JONES MILLER, one of the real pioneers and organizers of Crockett County, came here the first
of January, 1892, and has taken an active part in the development of this section, owning ranch
property and other interests. Mr. Miller owns and operates a thirty one section ranch, about
twenty-one miles south of Ozona, on the Del Rio divide road. He runs pureblood Rambouillet
sheep, an average of two hundred to the section, never more than this. He has a fine band of
registered Rambouillet rams, his sheep yielding a heavy fleece, shearing an average of nine pounds
per year. He gets ninety per cent lamb crop, which is very high, the lambs maturing mutton
qualities at an early age, and weighing an average of sixty-five pounds at marketing time. Mr.
Miller¹s flock of Rambouillet sheep is one of the finest in Crockett County. He also runs some
cattle, from twenty-five to thirty head to the section, all high grade Herefords. He owns twenty
head of the finest polled Hereford show cattle bulls in West Texas, and also has other Hereford
bulls. His cattle brand is a Diamond on the left hip. The Miller Ranch is well improved, with
wolf-proof fencing and cross fenced and is one of the best-watered ranches in this section. There
are seven wells, with water at from two hundred and fifty to four hundred and fifty feet, a number
of rock and cement surface tanks, and one header tank on the place, assuring an adequate water
supply. All buildings are of modern construction.
     Jones Miller was born in Gonzales County, Texas, on the first day of January, 1858, a son of
the late R. B. Miller, and Annie (Meek) Miller. R. B. Miller, a native of Kentucky, came to Texas
in 1855. His brother, Asa S. Miller, who came to the state in 1836, was one of the two who
escaped Doss¹ Massacre, near San Antonio. He also was in the Alamo at the time it fell, and lived
through one of the most interesting periods in the history of the state..  R. B. Miller entered the
cattle business after coming to Texas, his brand, JI being well known in early days. Mrs. Miller, a
native of North Carolina, went to Arkansas with her parents in 1851, and came to Texas in 1855,
after her marriage. Jones Miller, their son, was educated in Bell and Gonzales counties, receiving
a good rudimentary education, which he has since rounded out by self-study, and by intensive
training in the school of experience. He made a trip "up the trail" with his father, taking a herd of
cattle from Bell County to Northern markets. He later farmed several years in Bell County,
spending in all ten years in that county farming and ranching. Following this he took his stock to
McCulloch County, where he stayed three years. On the first day of January, 1892, he arrived in
Crockett County, having disposed of his other interests. Since coming here he has engaged in the
sheep business, beginning with French Merinos, and later breeding Rambouillets, a type of French
Merinos, developed by the French government at Rambouillet, France. Since that time he has bred
Rambouilets exclusively, finding this fine-wool sheep ideally adapted to conditions in Crockett
County, and the West Texas range. Mr. Miller bought his present ranch in 1908, having operated
the Turkey Roost ranch from the time of his arrival in Crockett County until then. In addition to
his ranch he has other interests here, owning stock in the Crockett County Telephone Company,
the Ozona Hotel Association and the Ozona Trap Company.
     Mr. Miller was married in Bell County, on the first day of January, 1878 to Miss Amy Wills, a
native of Bell County, and a member of one of the old pioneer families of this section. Mrs.
Miller¹s father, W. R. Wills, served in the Mexican war. Her mother, Saluda E. Wills, is still
living, and has passed her ninetieth year. Mr. and  Mrs. Miller have six children:  Tiny, wife of J.
W. Owens; W. L. Miller  who married Callie Dulop, who is engaged in ranching; Mintie, the wife
of Paul Holcomb, ranchman of this section; Pearl, wife of P. T. Robison, also engaged in
ranching;  Rob Miller, who married Zilia Bennett, and who is engaged in ranching; and Roy, who
married Bertha Roberson, and also is engaged  in ranching  . The last named sons, Rob and Roy
are twins. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have a home on the ranch, and in Ozona.
     Mr. Miller is a member of the Sheep and Goat Raisers¹ Association of Texas, and the Texas
and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. He is a Mason, Blue Lodge, Ozona, No. 747, Royal
Arch. He has served as school trustee for the Crockett County public schools for many years and
has done much for the development of schools in the county. He also has served as county
commissioner of Crockett County for years, and has been one of the staunchest advocates for
good roads and other rural improvements and is judge of the wool department of the Fair
Association. One of the organizers of Crockett County, Mr. Miller has, at all times, been deeply
interested in its development, and has contributed generously to this work.

The above article is taken from:
The New Encyclopedia Of Texas
Compiled and Edited by Ellis A Davis and Edwin H. Grobe
Published by
Texas Development Bureau, Dallas Texas
Volume IV, p.3637
 

Note from Cara:  W.L. Miller actually married Callie DUNLAP.

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