Miller Hill Cemetery is located on County Rd 5 (Piceance) just about 1 mile north of the Rock School. I would recommend it as part of of a leisurely half-day trip. The White River Museum has an informational brochure giving you points of interest along the way. If you are new to our county, or feel the need for a road trip and picnic, this is perfect for you. The Miller Hill Cemetery is a short walk off the road and has a wonderful view of the valley and pastures. A blue highway sign announces it on the west side of the road. Just pull off the road and be sure to close all gates when you leave. The iron gates depict a lone cowboy riding the range. The iron-decorated gates depict a lone cowboy riding the range. Jim Burke spent considerable time making these gates. They were installed when the fencing was replaced.
Standing in the rocky cemetery is peaceful and inspiring. Reading some of the stones gives you an insight into the hardy life of isolated ranch families. The first thing you notice is the high percentage of infant gravestones. It is a reminder that childbirth was dangerous for both mother and child a century ago. The area is full of ranching history. If you are a history nut, like me, read the book “Land of the Tall Grass” by Gracie Petrakian. She narrated early life on Piceance Creek in a warm personal manner. There are many descendants of those pioneers still living in our area.
Piceance is pronounced locally as “pee-ants.” According to Dudley Harland in the This is What I Remember books, The Love family originally donated the two acres. In previous histories, that statement was not confirmed. From my own land research, I found that the parcel never was separated from anyone’s ranch. To put it simply, the cemetery was on land that the Love family used, but didn’t own when the cemetery began to be used in 1898. The Miller Hill Cemetery was on public land until 1920. The Love family may have figured this out after using the land since 1912 when Charles Thurston Love acquired the Herman Richner ranch from his estate. Richner had the land near the cemetery, but didn’t own the land with the cemetery. Charles, for some reason, chose not to file for homestead on Miller Hill. His unmarried daughter filed the paperwork under her name, Lilian B. [Bell] Love. She received her patent on Sept. 23, 1920. Her homestead included the East half of the Southwest quarter, Section 9, Twp 2S, Range 97W (where the cemetery had already been for 22 years).
The origin of the name Miller Hill is uncertain. A lot of gulches in the area are named after the first family to homestead. It follows that there was a Miller family early on Piceance Creek. No one remembers a Miller family today, but I did come up with a candidate by culling tax records of RBC. In 1889, Andy W. Miller paid taxes on improvements and horses on “public land.” Andrew Miller and Howard Miller were partners in 1889. I found a writ of attachment filed in 1891 by The Glenwood National Bank against both. Later Andrew W. Miller deeded land on Piceance Creek in 1S,Twp 98W sec 30 and 2S, Twp 99W, sec 25 to Elizabeth G. Miller. By 1898, this Miller family was living in Denver. Elizabeth is buried in the historic Fairmont Cemetery of Denver. There is another Miller who owned land in Piceance: William H. Miller (1845-1910) is mentioned in the first issue of the Meeker Herald in 1885 as owning a herd of cattle. His wife, Sarah Miriah Herrick Miller(1851-1916) owned and operated the Miller House in Meeker for 28 years. She advertised it in the Meeker Herald as a “family hotel.” Sarah and W.H. Miller did have cattle in 1890 on Yellow Creek and Piceance Creek. Sarah is buried in the Highland Cemetery next to her father, William Herrick, a veteran of the Mexican War.
Interestingly, in doing the genealogy of all the families on the bronze plaques, I counted 32 different surnames. Not one of them was a Miller.
By ED PECK
My thanks to Rio Blanco Historical Society, Ellen Reichert, Wiley Berthelson, Mike Brennan, Terry Mobley, Art and Lila Cox, Phyliss Lake, the staff at the Meeker Cemetery and others.