J. K. Miller House
Denison, Grayson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Pioneer home of James Kinsey Miller and wife Orrena (Tabor), who came to Texas from North Carolina in 1852, settling in 1860 in area of later Denison. About 1866 Miller and his sons built 2-room dogtrot house of oak logs over stone cellar with gun ports for defense in Indian attacks. Later additions made the house more livable. In family of 14 children, a Miller daughter born in this house was the first known native of Denison. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1972 Incise in base: Preserved by Mr. and Mrs. Warren R. Blood
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
James Kinsey Miller and his wife Orrena came from North Carolina in 1852 and settled by 1860 near the future Denison, where about 1866 they and their sons raised a two-room dogtrot house of oak logs over a stone cellar — complete with gun ports for defense against Indian raids. A daughter born in the house is remembered as the first known native of Denison. The heavy log construction and gun ports capture just how exposed north Texas settlement still was after the Civil War.
Why it matters
A fortified dogtrot cabin is a rare surviving artifact of the moment when north-Texas farm families still built their homes to be defended, marking the frontier line between settlement and the open plains.
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Related people
- · James Kinsey Miller
- · Orrena (Tabor) Miller
Themes & tags
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