The Miller Families of Des Moines County, Iowa

ALLEN E. MILLER.

Allen E. Miller, who carries on general farming on section 17, Yellow Springs township, is one of the native sons of Des Moines county, his birth having occurred in Franklin township on the 16th of December, 1867. His parents were Miles M. and Sarah J. (Sheppard) Miller, who were also natives of this county, the former born November 11, 1842, and the latter April 12, 1846. The mother is now living in Mediapolis. The Miller family has long been represented in this county, five generations of the family having lived here. The great-grandfather, John Miller, came with his son, John S., in 1836, the family home being established near the Green College schoolhouse. His last days were spent in Franklin township. The grandparents of Allen E. Miller were John S. and Malinda (Bishop) Miller, natives of Indiana. They arrived in this county in 1836, settling in Franklin township, where Mr. Miller entered land from the government. Iowa was at that time part of the Northwest Territory and it seemed that the work of progress and development had scarcely been begun within the borders of the present state. He became an active factor in advancing the agricultural interests of Des Moines county and in other ways contributed to the upbuilding of this section. In the later years of their lives he and his wife took up their above in Mediapolis, where he passed away in 1877, while her death occurred about 1878. They had a family of two sons and five daughters, including Miles M. Miller.

The last named was engaged in farming until about 1903, when he retired and took up his above in the town, there spending his remaining days, his death occurring September 7, 1913. At the time of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting in Company C, Thirtieth Iowa Infantry, with which he served for three years. He joined the army as a private and was raised to the rank of sergeant. He was slightly wounded in the battle of Missionary Ridge, and he participated in many important engagements. Some time after his return from the war he removed to Mount Pleasant, where he spent four years in order to give his children the benefit of education in the city schools there. The remainder of his life was devoted actively to farming. He started out with one hundred and sixty acres of the old Sheppard place and as the years passed on won a substantial measure of prosperity, having at his death six hundred and twelve acres all in one body. In addition to tilling the soil and the production of crops best adapted to climatic conditions he engaged in stock-raising. He was active as a stalwart supporter of the republican party and was at one time mayor of Mediapolis, in which connection he exercised his official prerogatives in support of various measures for the public good. He held membership in the Presbyterian church in Mediapolis and also in the Grand Army post there.

His wife is a daughter of William Sheppard, a native of New Jersey, who came to Iowa in 1845 " settled in Franklin township. He taught school in a log schoolhouse in Round Prairie and otherwise was identified with the early development and progress of the county. He was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, however, for death claimed him during the cholera scourge of 1850 while he was hauling lumber for his house. His widow remained upon the farm with her six small children to the time of her death, which occurred in 1868. She bore the maiden name of Phoebe Husted. It was their daughter Sarah J. who became the wife of Miles M. Miller, and by this marriage there were born ten children: Allen E.; Eva, the deceased wife of E. B. Conklin; Frances, who died at the age of fifteen years; Cora, who died in infancy; Bessie, who died at the age of five years; John S., of Yellow Springs township; Mattie, the wife of T. A. Merrill, of Mediapolis; Hattie, the wife of F. L. Coe, of Mediapolis; and twins who died in infancy.

Allen E. Miller has spent his entire life in this county and has always followed the occupation of farming. He owns one hundred and twenty acres which originally belonged to his father and his farm is a well developed and highly improved tract of land equipped with many modern accessories and conveniences. He has carefully and systematically carried on his farm work and his efforts have been attended with a gratifying measure of prosperity. He has also been president of the Mediapolis Mutual Telephone Company, with which he was thus connected for four years.

In 1888 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Miller and Miss Cora Lee Lusk, who was born in Franklin township, May 17, 1867, a daughter of Hamilton Marion and Helen Mar (Gillette) Lusk, natives of Indiana and of Ohio respectively. The mother died August 3, 1900, at the age of sixty-two years, and the father passed away in 1870 at the age of thirty-five. They were pioneer residents of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are the parents of six children: Lena Hazel, now the wife of Theodore Blake, of Huron township; John Russell; June Carroll; Orviile Hobart; Daniel Lusk; and Helen Frances.

