George Miller-Mormon Missionaries over the Cherokee Trail
From Cherokee Trail Diaries Volume III (1851-1900)Some break away morman groups emigrated from Illinois to Texas, via Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri. Still others went to Michigan. Lyman Wright, early Morman elder, was one of the Quorum of twelve when the founder of the Morman principles, Joseph Smith died. Prior to Smith's death in 1844 Wright was given permission to take followers from Nauvoo, Illinois to Texas. Previous to moving the coloney to Texas Lyman Wright and George Miller had been Co-leaders of the Black River timber and lumber coloney in Wisconsin. George's son John F. Miller married Lyman's daughter Rozina in Black River Falls Wisonsin. They moved with with Wright in 1845. George wanting to visit took his followers(Millerites)to Texas, their trip starting in 1846. Traveling south, George Miller's company arrived in Indian Territory in January 1847. The lumber coloney members skills were needed they remained in Tahlequah, Cherokee Capital to erect three brick buildings, continuing to Texas in December. In December 1848,Miller arrived at Zodiac, Wrights current settlement four milers from Fredricksburg. Miller stayed two years, starting back to Illinois with Morman followers in December 1849. George Miller and his skilled groups worked for high wages at North Fork Town Indian Territory. George Miller's Morman group continued where Fort Smith& Van Buren, Arkansas road crossed the Texas Road.