Miller - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of John Pusey

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

John Pusey, a prominent lawyer and public servant in Hand County, South Dakota, was born on May 8, 1860, in Champaign County, Illinois. He is the son of William R. and Margaret (White) Pusey. After studying law in Illinois and teaching intermittently, he moved to Miller, South Dakota, in 1882. Pusey was admitted to the Dakota Territory bar and established a law practice. He founded the Miller Gazette in 1883, a Democratic newspaper, and served in various public roles, including county judge, state legislator, and postmaster of Miller. A leader in the Democratic Party, he actively opposed a state dispensary system for liquor sales and held numerous fraternal affiliations.

Biography of Eudell J. Miller

Eudell J. Miller, born June 15, 1859, in Cedar County, Iowa, was a significant pioneer and businessman in Miller, Hand County, South Dakota. Son of Henry and Nancy Miller, Eudell moved to Benton County, Iowa, as a child. In 1881, he and his father selected the site for the colony that became Miller, South Dakota. He was integral in founding the town, including co-publishing the first local newspaper, the Hand County Press. Miller also worked in real estate with Judge George C. Briggs. He was married to Anna E. Humphrey on December 28, 1882, and they had two children, Bessie E. and Earl H.

Biography of Charles Thomson

Charles Thomson, born on October 12, 1855, in Monroe County, Wisconsin, was a prominent businessman and city treasurer of Miller, Hand County, South Dakota. He moved to Hand County in 1883, claimed a homestead, and worked as a farmer and teacher. Thomson held various public offices, including county commissioner, county auditor, and presidential elector in 1900. A dedicated Republican, he was active in the party’s central committee. In 1895, he married Minnie Duthie, and in 1904 they had one child, Merle C., born in 1899. Thomson was involved in the grain and coal business.

Biography of George R. Sagar

George R. Sagar, a successful young businessman in Colman, Moody County, is engaged in the drug and jewelry business as a partner in Sagar & Stetzel. With a strong educational foundation and experience working in his brother’s drug store, he pursued further studies at the New York School of Pharmacy. After gaining valuable knowledge, he traveled as a salesman before settling in Colman, where he established a thriving drug business. In 1902, he formed a partnership with jeweler Roy L. Stetzel. A Republican and member of the Modern Woodmen of America, Sagar has been an active member of the Presbyterian church since 1891.