This file is the text of the book, "South Dakota's Ziebach County,
History of the Prairie", published in 1982 by the Ziebach County
Historical Society, Dupree, SD
With Permission from Jackie Birkland
 

http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/ziebach/history/chap16-2.txt
    
  DONALD L. MILLER

by Donald Miller

Donald L. Miller came to Ziebach County when 14 years old. He attended the 8th grade of school at the Gage Country School one mile west of the Miller family residence. My teacher was Lillian Birkeland. I attended the first year of high school in the wooden Dupree School building, during the school year of 1930-31.

Not ready for more schooling, I stayed at home for the next few years. In 1934, having my fill of farm life during the depression, drought, wind, etc. of the 1930's, I decided to return to school. I graduated with the class of 1937. After graduation I worked at numerous jobs, and in 1939, with the aid of the National Youth Administration, was employed with the Ziebach County AAA -- a department with Federal Agriculture. My first salary was $45.00 per month.

In April, 1942, I was drafted into the United States Army as a medical first aid person. My first month's salary was $21.00 per month. I spent the first year at army camps in Arkansas and Tennessee. In 1944 our general hospital unit went to England -- south of Bath, England. I later went to Verdun, France and Stuttgart, Germany. I was discharged in 1946 and returned to the United States.

I returned to work with my past employer AAA -- in 1946 and remained there until 1947 when office clerk strength was asked to be reduced to half strength. I then returned to the Miller place south of Dupree to farm my land.

The next year Florence Martin and I were married. She had been an AAA office secretary and clerk since 1940. She remained there during 1948. We lived in two different places south of Dupree during the next 14 years. During those years, our three children -- Donna, Marvin and Douglas -- were born. They attended the elementary grades of school at the White Swan School one mile west of the place.

In 1961, we moved to Spearfish, South Dakota. We lived there for the next 5 years. While there I was employed with the South Dakota State ASCS -- Agriculture. Later I accepted employment with the Meade County ASCS and in 1966, we moved to Sturgis, South Dakota. I remained at that job until my retirement in 1973.

Since 1966, Florence has been employed with the Veterans Administration at Ft. Meade, South Dakota. She will be eligible for retirement in November, 1981. We welcome her time of retirement, so we do not have to meet a time schedule with outside employment.

Donna is married. She and her husband, Dean Dittus, have two daughters -- Jacolyn, age 13, and Gina, age 8. Both are employed and live at Gillette, Wyoming.

Marvin is unmarried. Since graduation, he has been employed as a mining engineer with Magma Copper Mining Corporation, north of Tucson, Arizona. He lives at Tucson.

Douglas is married. He and Denise (Barton) have three sons -- Christopher, age 6, Ryan, age 4, and Brandon, age 2. They live at Aurora (east Denver), Colorado. Doug is a geological engineer and is employed with AMOCO Oil Company at Denver. Denise has a degree in chemistry, but is staying home while the sons are small. They plan another move in about one year.

If plans work out, Florence and I will do more traveling after her retirement. We have always been active during our lifetime, and hope it can remain that way.