Archives West Finding Aid
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Photographs of John Franklin Miller, approximately 1861-1932
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Photographs of John Franklin Miller
- Dates
- approximately 1861-1932 (inclusive)18561937
- Quantity
-
60 photographic prints (2 boxes and 1 folder)
7 negatives (1 box) : nitrate ; 4.5 x 2.75 in. - Collection Number
- PH0689
- Summary
- Photographs of Seattle mayor and congressman John Franklin Miller, including images of family and political activities
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Selections from the collection can be viewed on the Libraries' Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials curator is required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
- Additional Reference Guides
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
John Franklin Miller (1862-1936) served as a member of Congress from Seattle from 1917 to 1931. Born on a farm near South Bend, Indiana, he attended various universities, including West Point, Michigan, and Valparaiso. He graduated from the law department of Valparaiso in 1887 and was admitted to the bar that year. In 1888 he moved to Seattle, where he practiced law. Miller was the first prosecuting attorney of King County after statehood, serving from 1890 to 1894, and as deputy prosecuting attorney from 1905 to 1908.
In 1908 he ran for and was elected mayor of Seattle. Vice had become a major issue in the campaign; the incumbent William Hickman Moore, a Democrat, was seen as not having done enough to clean up corruption. Elected by five hundred votes, Miller also found it very hard to rid the city of houses of protitution. He served only one term, during which the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition was held in Seattle.
In 1916 Miller ran for Congress on the basis of military preparedness. He advocated the development of the Puget Sound navy yard, envisioning it as the naval base for the North Pacific. While in Congress he secured funding for the industrial development of the Puget Sound area around Seattle. As a member of the House Naval Affairs Committee, he championed a dispersed base on Puget Sound which would include the navy yard at Bremerton, the Sand Point Naval Air Station, and the expansion of the Keyport torpedo base in Kitsap County. In 1919, as part of a Congressional delegation, he visited U.S. forces in France and Germany.
Defeated for election in 1930 largely due to his support for enforcement of Prohibition, Miller tried for a comeback in 1932. Although he defeated his successor, the lackluster Ralph Horr, in the primary, he was a victim of the Democratic landslide in 1932, losing to Marion Zioncheck. He resumed the practice of law and died in Seattle in 1936.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains portraits of John Franklin Miller and his family, images of family activities such as skiing, horseback riding, and family gatherings, and photographs documenting Miller's political campaigns and career.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View selections from the collection in digital format .
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Family LifeReturn to Top
Family members pictured in this series of photographs include Miller's wife Mary, his daughter Leah, and son Stewart. Also pictured are Miller's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Newton Miller, and his uncle John Franklin Miller, who was a prominent Civil War general and later a senator from California.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Portraits |
|||
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/1 | 1 |
John F. Miller as West Point
cadet Pach Brothers, New
York (photographer)
|
1884 |
1/1 | 2 |
John F. Miller at Valparaiso
University Lewis and Gibson, Ann
Arbor, Michigan (photographer)
|
between 1880 and 1890? |
1/1 | 3 | 1900? | |
1/1 | 4 | between 1886 and 1836? | |
box:oversize | |||
XD3 | 5 | John F. Miller |
between 1882 and 1836? |
Box/Folder | |||
1/1 | 6 | John F. Miller as older
man Edmonston, Washington,
DC. (photographer)
|
between 1910 and 1936? |
1/1 | 7-8 | between 1910 and 1936? | |
1/1 | 9 | between 1900 and 1936? | |
1/2 | 10 | between 1910 and 1936? | |
1/2 | 11 |
John F. Miller (holding toddler) and
two other men The man on the right may be Miller's son Stewart.
|
between 1880 and 1920? |
1/2 | 12 | 1915 | |
1/2 | 13 | Children on tricycles The children in the photograph may be Leah and Stewart
Miller.
|
between 1880 and 1910? |
1/2 | 14 | Child on tricycle The child in the photograph may be Leah or Stewart
Miller.
|
between 1880 and 1910? |
1/2 | 15 |
Leah Miller Field (photographer)
|
1914? |
1/2 | 16 | between 1890 and 1920? | |
1/2 | 17 | Young man posed in front of
building This may be Stewart Miller.
|
between 1890 and 1920? |
1/2 | 18 |
Col. John F. Miller and staff, 29th
Volunteer Indiana Infantry T. M. Schleder's Photographic Gallery, Nashville, Tennessee (photographer)
Col. (later General) John F. Miller is seated in the center
of the photograph.
|
1861? |
1/2 | 19 | William Miller |
between 1880 and 1930? |
1/2 | 20 | between 1860 and 1900? | |
1/2 | 21 | between 1860 and 1900? | |
1/2 | 22 | Older man in front of
building |
between 1900 and 1930? |
Family
activities |
|||
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/3 | 23 | Man sitting on railing (possibly at
beach) |
between 1900 and 1932? |
1/3 | 24 | between 1900 and 1932? | |
1/3 | 25-26 | Mr. Vistal [?] and Lynn Smith
carrying dead deer |
between 1900 and 1932? |
1/3 | 27 |
Group of women at the beach, San
Francisco Written on verso: "1. Miss Anthony. 2. Mrs. Quin. 3. Mrs.
