Box   27 Folder   10	Wisconsin Industrial Commission inspection, 1953
Box   27 Folder   10	Values in People, a booklet on the Christian Community Home campaign, 1980
Box   27 Folder   11	Poem regarding Hudson, Wisconsin
Box   28 Folder   1	Plant inventory, 1930 July 1
	Series: Hammond News Records	⇧
Box   28 Folder   2	Corporate records, 1960-1964
Box   28 Folder   3	Statement of ownership, 1963-1970
	Financial
Box   28 Folder   4	Correspondence, including 1964 lease, 1964-1966
Box   28 Folder   5	Corporate reports, 1965-1969, 1972
	Ledgers
Box   28 Folder   6	1907-1908
Box   29 Folder   1	1913-1914
Box   29 Folder   2	1915-1916, 1922
Box   30 Folder   1	1924-1925
Box   30 Folder   2-3	1932-1937
Box   30 Folder   4-6	1938-1944
Box   30 Folder   7	1949
Box   31 Folder   1	Tax returns, 1963-1966, 1968-1973
Box   15 Folder   3-5	Correspondence, 1958-1973 Note: Some letters relate to the Hudson Star Observer.
	Series: Publishers Printing Service Inc.	⇧
	Financial statements
Box   31 Folder   2	1970-1972
Box   31 Folder   3	1973
Box   31 Folder   4	1974-1975
Box   31 Folder   5	Correspondence and corporate records, 1966-1975
	Series: Family Papers	⇧
Box   31 Folder   6	Samuel Miller: , 1877 will; , 1909-1910 list of Civil War veterans who died
	Thadeus Kane Miller
	Civil War letters, 1862-1864
Box   31 Folder   7	Originals (miscellaneous letters)
Box   31 Folder   8	Copies
Box   31 Folder   9	David S. Chambers, W.D. Thompson
Box   31 Folder   10	Letter to children, 1902 March 4
Box   31 Folder   11	Pension attorney records kept by Thadeus Kane Miller, 1892-1927
Box   31 Folder   12	Record books, 1919, 1922, 1924
	Harry W. Miller (father of Willis H. Miller)
Box   31 Folder   13	Correspondence, 1899-1936
Box   31 Folder   14	Autobiography, 1936 November24
Box   31 Folder   15	Account book, 1927
	Harry Miller Family
Box   32 Folder   1	Military and pension, 1933-46
	Ida Day Miller (Willis Miller's mother)
Box   16 Folder   1-3	Incoming correspondence, 1922-1948
Box   16 Folder   4	Letters of Willis Miller to parents, 1930-1950
Box   32 Folder   2-3	Legal, financial, and miscellaneous personal papers, 1898-1946
Box   16 Folder   5-7	Miscellany, 1922-1959
	Series: Collected Papers Relating to Hudson	⇧
Box   32 Folder   4	J. S. Moffat business ledger, 1860-1900
Box   32 Folder   5	H. S. Foster ledger, 1877-1880
Box   32 Folder   6	J. B. Smith papers, 1878-1885
Box   33 Folder   1-2	Mayme North account books, 1913-1915, 1923-1939 February
Box   33 Folder   3	Pearle Mayer account book, 1904-1905
Box   33 Folder   4	Invoice of furniture, Bradshaw house, 1875
Box   33 Folder   5-6	Scrapbook, 1934-1949
	Hudson Bridge Papers
Box   33 Folder   7	City Council minutes, 1909 September 7-1916 January 8
	Miscellaneous papers, 1910-1914
Box   33 Folder   8	Boost the Bridge Club minutes, 1910 July 22-December 2
Box   33 Folder   8	Newspaper clippings, 1910 July 21-1915 October 27
Box   33 Folder   8	Miscellaneous laws
Box   33 Folder   8	Correspondence between the city and bridge companies, 1911 November 20-1914 December 4
Box   33 Folder   9	Court papers, 1911 May 13-1916 January 15
Box   33 Folder   10	Legal correspondence, 1915 February 6-1917 May 2
Box   33 Folder   11	Related papers, 1930 December-1931 January
	Saint Croix County Historical Society
Box   34 Folder   1	Correspondence, 1945-1954
Box   34 Folder   2	Correspondence, 1966 April-August
Box   34 Folder   2	Income comparison, 1967-1968
Box   34 Folder   3	Minutes, 1964 September-1971
Box   34 Folder   4	Membership, 1964-1965
Box   34 Folder   5	Hudson Fire Protection Report, 1936
	Hudson Housing Authority
Box   34 Folder   6	Correspondence, 1977-1978
Box   34 Folder   7	Minutes, 1967-1968, 1976-1980
Box   34 Folder   8	Financial papers, 1976, 1978-1979
Box   34 Folder   9	Correspondence collected by Willis H. Miller, 1959, 1977

Miscellaneous genealogical data may be found in the following:

Subject (date)	Letter(s) From	Date(s)	Box	Folder
Brown Family of 1820s-1840s (1798-1886)	Terrel, Burtha E.	1956 March 17	17	2
Brunell, Johanna	Gieske, Mary Ann	1977 April 23	17	8
Clark(e) Family (1808-1838)	Hamm, Ralph W.	1980 July 21	20	4
Cowles Family (1816-1962)	Sencevicky, Loraine C.	1976 December 14	17	5
Hawkins Family	Barager, Pearl G.	1980 November 14	20	1
Kirby family of Wilson and Dunn counties	DeSutter, Mary and Bob	1976 January 27	17	5
Miller, Daniel, baptism, (1789)	Kieffer, Elizabeth	1958 December 29	17	2
Miller, John (1773-1851)	Miller, Connell H., M.D.	1962 April 28	17	3
Miller-Elgin, data from gravestone inscriptions (1804-1896)	Imholf, Olive R.	1959 April 18	17	2
Miller Family of Fredrick Court, Maryland (1785-1950)	Miller, Harold J.	1957 November 289; December 5	17	2
Miller Family of Maryland (1777-1793)	Swinson, R.J.	1979 June 19	19	11
Ridenauer, Muller and Miller Family member birth, baptism, and parentage records. Also for Lynch, John A. (1719-1833)	Wakefield, Roberta P.	1953 August 19	17	2
Ridenour, Miller, Rice Families	Holdcraft, Jacob	1960 August 11; 1962 May 28	17	3
Ridenour and Peckenpough Families (1766-1820)	Clawson, Ramah	1951 July 11; 1952 July 22	17	2
Russell Family (1800-1925)	Johns, Ruth	1980 October 22	20	5
Spence Family (1821-1942)	Mitchell, Naomi N.	1954 September 4	20	7
Stout, Wesley Edward, pedigree chart for (1682-1953)	Stout, Dorothy	1954 September 4	17	2
Westinghouse, George (“Inventor of General Electric Co.”)	Day, Esther	1956 June 3	17	2
Winstanley, Susanna (1596-1733) and Winstanley Family	Winstanley, G.W.	1952 August 8	17	2
Wilhide Family, gravestones for (1783, 1785, 1797)	Kieffer, Elizabeth 1960	June 20	17	3