Charles Miller

As printed in 1881

CHARLES MILLER, manufacturer, Akron; was born in Upper Nazareth Township, Northampton Co., Penn., Nov. 29, 1815 (a more complete history of whose family appears under the head of Norton Township). The first nineteen years of his life were spent on the farm and in receiving a very meager education; the following spring, he went to learn the carpenter and joiner's trade with one Charles Glass, hiring for two years, which he served with the exception of about three months; his salary was board, washing and mending, with a few tools at the expiration of his apprenticeship; the cause of his not serving the full time was on account of a hard master, and being compelled to do a great deal of work after night. During the time of his apprenticeship, he was engaged on the Beaver Meadow & Hazleton Branch Railroad, from Beaver Meadow to Mauch Chunk, which was at that time one the first railroads in the State. In the spring of 1838, he came to Guilford Township, Medina Co., where he followed his trade until late in the fall, when he returned to Pennsylvania, and worked at White Haven, which was at the head of the Lehigh Canal; later he returned to Northampton Co., remaining there until in 1843, when he again came to Ohio, stopping for a time in Wayne Co. He worked at his trade and engaged in farming until in 1857, when he entered into a partnership with Abraham Krotz in the sale of farming implements for C. M. Russell & Co., of Massillon, in which they continued two years; the partner appropriating the money obtained from sales and dying on his way home from Illinois where they had been operating, left Mr. Miller in almost destitute circumstances when the indebtedness was paid up. In 1861, after John F. Seiberling began the manufacture of the Excelsior, at Doylestown, Mr. Miller acted as general agent, operating in a large territory and selling, himself, nearly half of the machines manufactured by that company. In 1863, he purchased a quarter interest in the Seiberling patents, and subsequently was compelled to expend hundreds of dollars in the purchase of other prior inventions to make their patents valid. In 1865, he having prior to that time formed a partnership of several of Akron's prominent business men and purchased the ground for the manufacture of the Excelsior Mower and Reaper, they built the works of that company on Broad street in the city of Akron. John F. Seiberling afterward became connected with the firm which stood until in 1875, when they made an assignment, at which time Mr. Miller was the owner of $65,500 in stock, besides having loaned the firm several thousand dollars, which has been almost a total loss. In 1879, he, in connection with his sons, purchased the chain works of a Mr. Matherson, at Cuyahoga Falls, and moved the same to Akron, having purchased the Schevere works where they are now extensively engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of chains and running from sixty to eighty men. He was married in February, 1843, to Hannah Bechtel, daughter of Abraham Bechtel; by this marriage there have been four sons and three daughters — Emma Elizabeth, Henry D., Amanda Ann, Harvey F., Levin J., S. Samuel, Cora 0.; four are married and residents of Akron — Emma E., now Mrs. Frank Reifsnider, he a traveling salesman for the rubber works in Cleveland; Henry, married to Miss Minnie Sigley; Amanda, now wife of Mr. Kratz, superintendent at the Thomas Planing Mill; Harvey, married to Miss Mary Hayes. Levin J. is engaged in business in the West. Mr. Miller has been a man of great energy and business ability, and the manner in which he has adjusted the great losses which he has suffered has made him many warm friends in his declining age.

As printed in History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.