Biographical sketch from "Pen Pictures of Representative Men of Oregon" (1882). "COLONEL WILLIAM P. MILLER. Here, too, is an Oregon pioneer, although his locks are not yet whitened with age, as are the majority of those who away back among the '40s braved the danger and endured the hardships attending a trip across the plains. Mr. Miller rarely alludes to the incidents of his early life in Oregon. He lives and acts in the present, and it requires no small amount of 'reportorial pumping' to induce him to open the flood-gates of incident and romance with which his memory is stored. We cornered him a few days since, however, and from him learned that he was born in Missouri March 12, 1836, his early life being spent on a farm, during which time he attended the common schools, in which he secured such education as he now possesses. He came to Oregon in 1845, and in common with emigrants of that day was subject to many hardships in crossing' the plains with their ox teams. With his parents he settled in Washington County, where they remained about a year and then moved to Sauvie's Island, where they remained until 1853, going from there to Jackson County and engaged in farming and stock raising. In 1856 returned to Yamhill County and in 1858 moved to Wasco County and was engaged most of the time in stock-raising and running pack trains. In 1861 there was a company of seventy-five organized to prospect for gold, and Col. Miller was elected captain, and they were the first discoverers of the John Day, Burnt River and Powder River mines, which afterwards turned out very rich. Moved to Yakima valley, in Washington Territory, in 1869, where he resided until 1877, when he returned to The Dalles. Served in Capt. John F. Miller's company during the Rogue River war of 1853, and was commissioned as Colonel and took an active part in the Umatilla war of 1877-8. He was appointed Warden of the Oregon State Penitentiary in 1878 by His Excellency Gov. Thayer, and it is due to his careful management that the institution has been run so economically during the past four years. He is an excellent manager, a careful financier, and in his general supervision of the work has been as careful of the State finances as he would have been of his own. He is well liked by the inmates of that institution, and is strict, without being harsh or cruel. He was married to Miss Sarah E. Raffety on the 21st day of September, 1864, and one child, a bright, intelligent little girl, has thus far blessed their union."