Clell Miller

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Death photo of Clell Miller following botched Northfield robbery
Death photo of Clell Miller following botched Northfield robbery

Clell Miller (January 9, 1850 - September 7, 1876) (also known as Cleland D. Miller or Clenand Miller or McClelland Miller) was an outlaw with the James-Younger Gang who was killed during the gang's robbery at Northfield, Minnesota.

Miller was born on either January 9, 1850 (the date on his tombstone) or December 15, 1849 in Kearney, Missouri[1]. His younger brother Edward T. Miller also joined the gang and was allegedly killed by Jesse James in 1881.

At the age of just 14, Clell Miller joined Bloody Bill Anderson's guerrillas during the American Civil War. He was captured during the skirmish in which Anderson was killed on October 26, 1864. This was Miller's first and only war time combat, and he was lucky not to have been executed by his captors. However, because of his youth he was sent to St. Louis, Missouri at the Gratiot Street Prison. His father obtained his released in April 1865, perjuring himself by saying the family had always been Union supporters. Miller was described as being 5 foot 8 inches tall, with dark reddish auburn hair.[2]

The following James gang events were allegedly attributed to Miller: [3]

On September 7, 1876 Miller was shot and killed by townspeople in the robbery attempt on the First National Bank of Northfield, along with outlaw Bill Chadwell and bank cashier Joseph Lee Heywood and citizen Nicholas Gustavson. Wounded in the fight were Frank James, Charlie Pitts, Cole Younger, Jim Younger, and Bob Younger as well as Northfield citizen Alonzo E. Bunker.

Miller's body was photographed and then buried in Northfield. However, his father claimed the body and Miller was buried at Muddy Fork Cemetery in Kearney.[4]