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Person

Capt. Harrison “Tip” Miller

Also Harrison Miller · Capt. Harrison Miller · Tip Miller

Draft — sources verified, prose evolving

TypePerson
Born1838
Died1931
WithinBeaver Island
ErasIrish era
On this page
Person
Born
1838
Died
1931
Work
Keeper, Beaver Island Light · Keeper, Beaver Island Life-Saving Station · Keeper, Point Betsie Life-Saving Station
Siblings
Ruth Ann Bedford
Member of
Beaver Island Life-Saving Station
Eras
Irish era
Concepts
maritimeshippinglighthousesheritage
Within
Beaver Island

Summary

Capt. Harrison “Tip” Miller (1838–1931) was a Beaver Island light keeper and the early keeper of the Beaver Island Life-Saving Station. A 1908 reprint says he kept the island light from 1863 to 1874, entered the Life-Saving Service in 1876, and was transferred to Point Betsie on March 14, 1887. It identifies the J. I. Case response of November 23, 1883 among the wrecks he attended.

Evidence and limits

This is a source-bounded career record, not a Life-Saving Service personnel file. Clarke Historical Library’s later research card supplies the 1931 death year but gives 1835 rather than the contemporary report’s 1838 birth year; the latter is retained pending a primary civil record. The sources are enough to connect Miller to the dated J. I. Case response, but not to identify a crew, the exact rescue work, or a complete career.

A later Beaver Island Historical Society narrative also credits Miller with rescuing Captain Henry Bundy and his family when their gospel ship sank. The Society’s 1978 map gives the vessel annotation a dagger and June 10, 1882, but does not name Miller. Because neither local source cites a lighthouse log, Life-Saving Service journal, casualty report, or contemporary newspaper, the rescue remains a documented tradition rather than an established career event.

See also

Kin

Ruth Ann Bedford1834 – 1911This articleCapt. Harrison“Tip” Miller1838 – 1931
Only relations stated in the sources are drawn; absence means unrecorded, not childless or unmarried.

Sources

  1. Charlevoix Sentinel, July 30, 1908, “Brave Old Capt. ‘Tip’ Miller,” reprinting the Frankfort Express.
    The 1908 reprint says Miller was born in Westchester County, New York, in 1838; came with his parents to Beaver Island in 1849; kept Beaver Island Light from 1863 to 1874; entered the Life-Saving Service in 1876 as keeper of the newly established Beaver Island station; transferred to Point Betsie on March 14, 1887; and resigned there July 10, 1908 because of failing eyesight. It identifies the J. I. Case as among the wrecks he attended, dated November 23, 1883. It does not give a death date or primary service record. No public copy of this file is known; the archive holds one and can provide it on request.
    charlevoix · charlevoixsentin1219unse
  2. The research card gives “1835-1931” and says he died at La Crosse, Wisconsin. It independently corroborates the same Beaver Island Light and life-saving-station career, and supplies the death year. Its 1835 birth-year notation conflicts with the contemporary 1908 reprint’s 1838, so the existing 1838 value is retained pending a primary civil record.
  3. Described in this archive: Helen Collar family-tree images.
    The diagram labels “Harrison ‘Tip’ Miller” and places him in the same Miller–Bedford–Campbell relationship chart as Ruth and Thomas Bedford. It supports only the source-bounded sibling bridge.
    web · collar_family_trees · collar-bio-b-004-thomas-bedford-01-mueller-bedford-campbell-family-tree
  4. Later local narrative credits Miller with saving Captain Henry Bundy and his family when their gospel ship Good Tidings sank. It gives no date, place, vessel identifier, Life-Saving Service record, or primary citation; the rescue is therefore recorded as tradition, not added to participated_in as an established dated event.
  5. Described in this archive: Beaver Island History Map, 1978 revision.
    Labels Captain Bundy’s gospel ship GOOD TIDINGS with a dagger and June 10, 1882, but does not name Miller or cite the source behind the date.

Added 2 August 2026. Recent changes

Cite this article

Beaver Island Archive, “Capt. Harrison “Tip” Miller”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/people/harrison-tip-miller/, accessed [date], citing Charlevoix Sentinel, July 30, 1908, “Brave Old Capt. ‘Tip’ Miller,” reprinting the Frankfort Express. (and 4 further sources listed on the page).

Last revised 2026-08-02. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.

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