Mr. Miller and his family attend the Presbyterian church, in which he holds membership. He belongs also to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is now serving for the eighth year as township trustee, a fact which indicates his fidelity in the office. He is also a trustee of the Mediapolis Presbyterian church. He takes great interest in the Mediapolis Chautauqua and has camped with them every year since the organization was formed. He stands at all times for progress and improvement along material, political, social, intellectual and moral lines, and his influence has been a potent element for good. He represents one of the old and honored pioneer families and the work instituted by his great-grandfather and his grandfather and carried on by his father is being continued by him. All have borne their part in the work of general improvement and the family name has ever been an honored one in this county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN L. MILLER, a prominent farmer residing on section 7. Pleasant Grove Township, Des Moines Co., Iowa, was born Jan. ' 26, 1826, in Macon County, Ill. He was but ten years of age when he left home, and with his brothers came to Des Moines County, Iowa, settling in Pleasant Grove Township, in April, 1X36. At that early age he and his brothers began breaking prairie and developing a farm on section 7. In June of the same year his parents sold their farm in Illinois and came to Iowa. Our subject remained under the parental roof until he was twenty-seven 3-ears of age. but on the lOlli day fif May. 18.53, he was united in marriage with Miss Anna Lee, a daughter of Frederick and Eliza Lee, of Henry County, Iowa. She was born Aug. 8, 1830, in Bond County, Ill., and became a resident of Henry County, Iowa, in 1835, having emigrated to that county with her parents when but five years of age. Mrs. Miller's father, Frederick Lee. was also a native of Bond County-, Ill., and his death occurred in January. 1880, at the advanced age of eighty years. His wife was a native of Tennessee, and departed this life in Henry County, Jan. 19,

The domestic life of our subject and his young wife was begun upon the farm, where he had resided since coming to Des Moines County, and which still continues to be their home. Throughout his life Mr. Miller has been on a farm, and thoroughly understands the business in all its details. He generally advocates and supports the principles of the Democratic party but in the election of 1 880 he voted for James A. Garfield, thinking that he would better fill the office of President than the candidate of the Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are worthy eral)ers of the United Brethren Church. To this worthy couple were born two children: Mary Jane, now the wife of Theodore Craig, is in the thirty-fourth year of her age; Iven L.. born Oct. 19, 1864, remained with his parents until he attained his majority, when he went to Missouri, and there was united in marriage with Donna F. Hall, of AVatson, Atchison County. He then returned to Iowa and settled on a farm in Henry County. As before stated. John L. Miller is a thorough farmer, and has gained by his own labors a fair competence. He is now the owner of two well-cultivated farms, one comprising 1 18 acres and the other being 117 acres in extent.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE A. MILLER.

George A. Miller, who for many years was prominently identified with educational interests in the West, and whose advocacy of all that tends to benefit humanity has made him a valued factor in every community in which he has resided, now makes his home in Burlington. He was born in Vermont, Sept. 18, 1836. His father, Nathaniel Miller, was a native of Bridgewater, Vt., as was the paternal grandfather, who likewise bore the name of Nathaniel ?\Iiller. The mother of our subject, Mrs. Nancy (Paull) Miller, was a native of Barnarl, Vt., and a daughter of Jeremiah Paull, of Massachusetts, whose wife, Jane Strowbridge, was a native of Middleboro, Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Miller, Jr.. became the parents of five children, four sons and a daughter, of whom three are living; Samuel E., a resident of New Bedford, Ma.ss.; George A.; and Edwin R., who served as a soldier of the Civil War, and is now living in Meriden, N. H. The father died when his son George was but thirteen years of age, and the mother, surviving until Jan. 24, 1870, passed away in Berlin, Vt., at the age of seventy-one years.

