J. M. Milers Dairy / Millers Dairy  

James Miller was a pillar of the Culver business community, starting one of the town’s first dairies, the Miller Dairy, in the early 1900s. His operation on the south side of Culver, included building boats and operating his own boathouse, constructing and operating his own ice house, and the operation of a grocery store and chicken operation, besides the dairy itself.

1922 - Apr 19 - To Milk consumers - The herds that are furnishing milf for the Miller dairy are being government inspected and customers will here after be served with certified milk.

1925 - Jul 2 - Certificate of Trade Mark

To All Whom It May Concern:

Be it known that I, J. M. Miller, a resident of Culver, Marshall county, in the STate of Indiana, and doing business in said town and vicinity, in compliance with the Acts of 1917, being Section 10440 A tp 1-452 inculsive, Burns' Annotated IndianaSTatutes 1921, have adopted for my use a trade mark for my milk bottles, of wohich the following is a full, clear and exact specification: My tade mark consists of the worf "J. M. Miller Dairy, Culver, Indiana". It is my desire to adopt the use of the above trade mark in connection with my milk, cream, butter, egg, and ice cream business in the County of Marshall, State of Indiana.

I represent that no other person, person, partnership or corporation have adopted any trade mark that could be confused with the one that I have adopted, and that the attached exhibit marked "Exhibut A' is a true and correct photographic facsimile of the trade mark that I have dopted for my own use.

I represent further that I have caused a copy of this certificate to be filed with the Clerk of the Marshall Circuit COurt of Marshall COunty, Indiana and a copt to be filed with the Secretary of the State of Indiana, and that I have caused a pritnted copy of this certificate with favilmilie of my trade mark to be published for three consecutive week in the Culver Citizen, a newspaper printed in the town of Culver City, Marshall County, Indiana. - J. M. Mille. - 28th day of June A.D. 1924

1930 - Mar 26 - Miller Milk Truck on of Largest in COunty

The J. M. Miller dairy can boast on of the largest retailers milk trucks in the county. It is a ton and a hald fruck of latest model, attractively painted white. The enclosed body is twelve feet lonf and six feet wife, with a cpacity for over 40 cases of milk.

1924 Sanborn Mapr

1925 - Sep 25 - Miller's Dairy Holding Sugar Nights This Winter

A series of sugar nights has been announced by J. M. Miller who is holding the affair every other Saturday at his dairy in the south part of town, with 100 pounds of sugar as the main attraction.

The next drawing will be September 28, when an orchestra will furnish the entertainment.

A boat will be the special attraction for the first drawing in June.

1935 - Good SIze Crowd at Miller's Sugar Night

A large crown was present Saturday night at Millers Dairy when sugar night was held and the children enjoyed a treat of suckers as well. The affairs are held every two weeks and the next one will be Oct. 26

1935 - Oct 30 - Held Suggar night - Miller's Dairy and grocery held another sugar night Saturday with a good crowd in attendance. These affairs are held every two weeks and will continue untill June when a row boat will be the main attraction.

1935 - Jun 10 - Gets Miller Boat - Margaret Bake received the row boat at the sugar night held Saturday at Miller's Dairy & Grocery. J. M. Miller states he will continue to hold sugar night every other Saturday night.

1937 - Miller's Dairy Starts Branch ROute at Know

A branch milk route in Knos has been inaugurated by the J. M. Miller Dairy with DOnald Miller as manager. The milk is being prepared at the Culver plant and taken to Knox by truck for delivery. The Miller Dairy in known to many Knox people as it has delivered milk around Bass Lake for several years.

1937 - May 5 - J. M. Miller Sells Dairy to Son, Kenneth

J. M. Miller announces the sale of his dairy to his son, Kenneth, effective, May 1st Mt. Miller has been in the business for 18 1/2 years and during that time has seen it enjoy substantial growth. Mr. Miller will decote his time now to his grocery and boat business.

Kenneth Miller is well known to this community, having attended school her and having been associated with his father in the milk business.

He assures the public that the daiy, which will be known as Miller's Dairy, will continiue to give the best of service and quality.

1937 Sanborn Map

1937 - Nov 10 - Improving Dairy Building - The Miller Dairy is soon to be housed in larger quarters with a more modern set-up. As soon as the dairy is moved into the new building the grocery store will be enlarged to occupy all of the present building occupied by both buildings.

1938 - Sep 7 - Millers Food Market... Miller's Dairy now occupies new quarters near the gorcery, giving much more room and convenient arrangement of equipement. The arrangement of ethe machinery has attracted considerable attention of others in the dairy business as it allows maximun efficiency with the minimum, of steps and hard liftng.

