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Simeon V. B. Miller scrapbook

 Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: MSA 21

Scope and Contents

The Simeon V. B. Miller scrapbook contains memorabilia from Simeon Van Buren Miller's college career at Purdue University. Since he had been involved in the train wreck of 1903, there are numerous newspaper clippings from the wreck. Simeon Miller followed in the footsteps of his father and two brothers, as a member of Phi Delta Theta, so there is also a concentration of ephemera from the fraternity. He had been president of the class of 1905 during his sophomore year, so the scrapbook also contains items from his tenure as class president.

The scrapbook contains many other miscellaneous items, such as fee statements, dance cards, items from the athletic association and athletic events such as score cards and fee statements, newspaper clippings on the tank scrap, and numerous other programs. The scrapbook contains most of the items in the collection, but there is also one folder that contains loose items from the scrapbook and five additional envelopes containing dance cards, a name card, a coin purse and get well letters and calling cards from Miller's hospital stay after the train wreck.

Dates

  • 1900 - 1906

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection material is in English.

Access Information

The collection is open for research.

Copyright and Use Information

Portions of material in this collection are in the public domain. Other material copyrights held by Purdue University or original creator. Consult with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections prior to reproduction of materials.

Biographical Information

Simeon Van Buren Miller was born in Nineveh, Indiana on August 27, 1882. He was a member of the football team and was among those injured in the Purdue train wreck of 1903. Per a newspaper clipping among his scrapbook memorabilia, "Mr. Miller is admitted to have been the most horribly mangled of all the wreck victims who recovered..." He was also a member of Phi Delta Theta, as his father and two brothers had been. Simeon Miller was also president of the class of 1905 during his sophomore year at Purdue. He graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1906.

Miller established a marine-engine dealership in Crystal Lake, Washington in 1908 and retired in 1945. He won various trophies in inboard and outboard motorboat races. Miller was instrumental in acquiring property for a game refuge for the Seattle Rod and Gun Club. He was a past commodore of the Seattle Outboard Association, a former deacon and elder for the First Christian Church, and a member of Tau Beta Pi engineering honorary.

Extent

0.30 Cubic Feet (One flat box)

Arrangement

Whenever possible, original order of the material has been retained. Hence the reason the scrapbook has been arranged into ten series, which follows the sequence of the actual scrapbook sections and loose items connected to the collection.

Most of the newspaper clippings from the Purdue Train Wreck of 1903 are located at the back of the scrapbook.
  1. Section One
  2. Section Two
  3. Section Three
  4. Section Four
  5. Section Five
  6. Section Six
  7. Section Seven
  8. Section Eight
  9. Section Nine
  10. Artifacts (Loose Items)

Acquisition Information

Collection donated by Clementine Miller Tangeman, niece of Simeon V. B. Miller, Februrary 1, 1979.

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of the scrapbook are available for research use. See our digital collections database e-Archives: Purdue Scrapbooks Collection/Simeon V. B. Miller scrapbook

Processing Information

All materials have been housed in acid-free folders and an acid-free box. All newsprint has been photocopied and in most cases original newspaper clippings have been discarded. Some clippings containing images of people or front pages of newspapers have been preserved for display purposes, with photocopies made available for research. Polyester sleeves have been used where warranted.

The scrapbook has been scanned, and it can be viewed in Purdue E-Archives. See the link provided in "External Documents."
Title
Simeon V. B. Miller scrapbook
Status
In Progress
Author
Mary A. Sego
Date
2020-04-03
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Edition statement
Second edition. Collection description first completed 2010-02-09.

Revision Statements

  • 2020-04-03: Collection description updated to new standards by Mary A. Sego.

Repository Details

Part of the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
504 Mitch Daniels Boulevard
West Lafayette Indiana 47907 United States
765-494-2839