North America's Leading Circus Fan Organization - Founded 1926
News Events Photos Resources About Us

Join
Renew Online
Circus 4 Youth Website
Grassroots.CircusFans.Org
 
wcs2015.com

WCS2015
Souvenir Merchandise!

Back Issues
Conventions
External Links
ShowFolks
AYCO
Circus Model Builders
Witte Museum
Windjammers Circus Music
Circus Historical Society
OABA Logo
FEEDBACK
Click HERE to e-mail your comments about our web site
 

Showmen's Rest - Part 2 

Submitted by Member on   5/8/2004
Last Modified

Showmen's Rest - Part 2

by Peter & Joyce Rosa
CLICK HERE to find the complete series


To All Showfolks and Fans:

We continue the SHOWMEN'S REST series with the gravestones of the great MILLER family.

All photos were taken in the SHOWMEN'S REST section of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Hugo, Oklahoma. We will scan photos and send at least two or more per email over the next few weeks.

We would appreciate your participation in this series. In the next email, we will send photos of the gravestones of KEN "TURTLE" BENSON, TED BOWMAN, and "OKIE" CARR. If you have information you would like to see included with these photos, please send it not later than Wednesday, February 11, 2004, to peterscircus@AOL.com. We would especially like to list the shows that these showfolks trouped with during their careers.

Also, if there are any corrections to information we list in this series, please contact us immediately so we may set the record straight.

The photos in this email are the gravestones of:


1. OBERT MILLER MARY ROSSI MILLER
JAN 11, 1886 APR. 23, 1903
OCT 29, 1969 DEC 9, 1997

Parents of Kelly and D.R. Miller. Obert Miller was a house painter and paper hanger. He had a talent for training dogs and ponies. With savings, he went into the Circus business owning the Broadhurst All American Circus, Miller Bros. Circus, Fairyland Circus and Gentrie Bros., Circus. This title should not be confused with the Gentry show. The Miller Bros. title was changed to AL G. Kelly - Miller Bros. Circus in 1938. Obert Miller is said to have been the first to transport a giraffe, first to transport a large menagerie, and first to transport a large herd of elephants on a motorized truck show.




2. KELLY MILLER DALE MILLER
MAR 5, 1913 NOV 27, 1911
FEB 20, 1960 NOV 30, 1984

Kelly Miller, brother of D.R. Miller and co-owner of Miller Bros. Circus, was mechanically inclined and invented or improved Circus equipment. He is credited with inventing the first rear mounted spool truck. He served as treasurer on Miller shows. His wife Dale was not from a Circus family. She became generally useful and became a performer. She also played organ in the Circus band.




3. DORES RICHARD MILLER ISLA MARIE MILLER
JUL 27, 1916 AUG 9, 1917
SEP 8, 1999 OCT 2, 1998

D.R. Miller, brother of Kelly and circus owner, is said to have been a Circus owner longer than anyone in history. D.R. co-owned Miller Bros. Circus. The title would later be changed to Al. G. Kelly - Miller Bros. Circus in 1938. He also owned Circus Genoa, Chinese Imperial Circus, and the only 5 Ring Circus touring at the time of his death, the Carson & Barnes Circus. He was also co-owner of the Kelly Miller Circus. Isla Miller was not born into a Circus family. She was involved in all aspects of the Circus. Isla and Dale have been credited with keeping the Circus running while the men were away, serving at war. We believe the etching on the gravestone is depicting the entrance to the Miller property in Hugo, OK. There is a Big Top on the backside of this monument which we unfortunately did not capture on film.





NOTE: If any one has a photo of the backside of the Miller monuments, please send it to peterscircus@AOL.com so we can include it in the next email of this series.

HOST NOTE: The photos will be sent so they show in the body of the email. We will also attach them to the email so those of you who are able to open attachments can view them at full size. Also, we will note the text etched on each gravestone if they are hard to read in the photo.

This series is being done because it is felt that many folks will not be able to journey to Hugo, Oklahoma to see these magnificent monuments. These gravestones have been erected to honor the memory of those whose varied skills have allowed the circus-going public to view the wonder of the CIRCUS.

We would like you to note that all of the showfolks interred at Mount Olivet will not not be represented. Only those monuments that noted a circus motiff were photographed.

Sincerely,

Peter and Joyce Rosa

Email This Resource



 


Copyright © 1999-2015 Circus Fans Association of America and Authors.
For more information view our  Copyright Policy & Privacy Policy .