C.L. (Clarence Leon) Miller (b. circa 1886) and his younger brother Percy David Miller (b. circa 1889) were both born in Iowa and moved to Whatcom County by 1910, where they worked in the lumber and shingle business. By 1919 C. L. was married to Johanna Miller and they had a son, Clarence Miller, who served in WWII as a corporal. C.L. also owned an 80 acre dairy farm near Sumas.

By 1910 C.L. Miller and Percy D. Miller both resided in Sumas, Washington and worked in the shingle business. By 1918, they had established Miller and Sons. Percy sold out his interest to his brother in April 1921, but continued to work in the timber industry. The two brothers established the Miller-Lidstone Lumber Company in 1919 with L.W. Lidstone who was bought out at the end of the year.

C.L. Miller in particular was involved in numerous other business partnerships. This may reflect the volatility of the business, especially during the Depression, as well as the need to partner with many individuals to gain access to land with timber.  C.L. operated mostly in Whatcom County, although he also engaged in business in Skagit and King County.  Some of these partnerships included the Miller Logging Company (begun in 1923 with his brother Percy and R.E. White) and the Miller-Allen Company (begun in 1931 with W.R. Allen). In 1935, C.L. partnered with R.E. Hagin to establish the Miller-Hagin Shingle Company and ran a mill owned by Upright Shingle Company.  By 1938 he was working with Paul Gilfilen and they had established Miller-Gilfilen.  By 1939 he was working with John German and had begun Miller-German which was dissolved in 1950.  In 1939 C.L. established Olsen-Miller Cedar Mill with Oscar J. Olsen. In 1941 it would change to the Whatcom Cedar Mills Company with P.K. Knutson added to the partnership, although in 1944 Miller would buy him out. In 1950 Clarence Miller joined his father in the shingle business and became a partner in Miller and Sons.

References

Whatcom County Census, 1910.  Vol.3, p.83.