Henry Miller (Heinrich Alfred Kreiser 1827-1916) was born in Brackenheim, Germany.  Miller and his father disagreed about Henry’s life aspirations, and so Henry left seeking more freedom and greater opportunities. Miller arrived in Holland in 1842, then travelled to England in 1845 applying his skills in the meat butchering trade. Saving his money and learning English, he set out for the United States in 1847 sailing to New York City first working as a gardener then as an assistant butcher.  He was impoverished but determined to make America his new home.

When news of the Gold Rush reached him in 1849, Miller was seized by the fever of rapid wealth that could be realized in California. He purchased passage to San Francisco via Panama in April, 1850 which was a difficult journey because of illness and hospitalization. Finally arriving in San Francisco on September 24, 1850, he carried his watch, the clothes on his back, a walking stick and $6.00 in his pocket.  Miller quickly turned his attention away from the mines as he immediately recognized that food was even more valuable. Employing his acute business sense, Miller pursued the meat trade opening a butcher shop in the City and he soon realized that applying his work ethic could lead to a very prosperous future in California.

At the time, most of the cattle in California were the Spanish or Mexican long-horn variety, which were from a butcher’s perspective, leaner and of lower quality than the sturdier short-horn cattle.  Miller fully utilized his skills and business acumen by sourcing beef that were of superior quality.  Acquiring cattle from the Central Valley and forming a partnership with Charles Lux in 1857/1858, Miller was tireless in his travels and in his desire to control land and water to develop his cattle and sheep herds.  One land purchase early on was a portion of the Las Animas Rancho just south of the small community Gilroy in 1863.  MIller and Lux rapidly developed a business plan that not only included the butchering and retail sale of livestock meat, but they vigorously pursued land acquisitions and water rights. Miller was the field man, while Lux managed corporate affairs in San Francisco.  

Henry Miller was one of the most successful businessmen in the history of the American West.  No single individual on the Pacific Coast ever personally owned a greater amount of land than he did.  His Bloomfield Ranch in south Gilroy was the ‘center-place’ of his Bay Area holdings.

The Bloomfield operation included the Glen Farm, where the Miller Red Barn is one the last vestiges of Miller’s success at creating America’s first integrated livestock enterprise.  Mount Madonna County Park was his summer weekend get-away from the heat, dust and raising of animals for slaughter.