This story is about Earl Christain Miller, a founding member of James O. Hall Post 19 of the American Legion, Department of Louisiana. He signed the Application for Post of American Legion on September 24, 1919. The Application was approved on October 10, 1919, which is considered the founding day of the Post.
Earl was born on July 24, 1891 at Letts Iowa. His parents and family moved to Lakeside, LA in 1892 and later moved to Jennings. He is a graduate of the Jennings High School class of 1911. He owned and managed motion picture shows in Jennings from 1911 to 1921. He helped build what is now the Strand Theater in downtown Jennings. He married Bernice Jaenke on September 30, 1917. They have one son, Richard D. Miller, who was born November 18, 1923. Earl enlisted and served in the Regular Army in 1918 during the First World War.
After the war Earl served as an agent of New York Life Insurance Company from 1923 to 1943. In addition to being a founding member of James O. Hall Post 19 of the American Legion, Earl served as Post 19’s Commander from 1931 to 1932. He was a Legion member for over 62 years.
Earl was elected and served in the Louisiana Legislature as Representative from Jefferson Davis Parish from 1944 to 1948. He was a Board Member of both the Jennings Chamber of Commerce and the Jennings Association of Commerce. He was Chairman of the Special Gifts Fund Drive for the New Million Dollar American Legion Hospital in 1958. He was an active participant in fundraising activities for Jennings High School athletics.
He helped organize and served on the Board of Directors of Jennings Federal Savings and Loan, Jeff Davis Bank and Trust Company and the Southwest Louisiana Community Hotel Corporation. He was President of Farm Machinery & Equipment Company, Incorporated, in Jennings.
Earl died on March 27, 1981. He is the brother of fellow founding member Roy S. Miller. Earl’s Great Granddaughter Stacy Myers, and her husband Trey, reside in Jennings.
