Joe C. Miller
Zack Miller
George Miller
Col Joe C. Miller the eldest of the three famous Miller brothers, was a personification of the southern plantation type-liberal, gracious, far-seeing and unexcelled as host, brought world-wide recognition to the ranch through his expert showmanship ability.
Miller, who came to the Indian Territory with his parents at the age of 2, as a small lad helped his father on the long cattle drives from Texas to Kansas. Being the eldest son in the family, he was of great assistance to the family in their move to Winfield and later to the Cherokee Strip, where the 101 Ranch was established.
After his father, George W. Miller, died in 1903, Joe Miller and his two brothers, George L. and Zack T. assumed active managership of the ranch which under their joint supervision was to become the greatest of such institutions in the world. As his share of the ranch work, Miller was in charge of the agricultural and horticultural departments and the shows.
Miller's colorful life was full of distinctions, one of the greatest of which was his outstanding ability as a showman, both at the 101 Ranch and while traveling throughout the country with the two wild west shows carrying the ranch banners.
Miller's career was started in 1882 when he made his public debut as a rider and roper at the Winfield county fair and ended 45 years later at his Ponca City home in October, 1927, when he died of monoxide poisoning.
Nationwide fame came to the 101 Ranch in 1905 when Miller, as publisher of the Bliss (Marland) Breeze, promised members of the National Editorial association" the greatest round-up on earth" if the next year's convention was held in Indian Territory.
Editors accepted the invitation and Miller fulfilled his promise, so entertaining a crowd of more than 50,000 persons with hairraising…………………immediately thereafter, the show began the travels that were for the next nine years to take it throughout the United States and Europe for successful engagements. The first show was closed in London in 1914 at the outbreak of World War I.
Miller's true friendliness to people and his philosophy of brotherly love was demonstrated frequently and to all classes of people. He asked only in return that those he had helped carry forward the good work and aid others when the need arose.
One of the best examples centering around the time he helped Tom Chamberlain, who had been jailed for fighting to protect his claim by furnishing $500 bail for the pioneer settler so he could return to his home. Offering to repay Miller later, Chamberlain was told simply: "I helped you-you help others".
Thirty years later oil was discovered on Chamberlain's quarter-section of land in the Tonkawa vicinity and Chamberlain again called on Miller, this time in a huge limousine, re-stated his request that Miller accept money. And again he received the same answer: "I have helped you-you have helped others. What more is necessary?"
Ponca Indians, fulfilling the death bed request of Chief Little Standing Buffalo, adopted Joe Miller into their tribe as a sub-chief. And until his death Miller remained the best friend the Indians had-preaching at their funerals, helping with their business and financial problems, furnishing food, clothing and shelter for them and attending their council meetings and pow-wows.
As sub-chief of the tribe, he also followed a great many of the Indian customs.
When Miller and Miss Mary Verlin, niece of the late Mrs. C.P. Rhodes of this city, were married in Chicago in 1926, the circus personnel gave a special dinner in their honor while the show was in Racine, Wis. But it didn't compare with the tribal ceremonial arranged by the Poncas for the newly weds when they returned to Ponca City that winter. The circus party was attended by 700 persons, while the Indian ceremony required the show arena and grandstand to handle the crowd. Yellow Bull and his wife, the oldest living married couple among the Poncas were official escorts to Miller and his bride during the ancient ritual.
Miller again followed the Indian custom when, sometime before his death, he set aside $1,000 to be used for the Indian burial rites and giveaway feasts always held at the death of a tribe member. For the give-away, the money was used to buy 2,500 yards of calico, the material preferred above all others by the Indian women, blankets, and other gifts. Twenty ponies and Miller's used clothing also were given as gifts at the feasts.
The New York Sun, in an editorial on Joe Miller's death, stated:
"The age when adherents of clan or feudal barony gathered to mourn a departed chieftain-that was the funeral of Col. Joe C. Miller at the 101 Ranch White House near Ponca City, Okla. It was fitting that this should be so. The ranch is about as near a thing we have to the ……its vast acres, its host of cowboys, Indians, Mexicans and others dependent upon the success of the Miller enterprise.