Miller Dairy Farms Records
00145

Summary Information

Repository
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Title
Miller Dairy Farms records
ID
00145
Date [inclusive]
1900-1979
Extent
6.0 Cubic feet , 48 volumes in box.
Language
English

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."

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Historical Note

Miller Dairy Farms, located in Eaton Rapids, Michiga, began producing ice cream in 1896. Dennis G. Miller founded the enterprise, which grew from an 111 acre farm in 1896 to 14 farms in Eaton and Ingham counties, covering 1,300 acres by 1971, with ice cream sold through 11 Miller Dairy Farms stores and 150 dealers in Michigan.

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Scope and Contents note

The Miller Dairy Farms records of their ice cream enterprise is comprised of 1 general account book from 1900-1904; 28 ice cream order books from 1910-1932; 10 receipt books from 1930-1948; 3 expense journals from 1943-1950; and various other account volumes from 1930-1945. There are receipts from 1902-1949; correspondence from 1910-1949; various financial papers from 1912-1945; and advertisements and customer lists. A 75th anniversary edition of the Miller's Farm News newspaper give historical and general information on the Miller Dairy Farms from 1896-1971, with biographical information on Dennis G. Miller and his son, George F. Miller, president of the company until his death in 1979. Personal items include a personal ledger of school expenses from 1913-1915; Boy Scout pamphlets from 1959-1965; and obituaries for George F. Miller in 1979. There are also photographs taken from circa 1920 to circa 1949 of the soda bar, downtown Eaton Rapids, Miller dairy farm and ice cream factory, an ice cream delivery truck, and Dennis G. Miller. Also included in this collection are two postcards of Eaton Rapids.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections October 1979

Conrad Hall
888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu

Revision Description

  February 2013

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Legal Status

Copyright: Michigan State University. Property Rights: Michigan State University.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Custodial History

Gift of Bryce E. Thomson, 1979-07-03.

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Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

  • Account books
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Photographs
  • Postcards

Geographic Name(s)

  • Eaton Rapids (Mich.)

Personal Name(s)

  • Miller, Dennis G., -1953
  • Miller, George F., 1896 - 1979
  • Thomson, Bryce E.

Subject(s)

  • Ice cream industry
  • Ice cream, ices, etc.
  • Industries -- Michigan

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Collection Inventory

Volumes 

Scope and Contents note

Box Folder

Ice Cream Order Book 

1
Box Folder

 January 1, 1910 - March 6, 1912 

1 vol. 1

 January 1, 1912 - April 3, 1913 

1 vol. 2

 January 1, 1913 - April 10, 1915 

1 vol. 3

 January 1, 1915 - June 8, 1919 

1 vol. 4

 June 9, 1919 - May 19, 1921 

1 vol. 5

 May 19, 1921 - August 6, 1922 

1 vol. 6

 August 7, 1922 - January 5, 1923 

1 vol. 7

 January 1, 1923 - July 31, 1923 

1 vol. 8

 August 1, 1923 - February 30, 1924 

1 vol. 9

 March 1, 1924 - July 12, 1925 

1 vol. 10

 July 13, 1925 - January 4, 1926 

1 vol. 11

 January 4, 1926 - April 30, 1927 

1 vol. 12

 May 1, 1927 - October 7, 1927 

2 vol. 13

 January 1, 1928 - July 25, 1928 

2 vol. 14

 July 26, 1928 - December 31, 1928 

2 vol. 15

 January 1, 1928 - June 23, 1929 

2 vol. 16

 June 24, 1929 - October 3, 1929 

2 vol. 17

 October 4, 1929 - March 9, 1930 

2 vol. 18

(See folder 21 for June 15, 1930) -- March 10, 1930 - June 14, 1930 

3 vol. 19

 June 16, 1930 - August 6, 1930 

3 vol. 20

 August 7, 1930 - December 12, 1930 

3 vol. 21

 December 15, 1950 - May 16, 1931 

3 vol. 22

 May 16, 1931 - July 10, 1931 

3 vol. 23

 July 10, 1931 - August 29, 1931 

3 vol. 24

 August 29, 1931 - January 8, 1932 

3 vol. 25

 January 9, 1932 - May 14, 1932 

4 vol. 26

 May 15, 1932 - July 12, 1932 

4 vol. 27

 July 13, 1932 - September 23, 1932 

4 vol. 28

General Account Book -- April 2, 1900 - February 8, 1904 

4 vol. 29

Order Book -- May 16 (1915) - August 22, (1915) 

4 vol. 30

Cone Shoppe Account Book -- August 6, 1932 - February 2, 1933 

4 vol. 31

Expense Journal 

4
Box Folder

 October 1, 1943 - November 8, 1945 

4 vol. 32

 November 9, 1945 - July 23, 1947 

4 vol. 33

 July 24, 1947 - February 28, 1950 

4 vol. 34

Receipt Book 

5
Box Folder

 January 4, 1930 - January 13, 1936 

5 vol. 35

 January 16, 1936 - December 31, 1937 

5 vol. 36

 January 3, 1938 - July 5, 1939 

5 vol. 37

 July 1, 1939 - January 21, 1941 

5 vol. 38

 January 22, 1941 - July 24, 1942 

5 vol. 39

 July 25, 1942 - February 29, 1944 

5 vol. 40

 March 1, 1944 - June 29, 1946 

5 vol. 41

 July 1, 1946 - March 8, 1947 

5 vol. 42

 March 10, 1947 - September 30, 1947 

5 vol. 43

 October 1, 1947 - June 18, 1948 

5 vol. 44

Meat and Fats Sales Book -- June 1, 1943 - April 4, 1945 

5 vol. 45

Meats and Fats Account Book -- June 1, 1943 - October 11, 1945 

5 vol. 46

Account Book -- n.d. 

5 vol. 47

Personal Ledger of School Expense -- September 24, 1913 - March 27, 1915 

5 vol. 48

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Papers 

Box Folder

Receipts 

6
Box Folder

 January 29, 1902 - April 19, 1902 

6 1

 May 19, 1915 - September 14, 1915 

6 2

 July 30, 1918 - December 16, 1918 

6 3

 January 15, 1919 - November 1, 1919 

6 4

 July 17, 1920 

6 5

 May 27, 1922 - November 14, 1922 

6 6

 January 4, 1923 - March 6, 1923 

6 7

 May 22, 1925 - November 26, 1925 

6 8

 1927 

6 9

 July 9, 1931 

6 10

 December 7, 1944 - December 21, 1944 

6 11

 May 2, 1945 - July 12, 1945 

6 12

 June 27, 1949 

6 13

 n.d. 

6 14

Correspondence -- July 10, 1910 - August 18, 1949 

6 15

List of Cows and Calving Dates -- January 10, 1912 - November 1, 1912 

6 16

Financial Lists & Figures -- October 19, 1912 - September 23, 1937, n.d. 

6 17

Advertisements -- October 22, 1925 - July 8, 1971, n.d. 

6 18

U.S. Census of Manufacturers -- December 31, 1927 

6 19

USDA Ice Cream Manufacturer's Licenses -- April 7, 1927 & April 1, 1928 

6 20

Miss pages from Ice Cream Order Book Volume 19 -- June 15, 1930 

6 21

Michigan Certificate of Registration -- June 29, 1945 

6 22

Boy Scout Pamphlets -- June 25, 1959 - February 28, 1965 

6 23

Miller's Farm News Newspaper November 17, 1971 

6 24

Obituaries for George F. Miller -- February 21, 1979 - February 28,1 979 

6 25

Customer Lists -- n.d. 

6 26

USDA Voucher -- n.d. 

6 27

Sales promotion: "Ticket to the Moon" -- n.d. 

6 28

Photographs circa 1900 - circa 1949 

6 29

Postcards n.d. 

6 30

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