Clement Woodnutt Miller (October 28, 1916 – October 7, 1962) was an American World War II veteran and politician who served two terms as a U.S. representative from California from 1959 to 1962. He was killed in a plane crash during his second term in office.

Clement Woodnutt Miller
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 1st district
In office
January 3, 1959 – October 7, 1962
Preceded byHubert B. Scudder
Succeeded byDon H. Clausen
Personal details
Born
Clement Woodnutt Miller

(1916-10-28)October 28, 1916
Wilmington, Delaware
DiedOctober 7, 1962(1962-10-07) (aged 45)
near Eureka, California
Resting placePoint Reyes National Seashore, north of San Francisco, California.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseKatharine Southerland Miller
EducationLawrenceville School, Williams College

Early life and career

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Clement Miller was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on October 28, 1916. He graduated from the Lawrenceville School, from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1940, and briefly attended Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations in 1946.

World War II

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He enlisted in the United States Army in 1940, serving as a private in the 258th Field Artillery Regiment. He was discharged in 1945 as a captain. During his military career, he had service in the Netherlands and Germany.

After the war

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He became a veterans service officer in Nevada in 1946 and an employment service official for the State of Nevada, in 1947. He then became a field examiner and hearing officer for the National Labor Relations Board for Northern California from 1948 to 1953.

He became a landscape consultant in 1954.

Tenure in Congress

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He ran for Congress in 1956 but was unsuccessful. He ran again in 1958 and was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-sixth Congress. In 1960, he was re-elected to the Eighty-seventh Congress. Of note, Miller authored the legislation that established Point Reyes National Seashore.

Death and burial

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He served in Congress from January 3, 1959, until his death in an airplane accident near Eureka, California, on October 7, 1962. He was interred in Point Reyes National Seashore, north of San Francisco, California.

Legacy

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He was a grandson of Charles R. Miller and a nephew of Thomas W. Miller, and the grandfather of poet and rapper George Watsky.

Miller was elected posthumously to the Eighty-eighth Congress.

He was the author of the book Member of the House: Letters of a Congressman.[1]

Electoral history

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1956 United States House of Representatives elections[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hubert B. Scudder (Incumbent) 102,604 53.6
Democratic Clement Woodnutt Miller 88,962 46.4
Total votes 191,566 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
1958 United States House of Representatives elections[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Clement Woodnutt Miller 102,096 54.9
Republican Frederick G. Dupuis 84,807 45.1
Total votes 185,903 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic gain from Republican
1960 United States House of Representatives elections[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Clement Woodnutt Miller (Incumbent) 115,829 51.6
Republican Frederick G. Dupuis 108,505 48.4
Total votes 224,334 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
1962 United States House of Representatives elections[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Clement Woodnutt Miller (Incumbent) 100,962 50.8
Republican Donald H. Clausen 97,949 49.2
Total votes 198,911 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold

See also

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References

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  • United States Congress. "Clem Miller (id: M000719)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 1st congressional district

1959–1962
Succeeded by

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress