William Read Miller
| William Read Miller | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 12th Governor of Arkansas | |
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In office January 11, 1877 – January 11, 1881 |
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| Preceded by | Augustus Hill Garland |
| Succeeded by | Thomas James Churchill |
| 39th and 42nd Arkansas State Auditor | |
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In office 1857–1860 |
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| Preceded by | A.S. Huey |
| Succeeded by | H.C. Lowe |
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In office 1861–1864 |
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| Preceded by | H.C. Lowe |
| Succeeded by | James R. Berry |
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In office 1866–1868 |
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| Preceded by | James R. Berry |
| Succeeded by | James R. Berry |
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In office 1874–1877 |
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| Preceded by | Stephen Wheeler |
| Succeeded by | John Crawford |
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In office 1887 |
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| Preceded by | A.W. Files |
| Succeeded by | W.S. Dunlop |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 23, 1823 Batesville, Arkansaw Territory, US |
| Died | November 29, 1887 (aged 64) Little Rock, Arkansas, US |
| Resting place | Mount Holly Cemetery, Little Rock |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Elizabeth Bevens (m. 1849) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
William Read Miller (November 23, 1823 – November 29, 1887) was the 12th Governor of the State of Arkansas. Born in Batesville, Arkansas; Miller was Arkansas's first native born Governor. Serving two terms in the turbulent period after Reconstruction, Miller's four-year administration marked the beginnings of New Departure Democrats in Arkansas. Running on a platform of economic growth via reconciliation between whites and freedmen, Miller often was opposed by members of his own party during the infancy of the Lost Cause ideology. His plans to pay back a large state debt including the Holford Bonds, valued at $14 million ($387.5 million today), were often interrupted by racial violence, and his support for public schools and universities was often combated by those in his own party.
Miller desired an unprecedented third gubernatorial term in 1881, but the Democrats instead nominated Thomas Churchill, a Democratic hard-liner and former Major General in the Confederate States Army. Following his defeat, Miller served on boards of several railroads and as a trustee of the University of Arkansas. Miller also served as Arkansas State Auditor for twelve of the thirty years between 1857 and his death in 1887, making him the third-longest tenured Auditor in Arkansas history.
Miller was born on November 23, 1823 on a farm near Batesville, Arkansaw Territory to John and Clara Moore Miller. Miller's father was a farmer and register of the U.S. Land Office active in Democratic politics, including serving as a presidential elector twice. At the age of thirteen, Miller is said to have publicly challenged notable local and fervent Whig Fent Noland regarding Martin Van Buren's credentials. He also saw the Arkansas Territory achieve statehood on June 15, 1836. Miller was educated in local schools when the workload on the family farm allowed, and he showed an early interest in law. Although discouraged from pursuing the legal profession by his father, Miller moved from the family farm to Batesville to read law after turning twenty-one in 1844.
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