Sunland Tribune Volume 7 Article 13 1981 Captain John Miller Built Tampa's First Shipyard Jane Smith Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune Recommended Citation Smith, Jane (1981) "Captain John Miller Built Tampa's First Shipyard," Sunland Tribune: Vol. 7 , Article 13. Available at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune/vol7/iss1/13 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sunland Tribune by an authorized editor of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. CAPTAIN JOHN MILLER …John's Pass named for him CAPTAIN JOHN MILLER BUILT TAMPA'S FIRST SHIPYARD By JANE (MRS. STOCKTON) SMITH Captain John Miller, pioneer Tampa It is related in Governor Francis P. merchant, ship owner and operator, builder Fleming's Memoirs of Florida that he was of Tampa's first shipbuilding and repair born in Norway, August 4, 1834. At the age yard, had a very interesting history. of 11 he sailed as a cabin boy to Quebec. On CAPE COD'S MELROSE INN ... homestead of Captain Miller reaching Quebec he became an apprentice where he engaged in the summer time in on the American ship Allegheny and served fishing and in the winter was master of a four years learning navigation and boat making West Indies ports. seamanship. During this time the vessel visited ports in all parts of the world; but CIVIL WAR EXPERIENCES those years, though rich in experience and interest, were not correspondingly lucrative At the outbreak of the Civil War Captain for the young boy, as he received no pay for Miller purchased a brig, which was used by his services.