Thomas W. Miller

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Thomas W. Miller
honorific-suffix =

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imagesize =
small

office = U.S. Representative from Delaware
term_start = March 4 1915
term_end = March 3 1917
predecessor = Franklin Brockson
successor = Albert F. Polk
birth_date = birth date|1886|6|26|mf=y
birth_place = Wilmington, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1973|5|5|1886|6|26
death_place = Reno, Nevada
spouse =
party = Republican
residence = Wilmington, Delaware Reno, Nevada
alma_mater = Yale University
occupation =
profession = lawyer
religion =

Thomas Woodnutt Miller (June 26 1886 – May 5 1973) was an American businessman, lawyer and politician, from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware, and Reno, in Washoe County, Nevada. He was a veteran of World War I and a member of the Republican Party, who served as U. S. Representative from Delaware.

Early life and family

Miller was born June 26 1886 in Wilmington, Delaware, son of Governor Charles R and Abigail Morgan Woodnutt Miller. He attended the Hotchkiss School and graduated from Yale University in 1908. He was initially employed as a steel roller by the Bethlehem Steel Company, in 1908 and 1909.

Political career

Miller worked as secretary to U.S. Representative William H. Heald from 1910 until 1912, and during this period studied law in Washington, D.C. He was appointed by his father, Governor Charles R. Miller, to the position of Delaware Secretary of State from 1913 until 1915.

Miller was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1914, defeating incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Franklin Brockson. During this term, he served in the Republican minority in the 65th Congress. Seeking reelection in 1916, he lost to Democrat Albert F. Polk, a lawyer from Georgetown. Miller served from March 4 1915 until March 3 1917, during the administration of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson

Military career

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Miller enlisted as a private in the Infantry of the United States Army, and served in France with the Seventy-ninth Division. He was cited by General John Pershing for “especially meritorious and conspicuous service” in the Meuse-Argonne campaign and awarded the Purple Heart for his service. For this he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and served until discharged in September 1919. Miller was a founder and incorporator of the American Legion and vice chairman of the Paris caucus in March 1919. He was also Alien Property Custodian from 1921 until 1925 and a member of the American Battle Monuments Commission from 1923 until 1926.

Later life

Miller served in the administration of United States President Warren G. Harding, but was convicted in 1927 of conspiring to defraud the U.S. government. He served 18 months in prison. He was paroled in 1929 and pardoned by United States President Herbert Hoover in 1933. At this point Miller moved to Reno, Nevada where he would spend the rest of his life. There he became the founder of Nevada State parks system and served as chairman of the Nevada State Park Commission in 1935, 1936, from 1953-1959, and from 1967-1973. He also continued his activity in veteran’s affairs as staff field representative of the United States Veterans’ Employment Service from 1945 until 1957.

Death and legacy

Miller died May 5 1973 in Reno, Nevada and is buried in the Masonic Memorial Gardens in Reno. His nephew, Clement W. Miller was a U.S. Representative from California from 1959 until 1962.

Public offices

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. U.S. Representatives took office March 4th and have terms of two years.