Xenia Simons Miller (July 9, 1917 – February 21, 2008) was a philanthropist and patron of art and modern architecture. She was married to the CEO of

Cummins Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, electric vehicle components, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipmen ...

J. Irwin Miller Joseph Irwin Miller (May 26, 1909 – August 16, 2004) was an American industrialist, patron of modern architecture, and lay leader in the Christian ecumenical movement and civil rights. He was instrumental in the rise of the Cummins Corporat ...

Early life

Born in

Morgantown, Indiana Morgantown is a town at the intersection of Indiana state routes 135 and 252 in Jackson Township, Morgan County, Indiana, Jackson Township, Morgan County, Indiana, Morgan County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,014 at the 2020 U ...

to Nellie Hosetta Wellons and Luther A. Simons, Xenia Ruth Simons grew up in

Bartholomew County Bartholomew County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 82,208 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Columbus. The county was determined by the U.S. Census Bureau to be home to the mean center of U.S. populat ...

and graduated from

Columbus North High School Columbus North High School (CNHS) is one of the public high schools located in Columbus, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC). Columbus North High School was previously known as Columbus H ...

in 1934. She attended

Indiana Business College Harrison College was a private for-profit college based in Indianapolis, Indiana, with 11 campuses in Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina. The college was founded as Indiana Business College in 1902 in Marion, Indiana. Harrison graduated more tha ...

after high school. Xenia married

in Washington D.C., on February 3, 1943. They met while working at

. J. Irwin and Xenia had five children: Margaret, Catherine, Elizabeth, Hugh, and William.

Philanthropy

J. Irwin and Xenia worked together on many philanthropy projects. They were founding members of the

North Christian Church The North Christian Church is a church in Columbus, Indiana. Founded in 1955, it is part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The church building of 1964 was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen (1910–1961) and co ...

Columbus, Indiana Columbus () is a city in and the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States. The population was 50,474 at the 2020 census. The city is known for its architectural significance, having commissioned noted works of modern architect ...

in 1955. Together they founded the Irwin-Sweeney-Miller Foundation and served as successive presidents. Xenia helped found community groups in

Bartholomew County, Indiana Bartholomew County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 82,208 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Columbus. The county was determined by the U.S. Census Bureau to be home to the mean center of U.S. popul ...

, including the Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation and the William R. Laws Foundation. She helped spearhead revitalization efforts in downtown Columbus, including restoring Franklin Square, Storey House, and forming the Columbus Visitors Center. Xenia served as a trustee and life member of the

Indianapolis Museum of Art The Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) is an encyclopedic art museum located at Newfields, a campus that also houses Lilly House, The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, the Garden at Newfields and more. It is located at the corner of No ...

. She launched the Indianapolis Museum of Art-Columbus Gallery in 1974, which was located at the Columbus Visitors Center. In 1993, she donated money to create a new space attached to the

Columbus Commons John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons is a park and Green infrastructure, green space in Downtown Columbus, Ohio, downtown Columbus, Ohio, located on the site of the former Columbus City Center mall. The park features gardens, a performance stage, car ...

for the satellite gallery.

Miller House and Gardens

In addition to their philanthropy of donating money towards bringing noted architects and artists' work to

, J. Irwin and Xenia worked with noted architect

Eero Saarinen Eero Saarinen (, ; August 20, 1910 – September 1, 1961) was a Finnish-American architect and industrial designer who created a wide array of innovative designs for buildings and monuments, including the General Motors Technical Center; the pa ...

and interior designer

Alexander Girard Alexander Girard (May 24, 1907 – December 31, 1993), affectionately known as Sandro, was an architect, interior designer, furniture designer, industrial designer, and a textile designer. Early life He was born in New York City to an America ...

to design their home in Columbus. Xenia was influential in the design of the Miller House, working with Saarinen and Girard to direct the design. In a letter to J. Irwin in 1943, Xenia wrote "Can you picture a very, very modern house with huge front windows, a flat rooftop built of something beige color coming out from under the trees at the edge of the woods on our hill?" The Miller House was built nearly ten years later in 1953. Following Xenia's death on February 21, 2008, the family of J. Irwin and Xenia donated the home and gardens to the

in 2009.

Awards

In addition to joint recognitions and awards received with J. Irwin, Xenia received honorary doctorates from

Butler University Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study within six colleges in the arts, business, communic ...

, St. Mary-of-the-Woods,

MacMurray College MacMurray College was a private college in Jacksonville, Illinois, United States. Its enrollment in fall 2015 was 570. Founded in 1846, the college closed in May 2020. History Although founded in 1846 by a group of Methodist clergymen as the ...

, and

Christian Theological Seminary Christian Theological Seminary is an ecumenical seminary related to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It provides five degree-level education courses, three dual-degree programs, a Doctor of Minist ...

. She was named one of the Most Influential Women in Indiana by the ''

Indianapolis Star Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County. Indianapolis is situated in the state's central till plain region along the west fork of ...

'' in 1974 and one of ''

Indianapolis Monthly ''Indianapolis Monthly'' is a lifestyle magazine published in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. The magazine has some special publications and projects including Indiana Bride, Home, The Ticket, and Indiana Travel Guide. History Founded in 1977, the ...

s five Most Influential Women in Indiana in 1984.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Xenia 1917 births 2008 deaths Philanthropists from Indiana