Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913

Joaquin Miller, born Cincinnatus Heine Miller and known as the "poet of the Sierras," was a Calif. poet and playwright. Beginning in 1886, he built and lived in a home on his estate, "The Hights"[sic], in the hills above Oakland.

Born Cincinnatus Heine (or Hiner) Miller on September 8, 1837, near Liberty, Indiana. In 1852, his family moved to the Oregon Territory and two years later at the age of 17 he went to the California gold fields. At the urging of Ina D. Coolbrith, he changed his name to Joaquin Miller sometime around 1870.

Joaquin Miller, born Cincinnatus Heine Miller and known as the "poet of the Sierras," was a Calif. poet and playwright. Beginning in 1886, he built and lived in a home on his estate, "The Hights" [sic], in the hills above Oakland.

Poet and playwright, b. Cincinnatus Hiner Miller.

Joaquin Miller was an American author, known for his colorful poetry and essays of the American west. He was born Cincinnatus Hiner Miller in Indiana to an itinerant family who ended up in the Oregon Territory where he fell under the spell of outdoorsman "Mountain Joe" De Bloney. Miller had a series of adventures with De Bloney, including the thieving of several horses, which may have led to him changing his name to Joaquin. He worked as a schoolteacher, surveyor, and pony express rider, studied law, wrote and edited newspapers, and published two books of poetry. He moved to London and paid to have a book of poems published, becoming an instant celebrity due to his accessible verse and rustic experiences. He went on to win popular acclaim for his poetry, plays, and the semi-autobiographical novel, Life Among the Modocs.

Joaquin Miller, Oregon poet, was born September 8, 1837 in Liberty, Indiana. In 1852 his family traveled to Oregon and settled in the Eugene area. Before deciding to study law and being admitted to the bar in 1861, Miller spent time in the California mines (1855), lived with the Shasta Indians (1857), and attended Eugene's Columbia College (1857-1858). Between 1862 and 1863, he became editor of the Democratic Register and Democratic Review (newspapers). Both, however, were promptly suppressed for containing pro-Southern sympathies. In 1864, he and his second wife, Theresa Dryer, drove a herd of cattle over the Cascades and settled in Canyon City, where he served as Grant County judge (1866-1870). The second half of Miller's life was devoted to travel and writing. He visited Europe, Asia, Alaska, New York, and California; working mostly as a newspaper correspondent and publishing numerous books of poetry on the West.

Joaquin Miller (1837-1913) was an American poet and author, born Cincinnatus Hiner Miller. Miller was known for his poems about the American West and cultivated the persona of a rustic frontiersman. He lead a nomadic and colorful life, being at various times a miner, a judge, a pony express rider, a newspaper editor, and a horse thief. His work was more popular in England than in the United States, although his most famous poem, "Columbus," was once regularly memorized by American schoolchildren.

California fiction and nonfiction writer.

American poet and journalist, Joaquin Miller, 1837-1913, was born Cincinnatus Hiner Miller near Liberty, Indiana. His father, a Quaker schoolmaster brought the family west in 1852, settling in Oregon. At age 17, Joaquin set out for California and lived among the Indians and in mining camps. In1858 he returned to Oregon and completed his education at Columbia College in Eugene. After an interval as a pony-express rider, he became a newspaper editor in Eugene in 1862 and 1863 at which time he began to write verse. His first volume of poems was published at his own expense in 1868. In 1870 after visiting the eastern states, Miller went to England, posing as a romantic Wild West figure and budding genius. Sponsored by Tom Hood, his Songs of the Sierras were published by Longmans and he became the "literary lion" of London. Miller wrote profusely as he travelled-- describing places visited, the life and character of the people and political aspects of the time. His travels took him to Europe, up down and across the United States, to Canada, the Klondike, Mexico, China and Japan. When the real-estate boom of the late eighties brought new life to the west, he returned to California to establish a permanent base, building a house and guest cottages in the hills above Oakland. He began to be accepted as one of the California circle of writers which included Ina Coolbrith, Bret Harte, Charles Warren Stoddard, Prentice Mulford, Edmond Clarence Stedman, George Sterling, Jack London, Samuel Clemens, and others.

Author and poet.

Joaquin Miller was the pen name of the American poet and essayist Cincinnatus Heine (or Hiner) Miller (d. February 17, 1913).

As a young boy, Joaquin Miller moved with his parents from Indiana to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. As a young man, he moved to northern California during the California Gold Rush years and had a variety of adventures. By 1864, he moved to Canyon City, Ore. where he was elected judge of Grant County. He eventually settled in Oakland, Calif. where he grew fruit and published his poems and other works. He is known as "Poet of the Sierras."

