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MONONGALIA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Tina Hursh
frog158@juno.com
January 21, 2000
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.
Chicago and New York, Volume II
pg. 78 & 79
Joseph Donley Miller, D.O. The marvelous progress made in medical science during
recent years must interest every normal individual, be his own condition of
health what it may. Among the different schools of medicine, as a healing art
perhaps none have made greater strides forward in the last decade than that of
Osteopathy. It is almost fifty years since its founder, the late venerated Dr.
Andrew Taylor Still, first announced its benefits had to be demonstrated in the
face of what may be denominated fanantical opposition. Changed, indeed, is
its present status, when a successful practitioner is found in every progressive
community all over the world, when its richly endowed colleges offer unsrupassed
advantaged in the way of hight scientific medical training, and its beneficent
results may be found in the practical banishment of the most dreaded foes of
health that have so long afflicted misguided humanity. For fourteen years
Morgantown, West Virginia, has been the home of a very able Osteopathic
practitioner, Dr. Joseph Donley Miller, who may justly be called the pioneer in
his school of medicine here, being preceded only by several practitioners whose
stay was very short. The success that has attended Doctor Miller's effort has
firmly established Osteopathy in this community.
Doctor Miller is a native of West Virginia, born in Cass District, Monongalia
County, May 4, 1862. His parents were James E. and Ruhama (Donley) Miller. His
paternal grandfather was Amherst Miller, who settled at Osage, Cass District, at
and early day, where he built and operated the first flour and carding mill in
Monongalia County. He married into the prominent Locke family, and left
descendents.
James E. Miller was born in Morgantown and grew to manhood there. He operated
his father's mill at Osage for several years, but in 1876 removed to Mount
Morris, Greene County, Pennsylvania, whre he built a flour mill of his own
and operated it for many years. He married Ruhama Donley, who was born at
Mount Morris, where she still resides, being now in her eightieth year. Her
father, Joseph R. Donley, was well known in Green County. The father of Doctor
Miller died at Mount Morris.
Joseph Donley Miller was fourteen years old when his parents moved to Mount
Morris, Pennsylvania, where he continued his public school education already
under way at Osage. It was in 1903, while residing in Core, West Virginia, that
he became enough interested in Osteopathy to begin serious study of the
science, and later became at student in the American School of Osteopathy at
Kirksville, Missouri, from which institution he was graduated in 1906, with
the degree of D.O. He entered upon the practice of his profession at Mount
Morris, but in Apri, 1907, removed to Morgantown, West Virginia, which city has
been his field of professional work ever since. In recognition of his skill as
an exponent of Osteopathy Doctor Miller has been highly honored on numerous
occasions by representative organizations of his school of medicine. He is
ex-president of the West Virginia State Osteopathic Association, is a member
of the American Osteopathic Association, the Pennsylvania State Osteopathic
Association, and of the Western Pennsylvania Osteopathic Association.
In 1890 Doctor Miller married Miss Mary Tennant, daughter of John and Phoebe
(Mason) Tennant, of Green County, Pennsylvania, and they have one son and one
daughter: Harry Irving and Lois Lynn, the latter of whom was born October 3,
1899, attended the Morgantown High School, and at present (1921) is a student
in the University of West Virginia.
Harry Irving Miller, D.O. was born at Core, West Virginia, August 29, 1891,
attended the common schools, the high school at Morgantown and the normal school
at California, Pennsylvania, and later became a student in the American School
of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Missouri, from which college he was graduated in
January, 1914, with the degree of D.O. He entered into practice at Lebanon,
Missouri, where he remained until August, 1918, when he answered the call of the
Government for medical men for service in the World war, and from that date
until his honorable discharge on December 1, 1918, was stationed at Camp Lee,
Virginia. He returned then to Lebanon, Missouri, but in May, 1920, came to
Morgantown to become his father's partner in Osteopathic practice, and since
that time the professional style has been Miller & Miller. He is a member of
the West Virginia State, and the American Ostiopathic associations, and like
his father, belongs to the Greek letter college fraternity, the Phi Sigma
Gamma. He also is active in the Chamber of Cemmerce and belongs to the order
of Elks at Morgantown. Doctor Miller and his family are members of the
Methodist protestant Church. As a citizen deeply interested in the welfare
and progress of his home city, he is an active factor in teh Chamber of Commerce.
His fraternal connections include the Odd Fellows and the Order of Meccabees.
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