William E. Miller

William E. Miller c. 1961, U.S. House of Representatives

Birth Name: William Edward Miller

Date of Birth: March 22, 1914

Place of Birth: Lockport, New York, U.S.

Date of Death: June 24, 1983

Place of Death: Buffalo, New York, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*German (father)
*Irish (mother)

William E. Miller was an American politician. A Republican, he was District Attorney of Niagara County, New York, from 1948 to 1951, a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, from January 3, 1951 to January 3, 1965, Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, from 1960 to 1961, and Chair of the Republican National Committee, from June 2, 1961 to June 15, 1964.

He was the Republican Party’s nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1964.

William was the son of Elizabeth (Hinch) and Edward J. Mueller/Miller. His father was born in New York, to German parents. His mother was born in New York, to an Irish father, and to a mother who herself was born in New York, to Irish parents. William was married to Stephanie Wagner, with whom he had four children, including comedian and radio personality Stephanie Miller.

William was the first Catholic nominated on a national ticket by the Republican Party. Running on a ticket with Barry Goldwater as the nominee for President, William humorously stated:

I’m a Catholic and Barry’s a Jew and a Protestant — Anyone who’s against this ticket is a damned bigot.

William’s paternal grandfather was named Jean/John Mueller/Miller.

William’s paternal grandmother was named Susanna/Susan Elentz.

William’s maternal grandfather was named Edward Hinch (the son of Patrick Hinch and Margaret).

William’s maternal grandmother was named Julia Margaret Mahar.

Sources: William E. Miller on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

William’s mother on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org