Ladd. 4. Mrs. Crisp. 5. Mrs. Miller. 6. Mrs. Taylor. 7. Mrs. Scott."Women are identified left to right.
|
between 1900 and 1932? |
1/3 | 28 | between 1900 and 1936? | |
1/3 | 29 |
Miller family on horseback outing in
Mt. Rainier National Park Rainier National Park Company, Tacoma, Washington (photographer)
The women are probably Mary and Leah Miller; the young man
at right may be Stewart. John F. Miller is on foot, leading his horse.
|
between 1899 and 1936? |
1/3 | 30 | Group of people cross-country
skiing |
between 1880 and 1936? |
1/3 | 31 | between 1910 and 1930? | |
Places |
|||
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/4 | 32 | 1914 | |
1/4 | 33 |
Miller mausoleum, South Bend,
Indiana Note on verso: Grandfather and Grandmother/William Miller -
Mary Miller/Tomb at South Bend Ind.
|
between 1882 and 1930? |
2/1 | 34 | General John F. Miller's gravestone,
San Francisco, Calif. Written on verso: Where General John F. Miller was buried in
San Francisco -- his body afterward moved to Arlington Cemetery -- Washington,
D.C.
|
between 1889 and 1930? |
Political lifeReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Mayor of
Seattle |
|||
Box/Folder | item | ||
2/2 | 35 | 1908 | |
2/3 | 36 | 1908 | |
2/4 | 37 | John F. Miller in mayor's
office |
between 1908 and 1909 |
1/5 | 38 |
President William Howard Taft
speaking President Taft visited Seattle in 1909 for the
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition.
|
1909 |
1/5 | 39 |
Man speaking on stage; President Taft
looks on Speaking man may be John F. Miller, who was mayor of Seattle
at the time.
|
1909 |
Congress |
|||
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/6 | 40 |
John F. Miller and others in car,
campaigning for Congress John F. Miller, Fred H. Lysons, Harry E. Gilham, Frank D.
Jordan, Guy A. Wilmot.
|
1916 |
2/5 | 41 | 1916? | |
1/6 | 42 | 1916? | |
1/6 | 43 |
Men in U.S. House of Representatives
chamber C. Henry Miller News Picture Service, Washington, D.C. (photographer)
|
between 1917 and 1931? |
mapcase | |||
M271 | 43a | Panorama of U.S. Military Affairs Committee in Paris,
France (Clements 233) Clements (photographer)
Caption on image: Military Affairs Com. White House Paris
France May 1919. Photo-Clements #233.
Handwritten note affixed to verso: Photograph of Military
Affairs Committee House of Representatives taken in Paris before the home of
President Wilson, May 1919. Left to right- Congressman Harrison VA, Congressman
Caldwell N.Y., Greene of VT, Anthony Kans., La Guardia N.Y., Morin PA, Miller
Wash., Tilson Conn., Dent Ala., Crago Penna., Fields KY, Stewart
stenographer.
|
May 1919 |
Box/Folder | |||
1/6 | 44 | August 30, 1924 | |
2/6 | 45 | Group of men John F. Miller is in the front row, third from the
right.
|
between 1880 and 1936 |
1/6 | 46 |
Group of men at Hotel
Seattle Written on verso: The Sojourners.
Pierson Photo Co,
Seattle, Washington (photographer)
|
February 17, 1932 |
1/6 | 47 |
Senators and representatives standing
outdoors Written on verso: Review of troops, San Juan. List of names
of representatives pictured. John F. Miller is second from the right.
|
between 1917 and 1931? |
1/6 | 48 |
Senator John F. Miller's chair and
desk in the Senate Probably the desk and chair of John F. Miller's uncle.
|
between 1881 and 1886? |
VacationsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Valley Forge National Historical
Park, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania |
|||
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/7 | 49 |
Group of
people standing in front of the National Memorial Arch at the entrance to
Valley Forge National Historical Park Standing left to right: Mrs. John F. Miller, Miss Eleanor
Gregory, Mrs. J. J. Underwood, J. J. Underwood.
|
May 18, 1924 |
1/7 | 50-51 | Bronze
equestrian statue of General Anthony Wayne at Valley Forge National Historical
Park |
May 18, 1924 |
1/7 | 52 | Replica of the
hospital hut at Valley Forge National Historical Park |
May 18, 1924 |
1/7 | 53 | Replica of
bread baking oven at Valley Forge National Historical Park |
May 18, 1924 |
Grand Canyon, Arizona |
|||
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/7 | 54 | between 1880 and 1936? | |
1/7 | 55 | between 1880 and 1936? | |
1/7 | 56-60 | Images of Mr.
and Mrs. John F. Miller's visit to the Grand Canyon in Arizona |
between 1880 and 1936? |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Families--Washington (State)--Photographs
- Legislators--United States--Photographs
- Mayors--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Miller, John Franklin, 1862-1936--Photographs
Geographical Names
- Valley Forge National Historical Park (Pa.)