Résumé

Architect, Southern Pacific Railroad, San Francisco Bay Area, c. 1910.

Principal, Chester H. Miller, Architect, Oakland, CA, 1912-1917.

Partner, Miller and [Carl I.] Warnecke, Architects, Oakland, CA, 1917-1951. Miller retired from the practice in 1951.

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects, Northern California Chapter, c. 1939. (See "Northern California Chapter," Architect and Engineer, vol. 138, no. 3, p. 69.)

Member, City of Oakland, Board of Building Examiners, Oakland, CA, 1928;

Chester Miller did not attend college, but gained his architectural experience working as an apprentice in firms. At an early age, he was forced to earn money to help his parents.

In 1900, Chester lived with his family in a house in the 500 block of East 11th Street in Oakland, CA. The family lived at 314 Quito Road (a street that no longer exists by that name) in Redwood Township in Santa Clara County, CA, in 1910. The 1920 U.S. Census noted that Chester Miller and his family lived in rented quarters at 2921 Florence Street in Berkeley, CA; his parents lived nearby at 2437 Ashby Avenue; in 1930, Miller, his wife and 10-year-old daughter lived at 4018 Elston Avenue, Oakland; the Millers owned this house which had a value of $6,000. They owned a radio set at this time.

Chester Miller was the only child of Isaac and Emma Miller. Isaac H. Miller, (born c. 05/1851) held a number of jobs over the years. In 1900, he worked as a foreman in a storage company in Oakland, CA, while 10 years later, the family lived near Redwood City, CA, and Isaac farmed fruit. Chester's mother was Emma L. Miller, born c. 03/1860, who kept house for the family. His parents married c. 1888. In 1920, Isaac and Emma lived in a rental unit nearby to Chester in Berkeley, and his father, at age 63, was not working. An article in the Pacific Architect and Builder, 07/1959, noted that Chester Miller "...did not receive any advanced academic training because he had to work to support his parents." (See "PA & B Profile: John Carl Warnecke, San Francisco, California," Pacific Architect and Builder, 07/1959, 65:7, p.16.)

The 1930 U.S. Census indicated that Chester Miller had married Esther B. Miller, a woman of the same age, and that they had been married for 13 years; the 1920 Census, however, indicated that her name was Edna E. Miller, who was five years older than he; both censuses agreed that while Chester Miller's parents migrated from OH, hers had come to CA from IN.

He had an adopted daughter, Jane, born c. 02/1920 in CA.

The U.S. Census of 1900 indicated that Chester Miller had been born in 02/1889, while the California Death Index stated his birth date to have been 02/12/1890.