Jacob Miller Jr (1886-1913), Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio
This is the tombstone of Jacob Miller Jr, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The stone is inscribed Jacob Miller, 1886-1913. MILLER is also carved on the top of the stone.
Jacob Miller Jr was the second child of Jacob Miller and his third wife, Christena Rueck. Jacob and Christena were my great-grandparents.
Obituary—Young Man Killed in Oil Field—The body of Jacob Miller Jr, who was killed in the Oklahoma oil fields, was brought back to the home of his parents, who live south of town. The corpse came in over the Clover Leaf Sunday and was met by undertaker H. B. Cowan who removed the body to the parents’ home preparatory to the services which were held Monday afternoon.
The young man was about 25 years old, well known and respected here. The nature of the accident which caused his death has not been reported. The accident causing the young man’s death was that of a falling oil derrick which, though he was at some distance, struck him killing him instantly. (source: The Willshire Herald, 17 Apr 1913, page 1)
Jacob Miller Jr (1886-1913)
Obituary—Explosion of Shale Gas Brought Death to Young Man of this County who was Working in Oil Fields in California. The body of Jacob Miller Jr, who was killed by falling timber following an explosion of shale gas, was brought to Willshire Sunday and removed to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Miller near Chattanooga. Young Miller was drilling in the oil fields in California when he met his untimely death. He was a young man of twenty-eight years and has been in the west for three years.
Funeral services were held Monday morning at the Lutheran church at Chattanooga, followed by interment at that place. Accompanying the body of Mr. Miller was Christ Brier, who had gone west with the young man. (source: The Daily Standard, 18 April 1913, page 7)
The two above sources disagree on where Jacob Miller Jr died, so I also checked the death and burial records at Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga. Their records indicate that he was killed by a falling oil derrick in Oklahoma. (source: records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Book II:344)
Jacob Miller Jr never married.