George A. Miller, following his father's death, was bound out to a farmer, who was to allow him three months' schooling each year, and when he attained his majority was to give him a suit of clothing and one hundred dollars. But when he was fourteen years of age he was released from this contract and began working by the month as a farm hand. Ambitious to secure an education, he worked ])ersistcntly, saving his money until his capital was sufficient to enable him to continue his studies in an education of higher grade than the district schools. He attended the Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, N. H., and also Barre Academy, at Barre, Wt., completing his acacfemic education by graduation from the former. Subsequently he was graduated from Dartmouth College, at Ilaiinvcr, H., with the class of 1863, winning the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His education was acquired entirely without pecuniary assistance, and while pursuing the higher branches lie taiicht in the public schools.

The elemental strength of his character, thus manifest, proved the basis of his success in later years, and led to his prominence in educational circles. He first taught at the age of eighteen year, having charge of a country school at East Montpelier, Yt., " boarding around " among the pupils. He afterward engaged in teaching at Hyannis, Mass., later taught in the high school of South Weymouth, and was principal there for a year: after which he came to the

Middle West and taught in the high school at Elmwood, Ill., where he was principal of the public schools for three years, and in 1869 he removed to Nebraska, locating on a farm. He bought land in Johnson county with college scrip, this land costing him less than one hundred dollars for a quarter section, but it is now worth five thousand dollars.

He did not long devote his energies to farming, however, but resumed his educational labors at Tecumseh, Nebr., where he taught at an early day for two years. In 1872 he came to Burlington, and was ]principal of the North Hill school in 1872-73. The following year he became principal of the West Madison school and remained in charge there until 1901. In 1898 he sustained injuries which gradually brought on invalid conditions and necessitated his retirement from the field of educational labor in 1901.

For many years he had been active in the dissemination of knowledge in connection with the public-school system of the country, and had made for himself a foremost place among the teachers of this city and the Middle West. He was active in county institute work, lecturing upon the system of pedagogy and the history of the United States, and he frequently attended the meetings of the Southeastern Iowa Teachers' Association.

Professor Miller was married, July 31, 1867, in Wilbraham, Mass., to Miss Mar>' A. Smith, a native of Massachusetts. Her I)parents were.Vlbert and Betsy (Doane) Smith, the former a representative of an old Cape Cod family. Her father was a sea captain, voyaging to the West Indies, Panama, and equatorial ports. He is now deceased, while Mrs. Smith is living in Natick, Mass., at the age of eighty-seven years. Their son, Arthur LeRoy Smith, now at Newchwang, China, was a sea pilot for forty years. Mrs. Lyman C. Brown, a sister, is living at Natick, Mass., and Mrs. E. O. Clark resides in Springfield. The other daughter, Mary A. Smith, became the wife of Professor Miller. They became the parents of five children, of whom only two are living: Mary B., a graduate of the Burlington high and training schools, and a teacher in the West Madison school; and Edward P., a graduate of Iowa College, at Grinnell, now engaged in the hardware business in Marshalltown, Iowa. He married Edith Pence and has two sons, Paul and Pence. The daughter, residing at home, is most devoted to her father in his invalid condition, giving him every care and attention possible. Three of the children died in early life.

During the period of the Civil War, Professor Miller attempted to join the army, but was rejected on account of physical disability, and later, when drafted, was again rejected. During the later days of the rebellion, however, he was at Camp Parole, near Annapolis, in connection with the sanitary commission.

In former years Professor Miller was a member of the Ancient Order of Druids, and represented Patterson Grove, of Burlington, at the State meeting of Druids in Des Moines, when that organization was in a very flourishing condition. He was a charter member of Patterson Grove.

The family are members of the Congregational church, and in its work Mrs. Miller and her daughter take a very active and helpful part. Professor Miller, while unable to engage actively in church work, is still deeply interested in the welfare and progress of the city in which he has made his home for almost a third of a century, and in which his labors have been so effective in advancing the intellectual and moral development.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

July, i8()<i. was the date of his coming to Burlington, where he followed his vocation for five years with one of the merchant tailors. At the expiration of this lime. 1H71, he made a radical change in his business, buying twenty acres of farm land from Robert Hare, in I "lint River township, where he lived for seven years, adding in the meantime twenty acres more.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.