WAUMillerJL2240.xml Guide to the John Leonard Miller Papers and Oral History Interview 1923-1986 Miller (John Leonard) Papers and Oral History Interview Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries ©2007 (Last modified: 7/16/2020)
Allen Library BOX 352900 Seattle, Washington 98195-2900 Business Number: 206-543-1929 speccoll@uw.edu http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-03-09. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries John Leonard Miller papers and oral history interview Miller, J. L. (John Leonard) 2240 4.11 cubic feet 7 boxes plus 2 sound cassettes 1923-1986 Political activist, labor movement leader Collection materials are in English.

John (Jack) Leonard Miller was born on November 3, 1889 in Dayton, Kentucky. At 12 he left home and traveled around the country hoboing and taking odd jobs. He worked as a coal miner in Danville, Virginia and a harvester in the Midwest. Because of his interest in worker's rights, Miller joined the United Mine Workers while in Virginia. He joined the Socialist Party while he was in Canada and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in 1916. He moved to Seattle in early 1916 and was on board the Verona during the Everett Massacre of November 1916. He married Violet Wilson in 1924. After settling down Miller had a number of jobs and began writing. He continued to rally for workers rights and upon his retirement took up lobbying for fair treatment of senior citizens. In addition, he gave lectures and interviews regarding the Everett Massacre, and wrote short stories. He died at age 96 in 1986 of a heart ailment. He was the last living survivor of the Everett Massacre.

Organized into 5 accessions.

Accession No. 2240-001, John Leonard Miller oral history interview, 1974 Accession No. 2240-002, John Leonard Miller papers, 1982 Accession No. 2240-003, John Leonard Miller papers, 1923-1986 Accession No. 2240-004, John Leonard Miller typescript, Accession No. 2240-005, John Leonard Miller papers, 1953-1975

Oral history interview, biographical features, correspondence, financial records, writings, newsletters, clippings, ephemera, manuscripts. Most of the material concerns the Everett Massacre and Industrial Workers of the World.

Open to all users.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Request at UW

Consult the restrictions governing reproduction and use for each of the accessions listed below.

Wikidata is available for this collection

Forms part of the Labor Archives of Washington.

 Miller, J. L. (John Leonard)--Interviews Miller, J. L. (John Leonard) Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington),   host institution Socialist Party (U.S.) Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington) Industrial Workers of the World White House Conference on Aging, State of Washington (1981 : Yakima) Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) Labor unions--Washington (State) Labor union members--Washington (State) Labor--Washington (State) Labor movement--Washington (State) Coal miners--Labor unions Everett Massacre, Everett, Wash., 1916 Labor Unions Labor History Mines and Mineral Resources Washington (State) Records (Documents) Oral histories Accession No. 2240-001: John Leonard Miller oral history interview, 1974 2 sound cassettes duration: 80 minutes

Scope and Content: Tape recorded interview conducted by Richard Berner on 11 March 1974, covering the years of his youth through 1918.

Interview concerns his youth and his activities in the Midwest and Canada as a United Mine Workers organizer and a member of the Socialist Party, and in Washington as a member of the Industrial Workers of the World. The interview focuses on the Everett Massacre.

Digital Content/Other Formats:Listen to the audio recording of this interview on the Libraries Digital Collections site.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by John Leonard Miller, 3/11/1974.

 John Leonard Miller oral history interview Accession No. 2240-002: John Leonard Miller papers, 1982 1 vertical file 3 pages

Scope and Content: Notes from interview conducted by Meta Buttnick in 1982.

Notes are about the IWW street demonstrations and speeches in Everett by Jewish Wobblies, Oct and Nov 1916.

Digital Content/Other Formats: View selections from this collection in digital format.

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Meta Buttnick, 10/1/1982.

 John Leonard Miller papers 2240-002 VF1286 Accession No. 2240-003: John Leonard Miller papers, 1923-1986 3.33 cubic feet 5 boxes

Scope and Content: Biographical features, correspondence, financial records, writings, newsletters, clippings, ephemera.

The bulk of this accession is amateur creative writings, but Box 1 does contain "The Everett Massacre as Seen By Its Last Survivor". A few other autobiographical pieces are present.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Records stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Nylene Schoellhorn, 10/7/1986.

 Biographical Features 1980-1986 2240-003 Box 1 Correspondence 1923-1986 2240-003 Box 1 Financial Records 1970-1975 2240-003 Box 1 Writings of Miller including "The Everett Massacre As Seen By Its Last Survivor," autobiographical pieces, short stories, and poems approximately 1920-1986 2240-003 Box 1 Writings of Miller including "The Everett Massacre As Seen By Its Last Survivor," autobiographical pieces, short stories, and poems approximately 1920-1986 2240-003 Box 2 Writings of Miller including "The Everett Massacre As Seen By Its Last Survivor," autobiographical pieces, short stories, and poems approximately 1920-1986 2240-003 Box 3 Writings of Miller including "The Everett Massacre As Seen By Its Last Survivor," autobiographical pieces, short stories, and poems approximately 1920-1986 2240-003 Box 4 Writings of Others 1974-1983 2240-003 Box 4 Legislation 1976 2240-003 Box 4 Journals/Appointment Books 1973-1980 2240-003 Box 4 Newsletters 1964-1986 2240-003 Box 4 Publications 1898-1976 2240-003 Box 4 Clippings approximately 1950-1986 2240-003 Box 4 Clippings approximately 1950-1986 2240-003 Box 5 Ephemera 1961-1986 2240-003 Box 5 Subject Series 1976 2240-003 Box 5 Columbia Club, Seattle 1972-1975 2240-003 Box 5 Elder Citizens Coalition of Washington, King County Unit 1973-1976 2240-003 Box 5 U.S. White House Conference on Aging, 1981 1980-1981 2240-003 Box 5 Accession No. 2240-004: John Leonard Miller typescript, undated 0.42 cubic feet 1 box

Scope and Content: Typescript, mainly of a novel; undated

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Nylene Schoellhorn, 9/1/1994.

 John Leonard Miller typescript 2240-004 Box 1 Accession No. 2240-005: John Leonard Miller papers, 1953-1975 0.36 cubic feet (1 letter sized document case)

Scope and Content: Manuscripts and reminiscences of John "Jack" Miller's early life, as well as a topical manuscript on "The Hobo" and a variant title: "The North American Hobo." Includes accounts relating to Miller's members in the Industrial Workers of the World and participation in the Everett Massacre of 1916.

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Jeremy Egolf, who Miller had given the collection to. 2017-09-13

 You & How You Came To Be 08/17/1953 2240-005 Box 1 1 Journal to Nylene Winette Schoellhorn 08/17/1953 2240-005 Box 1 2 Memories Not Memoirs 02/26/1984 2240-005 Box 1 3 Hobo Defined 1953-1975 2240-005 Box 1 4 Making Of Hobo 1953-1975 2240-005 Box 1 5 The North American Hobo 1953-1975 2240-005 Box 1 6 We Never Forget 1953-1975 2240-005 Box 1 7 Correspondence 1973-1975 2240-005 Box 1 8 Misc. Writings 1953-1975 2240-005 Box 1 9 Family History 1953-1975 2240-005 Box 1 10