John Leslie Miller, son of Harrison Miller and Margaret Ellen Leeper
     Miller was born May 12, 1874, at Azen, Scotland County, Missouri, and
     married Amanda Elizabeth Brooks, December 12, 1898, she being the
     daughter of Owen Tom Brooks and Mary Virginia Phillips Brooks.
       A son Ralph was born in Missouri, October 20, 1899.
       Leslie and Amanda (fondly called Lessie and Mandy) along with Jake
     and Ida Flick Best secured a railroad car and moved their belongings
     from Missouri to Hazelton, Kansas. The Bests stayed at Hazelton, but
     the Millers went to a farm southwest of Kiowa, Kansas. Here they
     resided for awhile and another son, Clyde, was born on December 20,
     1900.
       In the meantime, Leslie had bought out a claim 10 miles northeast
     of what is now Buffalo, Oklahoma; he made trips there on horseback,
     beginning to prove it up. In 1901 the family proceeded to start for
     their future home. The first night they camped on the Salt Fork River,
     southwest of the new town of Hardtner, Kansas. They had two covered
     wagons. The menfolk stayed around the campfire at night to keep warm,
     whyile Amanda and the two small boys slept between the featherbeds in
     one of the wagons. She also kept her bread starter between the feather
     beds, because - no starter, no bread.
       Arriving at the homestead, a half dugout and half sod house was 
     constructed, having one room wiht a dirt floor. Later a frame house
     was built on another site where they found a good water well.
       They had the heartaches of laying away four new babies, but eventually
     they were blessed with three living girls - Pealr, Agnes and Marie. 
     Another tragic loss, though, was the death of their son Clyde, at age
     17, of typhoid fever.
       Many were the experiences of the two oldest girls, herding cattle,
     milking cows, feeding calves, helping in the garden, picking sand plums,
     daydreaming, and enjoying life to the fullest.
       Leslie's health began to deteriorate and in 1926, they decided to sell
     the farm and move to Kiowa, Kansas, where Agnes attended grade school and
     Marie finished two years of high school. In 1928 they bought a small
     acreage and were glad to once again be on a farm. Marie finished her
     last two years of high school at Hazelton.
       Although Leslie's health was bad, he was not an idle man. He hauled
     children to school at Hazelton, using his own car, which was the practice
     at that time. He helped his neighbors by driving tractors and doing field
     work. He was known for his gardening abilities, especially his strawberry
     patches.
       Amanda died October 26, 1947, and Leslie lived alone for almost 15 years
     before passing away August 13, 1962.
       Two of their grandchildren now reside in Barber County; Mrs. Dean
     Alexander and her husband, moving to a farm near Hazelton in 1959; and
     Bruce Koblitz, having moved to 210 Robinson, Kiowa, in 1975. Ivan Lee
     Koblitz is the grandson of Leslie Miller and the son of Alva and Marie
     Miller Koblitz. Ivan Lee Koblitz and Le Ann Cantrell Burchfiel were
     married June 28, 1968, and lived in Kiowa. They have three children: Bob
     Koblitz, born February 17, 1964; Justin Leslie, born June 22, 1971;
     Andrea Lee born June 4, 1973. All three attended Kiowa schools.   
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 326 
     Submitted by: Marie Miller Koblitz