1937 - May 5 - Having purchased the J. M. Miller Dairy. I will appreciate the patronage of the people of Culver and surrounfing communities. I will continue the same quality and service you have had in the past. There is no order too small or large that we cannot fill. Thanking you Kindly . Miller's Dairy Kenneth H. Miller, prop. Phone 217 Culver.

1" Aluminum token - stamped "J. M. Miller, Culver, Ind." with WITH "DAIRY" in the center on the other side it stamped"Good For 10 cents with one bottle

standard sized milk bottle caps from Miller's Dairy

Milk bottles of Millers Dairy.

1942 - Aug. 6 --- J. M> Miller Sells Store to Daughter - J.M. Miller has sold his grocery and market to his daughter, Mrs. Lucille Hanna, effective Aug. 1. The store will now be known as Hanna's Grocery. Mrs. Hanna is will known here and has had long experience in the retail business. The complete annoucemnet is carried on on anther page of this issue

1949 - Jul 13 - Local Men Fatally Stricken in Dry 2 Firemen Overcome

Amidst a tragic yet an extremely human chain of circumstances Culver men were killed two members of the fire department narrowly escaped death a quick rescue attempt during unusual accident which occurred here last Wednesday afternoon.

It is believed that deadly methane gas near the bottom 10-foot dry well was the of the death of Walter Roy Thomas. 22, and James Monroe Miller. 68, retired Culver man. Mr. Miller, who operated Miller dairy and grocery until retirement, had hired Thomas assist him in cleaning out one a series of connected dry used as drainage for the daity.

The two men had removed heavy concrete top from the and Mr. Miller had gone down begin work. Before Thomas started to descend the ladder he noticed that Mr. Miller, in a halfcrouched position near the of the ladder, had fainted.

Thomas, obviously thinking Mr. Miller had suffered a attack or fainted from the ran into the store where he Mrs. Lester McKee to call a doctor. Rushing back to the well, descended to attempt to help Miller.

After calling the doctor, McKee hurried out to the opening to observe that Thomas, too, fainted.

She hurriedly called fire department, who quickly responded to join Dr. R. L. Witham already on the scene and who all ready to go to the base of well to administer aid. Led by Fire Chief Dave who directed the rescue the firemen hurried an attempt retrieve the two men.

Stafford donned a mask, descended into the well and was immediately overcome by the deadly gas. He was pulled out with the use of a pike hook and while Fireman Frank Hayward and co-helpers applied artificial respiration to Stafford, Oscar Booker donned oxygen mask and went down the dry well with a rope around him.

He had been at the base of well only a few seconds when he became unconscious and pulled out. Booker was revived and was soon able to continue helping but Stafford, exposed longer, was unconscious approximately 45 minutes.

Firemen then used the pike pole to extricate the bodies of two victims and members of fire department, Doctors Witham, Donald Reed, and Earl Bailey, Logansport doctor, vacationing here, applied artificial respiration and heart stimulants for than two hours in an effort to revive the two men. They pronounced them beyond help at 6:00 p.m.

Mr. Miller was born in Pennsylvania Oct. 1, 1880, and came to Culver in 1909, living since that time except for a few years in South Bend.

In 1920 he opened the Miller dairy, and established a grocery.

He was ember of the Masonic lodge at Flora. Ind., and the Salem Church of the Brethren.

Surviving are his widow, Iva; three daughters, Mrs. Anna Mary Cote of Chicago; Mrs. Lucille Hanna of Culver, and Mrs. Frances Bailey of Knox: two sons. Kenneth and Donald of Culver: and two sisters. Mrs. Hettie Keener and Miss Lizzie Miller, of Reading, Pa., and 18 grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mr. Miller were held at the E. U. B. church on Saturday afternoon with Rev. B. R. Cross of the Salem Church of the Brethren conducting, assisted by Rev. E. D. Mast of Urbana.

Burial was in the Culver cemetery.

Mr. Thomas was born in Jasper county, Indiana. Jan. 23, 1927, and had lived here since he was 18 months old.

He served in the navy in World War Il.

Surviving are his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Thomas, rural route No. 1. with whom he had resided.

He had attended the Culver and Leiters Ford schools.

He was a member of the Mt. Hope Methodist church.

He was engaged to Lois Meyers of Culver.

Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon with Rev. Quentin Hand officiating.

Interment was in the Culver cemetery.