Lewis Miller & His Valentine

Valentine, Hand drawn and cut by Lewis Miller, 1857.
Donation-funded museum purchase, 2002.

Do you know about folk artist Lewis Miller? The brother of Dr. Joseph Miller, a Christiansburg physician in the early 1800s, Lewis Miller visited Christiansburg and became infatuated with the scenic town.

Born in York, Pennsylvania in 1796, Lewis Miller became a carpenter after being apprenticed to his older brother John. He was a gifted craftsman, but his natural passion was art and travel.

Miller completed over 2000 sketches during his lifetime. He spent over half his life in York, PA and the majority of his work depicts scenes from that area. However he traveled extensively, including to Europe. His first recorded visit to Christiansburg was in 1831 to visit his brother, Joseph Miller. He often traveled with his nephew, Rev. Charles Miller, a minister and son of Dr. Joseph Miller.

Lewis Miller spent considerable time with relatives in Christiansburg. Many of his sketches of the area were done in 1856 and 1857. It is likely that Miller was a frequent visitor to the Presbyterian Manse that is now home to the museum. He lived the last twenty years of his life in Christiansburg where he died in 1882. Miller is buried in the historic Craig Cemetery, which is under the care of the Montgomery Museum.

We are fortunate to have two original Miller sketches, an original Valentine dated 1857, and a daguerreotype in our permanent collection, along with numerous articles, artifacts, and reproductions.

Valentine Transcription

Outer Ring, clockwise from 11:00:

Content and bless'd when e'er I hear the voice of her I love.

how Sweet, at close of silent eye, the harp's responsive- Sound.

Remember dear - life footstep runs - and hours flows from thy time.

Beauty with all its gaudy Sows is but a painted bubble.

Our hands in friendship join so let our Social powers combine,

Rul'd by a pafsion [passion] most divine friendship with our creator.

How Sweet to sit beneath a tree in Some delightful grove! -

But, Oh! More soft, more Sweet to me the voice of her I love.

Inner ring: clockwise from 11:00:

"February. 14th , Valentine Day, 1857. L. Miller."

Inner ring at top.

She hears me not, she cares not, nor will she list to me.

O take me to thy arms my love for its bitter cold.

Tell her I only ask She'll think of me Sweet rose.

Still in my heart Shall dwell yet he's loved so well.

What made my heart so sore it was parting from her.

Fly not yet tis Just the horn when pleasure flow'r.

O take me to your arms, my love, for keen the wind doth blow,