Biographical Information

Born Cincinnatus Heine (or Hiner) Miller on September 8, 1837, near Liberty, Indiana. In 1852, his family moved to the Oregon Territory and two years later at the age of 17 he went to the California gold fields. At the urging of Ina D. Coolbrith, he changed his name to Joaquin Miller sometime around 1870.

Best know as a poet, Miller also worked as a mining camp cook, a lawyer and a judge, a newspaper writer, a conservationist, and a Pony Express rider. Miller proclaimed himself the "Poet of the Sierras," and the "Byron of the Rockies."

Miller took poetic license to heart and stretched many of the facts of his life, sometimes even claiming to be younger than he was. He found fame in England with many of his "tall truths."

In 1886, Joaquin began buying land above Oakland, using poetic license and naming it "The Hights." The land was later sold by his family in 1919 to the City of Oakland and named Joaquin Miller Park.

Joaquin Miller died February 17, 1913.

Biography

Cincinnatus Hiner (not Heine) Miller, better known by his pen-name, Joaquin Miller, American poet and journalist (1837-1913), was born near Liberty, Indiana.

His father, a Quaker schoolmaster brought the family west in 1852, settling in Oregon, where young Miller received a cursory education. When he was seventeen he set out for California and lived among the Indians and in mining camps. This was a period of highly colored adventuring and lasted until 1858 when he returned to Oregon and completed his education at Columbia: College in Eugene. After an interval as pony-express rider, Miller became a newspaper editor, in Eugene, in 1862 and 1863. It was at this time that he began to write verse. His first volume of poems was published at his own expense in 1868. In 1870, after visiting the eastern states, Miller went to England, posing as a romantic Wild West figure and budding genius. He was lucky enough to be sponsored by Tom Hood and to have his Songs of the Sierras published by Longmans. Overnight he became the "literary lion" of London. He "had it made." A compulsive traveler, Joaquin Miller wrote as he went, profusely--in prose and in verse--describing places visited, the life and character of the people and the political aspects of the time. His wanderings carried him to Europe, up, down and across the United States, to Canada, the Klondike, Mexico, China and Japan.

When the real-estate boom of the late eighties brought new life to the west, Miller returned to California to establish a permanent base. He bought one hundred acres in the hills above Oakland and built a house and guest cottages which he called "The Hights" [sic.] and began to be accepted as one of the California circle of writers which included Ina Coolbrith, Bret Harte, Charles Warren Stoddard, Prentice Mulford, Edmond Clarence Stedman, George Sterling, Jack London, Samuel L. Clemens, and others.

In his later years "the poet of the Sierras" became something of a legend, but his fame was based perhaps more on Joaquin the personality, than on Joaquin the writer of memorable verse.

Biography

Cincinnatus Hiner (not Heine) Miller, better known by his pen-name, Joaquin Miller, American poet and journalist (1837-1913), was born near Liberty, Indiana.

His father, a Quaker schoolmaster brought the family west in 1852, settling in Oregon, where young Miller received a cursory education. When he was seventeen he set out for California and lived among the Indians and in mining camps. This was a period of highly colored adventuring and lasted until 1858 when he returned to Oregon and completed his education at Columbia: College in Eugene. After an interval as pony-express rider, Miller became a newspaper editor, in Eugene, in 1862 and 1863. It was at this time that he began to write verse. His first volume of poems was published at his own expense in 1868. In 1870, after visiting the eastern states, Miller went to England, posing as a romantic Wild West figure and budding genius. He was lucky enough to be sponsored by Tom Hood and to have his Songs of the Sierras published by Longmans. Overnight he became the "literary lion" of London. He "had it made." A compulsive traveler, Joaquin Miller wrote as he went, profusely--in prose and in verse--describing places visited, the life and character of the people and the political aspects of the time. His wanderings carried him to Europe, up, down and across the United States, to Canada, the Klondike, Mexico, China and Japan.

When the real-estate boom of the late eighties brought new life to the west, Miller returned to California to establish a permanent base. He bought one hundred acres in the hills above Oakland and built a house and guest cottages which he called "The Hights" [sic.] and began to be accepted as one of the California circle of writers which included Ina Coolbrith, Bret Harte, Charles Warren Stoddard, Prentice Mulford, Edmond Clarence Stedman, George Sterling, Jack London, Samuel L. Clemens, and others.

In his later years "the poet of the Sierras" became something of a legend, but his fame was based perhaps more on Joaquin the personality, than on Joaquin the writer of memorable verse.