Stephen Harrison Miller 1831-1882

Stephen Harrison Miller was born in Sevier County Tennessee on April 31, 1831 of German and Scottish descent. Stephen's parentage cannot be documented. According to a letter written by his daughter, Pallie Minerva Miller, in 1934, he told her that he was the only child of Stephen H. Miller. His father died when he was young. After his mother remarried he ran away from home. Although he was too young, for military service he joined Capt. Shaver's Company--5th Regiment of McClellan's Tennessee Infantry by claiming to be 23 years of age.He served in the Mexican American War at a tender age. For the rest of his life he carried a bullet in his leg that he received in an engagement in the Mexican American War. He was mustered in November 7, 1847 and mustered out July 20,1848.After the war he returned to his "Tennessee home, but in 1850 he moved to Waynesville, N.C. where he plied his trade as a tailor, He was considered very handsome and was known as a "ladies man".

In Waynesville , there lived a young lady, Margaret Keener, the daughter of Joseph Keener, who was a powerful political figure in North Carolina and was said to be the wittiest man of his time in the state. Miss Margaret was attending Asheville female college when she fell in love with the dashing young Steve,
Her father wanted her to finish school, and violently opposed the match, but on Oct.16,1852 the young couple eloped. To this union 11 children were born.
The young couple hid from the wrath of her father for some time, but eventually were forgiven and returned to Waynesville. At the outbreak of the Civil War Steve volunteered, and on August 31,1861 was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 29th North Carolina Regiment, Company F, commanded by W.A. Enloe, at Webster North Carolina.

After the war he moved his family to Webster and built a mill. Some time later he built a grist mill at Shoal Creek N.C. he moved his family to Shoal Creek at Qualla. He operated a grist mill there. This was near the Indian Reservation and the Cherokees gave him the name "Tee-Toska" {meaning "the grinder"} He remained at the old homeplace at Qualla the rest of his life.there the , passing May 1st 1882, at the age of 51 years 1 month.

One of his daughters said of her father, "He could make money, and he did make a lot, but he was a spendthrift. He did not save except just enough to always have a good living."
Stephen was a Master Mason in the Unaka Lodge, Number 268, at Webster, North Carolina. A Masonic emblem is on his gravestone.

A puzzling fact about Stephen; served in the Civil War and later they move to Jackson Co., Qualla-where Margaret serves as Postmistress. Each year at Christmas Stephen would "go across the mountain" to visit his relatives. He did not tell anyone where he was going. As far as we know his wife did not know-or if she did she never told anyone. Stephen was given 150 acres in Madison Co for serving in the Civil War. Why Madison Co. when he lived in Haywood and Jackson counties?

Stephen died May 1,1882 of cancer of the nose and face. He was buried in Campground Cemetery on Shoal Creek in Jackson County, North Carolina.