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JACKSONVILLE Early Medford leader's grave gets a headstone Comment By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 28, 2015 at 5:03 PM Updated Oct 28, 2015 at 5:04 PM By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 28, 2015 at 5:03 PM Updated Oct 28, 2015 at 5:04 PM » Social News Medford’s first property owner and proprietor of the town's first drugstore finally has a headstone on his grave in the historic Jacksonville Cemetery. A ceremony to honor David Henry Miller will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Miller’s descendant by marriage, Chuck Sears of Medford, has purchased the marker and arranged for its placement. “I’ve been thinking about it for nearly 40 years,” said Sears, who is 91. “I decided it’s something I ought to do.” In addition to running the drugstore, Miller founded a business college, was postmaster, served in the Legislature and filled other roles. He was killed by a train in Gold Hill in 1917. “I’d heard from family that we had relatives who had settled in the Rogue Valley,” said Sears. “The one they mentioned the most was Dave Miller. The Miller name was the only one I was familiar with. Turns out there were others down here.” Most of the comments Sears recalls were about Miller’s service as a state legislator. The family took pride in that fact, he said. Miller’s other relatives by marriage include the Naylor and Scott families. Miller had no children, and his brothers and sister remained in Iowa when he headed west. Sears, an electrical engineer, came to the Rogue Valley in 1976 to head the Oregon State Police communications operation here. An article in the Mail Tribune about vandalism at a Central Point cemetery a few days after he arrived showed a headstone with the Sears name on it. That piqued his interest, and he later found the grave at the Jacksonville Cemetery and discovered it had no headstone. “That really surprised me,” said Sears. “I kind of had the impression that he was the most important of my family.” Despite research, the lack of a headstone remains a mystery, said Sears. He noted Miller’s wife was still alive at the time, the family had money and other relatives’ graves have markers. Miller and his wife, Elmira, in 1883 settled on a lot in Medford as the town was being platted for Southern Pacific Railroad’s arrival. He founded the first drug store and later expanded it to include hardware. In 1892, Miller founded Medford Business College and was postmaster from 1893 to 1898. He served three terms on the city council and was elected county treasurer in 1902. After selling the store in 1905, he moved to Gold Hill. In 1909, he was elected to the state legislature as a Democrat. While walking on a railroad track Feb. 3, 1917, Miller, who was hard of hearing, was struck by a train and died instantly. Southern Oregon Historical Society’s website, www.SOHS.org , has a biography and picture of Miller. The society is assisting with the event. “We are trying to keep the story alive. We make it more accessible to historians and to school children,” said archivist Pat Harper. Medford historian Ben Truwe and Sears had details on Miller that were added to SOHS’s information. “It’s really helpful that we can put that in our files,” said Harper. Sears has contacted members of the Naylor family in Fort Jones and Etna, Calif., and one relative in the Rogue Valley. He also sent one Iowa relative a note about the ceremony. The public is welcome to attend the ceremony. Participants will meet at the cemetery gate near Oregon and East E streets and proceed to the site. Tony Boom is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected] By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 28, 2015 at 5:03 PM Updated Oct 28, 2015 at 5:04 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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