Miller, James Brown, 1861-1909

Early Texas physician and public official James B. Miller (ca. 1801-1854) came to Texas in 1829, settling at San Felipe, and practiced medicine with Dr. Robert Peebles.

Along with his medical practice, Miller represented the Fort Bend area at the Convention of 1833 and served as a member of the legislature of Coahuila and Texas in 1834 and as the political chief of the Department of the Brazos from 1834 to 1835. He resigned his position in July 1835, claiming ill health. However, in reality he was unwilling to issue arrest warrants for William B. Travis and Robert M. Williamson. Initially a proponent of the peace party, Miller served under Stephen F. Austin in October 1835 and aided in the organization of the Texas Army. After independence, he served as a senator of the Republic of Texas from 1840 to 1841, as Sam Houston's Secretary of the Treasury in 1843, chief justice of Fort Bend County, and as a delegate to the Convention of 1845. He ran for governor of Texas in 1845 and 1847, losing both times. Miller died in 1854.

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