Remembering Our History
During the first camp meeting gathered July 29, 1872 on Christian Hill “near Hyannis,” the Christian Camp Meeting Association was founded and selected as its first president, Rev. William Miller, pastor of the church in South Portsmouth, RI. He was reported to be “a genial gentleman whose form and face was like that of George Washington.
Mr. Miller was born in Swansea April 23, 1817, and passed his early life in that town, attending the public schools there. When a young man he went to New Bedford to learn the trade of mason, and it was in that city, studying at night school, that he continued his education and prepared himself during his spare time for the ministry in the Christian Church.
He was married March 3, 1841, to Miss Anna Buffington of Swansea, daughter of Deacon John Buffington. While in New Bedford he was Superintendent of the Sunday school of the Bonney Street Church and preached there occasionally. From New Bedford he removed to Lynn in 1853, where he remained as pastor of the Christian Church for six years. From there he went to South Portsmouth, R. I. for a period of 11 years, going next to Bristol, R. I. for four years. After being pastor in Westport, Fairhaven, Newport, and New Bedford. Throughout his career he remained a staunch Prohibitionist. He kept a journal through his life and during the last summer he built a boat, which was launched a few months before his death in 1903.
While his term as president was not long, he remained active as a preacher through the 70s and 80s.
His wife died in 1901 and Miller left behind two daughters, Mrs. G. P. Sherman of South Portsmouth, and Mrs. J. F. Marden of Newport, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Source: "History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917;"