The Lost Promoter of Fairmount

George Melvin Miller was titled ‘The Prophet of Lane County’.  Lane County was named after Joseph Lane who ran with John Breckenridge for the White House.  John is my kindred via John Preston who is kin to Jessie Benton Fremont who authored her husband’s journal about his expedition into the Oregon Territory.

Joseph wrote a letter to Rose O’Neal, a Confederate spy. It is alleged Joseph helped Joaquin Miller become the editor of the Eugene City Democratic Register, a pro-slavery newspaper. However, there is no proof of this, or, Miller was for the Confederacy.  Quite the contrary. Joaquin Miller worshipped the ‘Pathfinder’ who was the first Presidential candidate nominated by the Republican Abolitionist Party.   Miller made a folly to Fremont on his property in the Oakland Hills above where my great grandfather, William Stuttmeister, had a farm. William built about forty homes in Fruit Vale…