Return to the Land

Carl Arlington Miller

Carl Arlington Miller was born on February 27, 1901 and was named for his Uncle Bud, Carl W. Wilson. Uncle Bud was married to Texie May Wright, Minnie Catherine ’s sister. Carl was unlike his father and his brothers in that he did not take to farming as a young man. He left home at an early age to seek his fortune in the outside world. He kindled a close relationship with his first cousin Dewey Miller and they laid plans for high adventure. In the spring of 1917 his father had to go by horse back over the mountain south to the Slide for supplies. Before leaving that morning he had instructed his fourth son Carl, now 16 years old, to plow the lower field with the horses in preparation for spring planting. On returning from the store it was to Grandfather’s astonishment that Carl had left his assigned chore and with his cousin Dewey had fled North to Bluefield, West Virginia. He walked across the mountain to the Wilderness Road and then on to Bluefield. Although Carl abandoned the farm he remained faithful to his family on Kimberling and during times of hardship he continued to be supportive. Once, as a youngster Carl and his sister Marie, were riding one of their father’s horses and both were accidentally thrown. Both children fractured their arms. Carl’s fracture involved the right elbow. The children’s arms were set and both did well. After Carl’s cast was removed he broke this same arm again. He cried bitterly to his parents but they thought it was merely sprained and nothing else was done. The repeat fracture healed abnormally resulting in a fixed elbow with limited range of motion, which affected his arm for the remainder of his life. This in no way hindered him from becoming successful. In Bluefield, Carl and Dewey got room and board with a Mrs. White on Princeton Avenue just opposite the Norfolk and Western Train Station. Carl gained employment with the railway working the round house. In 1918, he and Dewey contracted the dreaded worldwide epidemic of influenza and Carl was trying to tend to Dewey when a doctor made a house call on them. The physician found Carl to be worse than Dewey and instructed him to get out of bed and take care of Carl. Those two remained great friends throughout their lives. By this time a young lady had come into Carl ’s life. Her name was Mary Estelle Mahone whom he married in 1923. The county seat of Mercer County was in Princeton and the marriage ceremony took place in the courthouse. Estelle’s family had come to Bluefield from Hillsville , Virginia where her father had died after being struck by lightning. Her mother, Granny, moved to Bluefield with her children and ran a boardinghouse. Estelle’s sisters found jobs at the telephone company. Granny lived with Carl and Estelle until her death on March 17, 1959. After their marriage Carl and Estelle boarded the new passenger train and spent 3 weeks on their honeymoon in Washington, D.C. On returning home the railroad union was on strike for higher wages. Carl was not happy with the railroad job and took employment with the Udy Wholesale Grocery. Because of his childhood injury he was unable to perform the strenuous work required of him. While working for Mr. Udy he enrolled in night classes at the

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