Oliver H. Miller

As printed in 1902

OLIVER H. MILLER.

01i\er H. Miller is engaged in the practice of law in Springfield. He was born in Clark county, Ohio, October 10, 1862, and is a representative of two of the old families of this portion of the state. He traces his ancestry back to Moses Miller, who was born in England on the ist of August, 1759, and on leaving his native land emigrated to New Jersey, where he was married in 1780. He came to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1791, and spent his last days in Clark county, where he passed away in 1814, having removed from Cincinnati to this locality in 1806. He took up his above in Mad River township, following farming there. At the usual government price he purchased nearly one thousand acres of land, which his descendants still have in their possession. He married Phrtbe Baker, who was born in New Jersey December 31, 1761. She had two brothers, Jonathan and Melyn, who came to Clark county about 1806 and settled on adjoining land in Mad River township.

Moses Miller and his wife became the parents of eight children, of whom Melyn Miller, the grandfather of our subject, was the eighth in order of birth. He was born in Cincinnati in 1801 and died in Clark county January 15, 1854. Like the other members di the family he pursued his education in the early schools of this county, was reared amid the wild scenes of frontier life and followed farming and cabinet making in order to provide for his wife and children. The Millers are not a long-lived race, nor have they married early in life and of this particular branch of the family there are but few descendants. The land originally owned by the grandfather has always remained in the family. Melyn Baker Miller, the grandfather, was married to Christena Powell, of LIrbana, Ohio, who was born April 15, 1803, and died October 16, 1884. Their marriage was celebrated March 12, 1823. Melyn B. Miller acquired considerable of the land belonging to the original purchase and upon his farm he reared his family, numbering ten children, of whom but one is now living, Melyn H. Miller, who resides upon the old family homestead. He was born August 28, 1836. Of this family all the children were born and educated in Clark county. Seven of the number, five sons and two daughters, reached mature years. Sylvester had one son who is still living- -Edgar.S., a dentist, of Indianapolis, — while Abram Powell had three children and the others died leaving no descendants. Abram Powell Miller, the father of our subject, was the ninth child of his parents' family and was born in 1839. On the material side he is a representative of the Powell family which originally emigrated from Virginia to Kentucky, but on account of a poor land title in the latter state they came to Ohio, settling in Urbana. Abram

Powell Miller became a prosperous farmer of Clark county. He inherited some of the land of the Closes' Miller purchase, added to that and possessed at the time of his death a very valuable farm of three hundred and twenty-five acres. Abram Powell Miller was married October 20, 1861, to Mary Cox, a daughter of George W. Cox, a farmer of this county". Her mother bore the maiden name of Lois H. Baker, belonging to an early pioneer family that removed from New Jersey to Clark county. Three sons were born of this marriage: Oliver H.; Albertus Cox, who is married and resides upon a farm in Mad River township and has two children — Mary J., and Eldon G.; and Lioval O., who is a mechanic, is married and resides in Springfield. Abram P. Miller, the father of these children, died in the year 1897, at the age of fifty-eight years, his birth having occurred on the loth of July, 1839. His wife passed away April 20, 1 88 1, and they were laid to rest in the cemetery at Enon. Ohio.

]t will be interesting in this connection to know something of the material ancestry of our subject, who in that line is descended from Melyn Baker, who was born I\Iay 18, 1793, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a son of Melyn Baker, Sr., who was born January 10, 1760, and became a resident of Clark county in 1806. He served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, belonging to the Xew Jersey Artillery and was wounded in the army but never asked for a pension. His wife, Pha'be Baker, was born December 31, 1761. His death occurred January 20. 1826. while she died in Clark county, November 4, 1813. The Bakers owned two sections of land in Mad River township and the Millers a section and a half. Both.families carried on farming on an extensive scale. Their land was all covered with heavy timber which they cleared away and improved the fields, transforming the tract into richly cultivated land. To-day of the eight hundred and sixty acres owned by the Millers, only forty acres is still covered with the native timber. The Millers and Bakers Avere about the fifth and.ixth families to establish homes in j\Iad River township and since that time representatives of both families have carried on general farming here. Our subject now has in his possession a land patent which was signed by Thomas Jefferson, the president of the United States, in 1806. Of the tract of eight hundred and sixty acres of land above mentioned, nearly all is yet in the possession of the Miller family and the subject ijf this review is the owner of one hundred and thirty-five acres of that tract and twenty-five acres of the Baker tract.

Melyn Baker, Jr., was united in marriage to Mary Dalton, who was born in Clark county December 13, 1797. She was a very bright and intelligent woman, retaining her mental faculties up to the time of her death, which occurred January 8, 1879. Her husband had long since passed away, living died in Clark county June 4, 1844. They were the parents of nine children, of whom seven reached years of maturity. Oliver H. Miller, of this review, has now in preparation a genealogy of the Miller family and is well posted upon the family history.

In the district schools our subject pursued his early education and later became a student in Wittenberg College at Springfield, Ohio, where he completed the work of the junior year. In 1886 he began the study of law under General J. Warren Keifer, and in 1887 he became a student in the Cincinnati Law School, where he was graduated in May. 1888. Immediately afterward he returned to Springfield where he opened an otBce and during his fourteen years' connection with the bar here, he has built up a practice which has constantly grown in volume and importance.

On the 15th of February, 1900, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Adra R. Hutchinson, a daughter of John and ]Martha (Kelly) Hutchinson. She was born in Clark county, Ohio. Her father was a stairbuilder and cabinet-maker, and died in 1898, hen about sixty-nine years of age, his birth having occurred in 1829. His widow now makes her home with Mrs. Miller, who was an only daughter.

In his political views ]\Mr. Miller is a Republican and has been an active worker in his party, for he believes firmly in its principles. He served as secretary of the republican central committee from 1892 until 1897. and was its chairman in 1899. In 1802 he was elected secretary of the school board and has served in that capacity continuously since, the cause of education finding in him a warm and earnest friend. He was the first librarian of the Clark County Law Library and is a member of the Clark County Bar Association. He belongs to Ingomar Lodge, No. 610, K. of P., in which he has served as master of finances since 1892. Mr. Miller is a worthy representative of pioneer families of Clark county. His ancestors began the work of development and improvement here. This task was carried on by representatives of later generations and at the present time the subject of this review is performing his full share in the advancement and upbuilding of the county. The family name figures prominently upon the pages of Clark county's history and Oliver H. Miller is now recognized as an active factor in professional circles. having attained creditable success as a member of the bar.

jAMI'S R. LITTLER. In the history of the business enterprises of Pitchin James R. Littler deserves mention as a representative of industrial life of the town. He also may well be numbered among the veterans of the Civil war to whom the country owes a del)t of gratitude for his efforts in preserving the LTnion. He is one of Ohio's native sons, his birth having occurred in Clifton, Greene county, September 9, 1837. His parents, Nathan and Belinda (Sellers) Littler, were early settlers of Ohio. They were born in Virginia between 'winchester and Martinsburg on Back creek, along Applepie ridge. Both came lo Ohio with their respective parents. Nathan Littler, the paternal grandfather of our subject, settled in Greene county, near Clifton, while the materiTal grandfather, Paulser Sellers, took up his above near Selma in Greene county. The young ijeople were married in this state. The father was a miller by trade, working all over the county. l)ut made his home in Clifton. Live children were born of this union: John, who married and left several children, was a soldier in the Sixtieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was captured at Harper's Ferry but soon afterward was paroled. He lived tt:> the advanced age of si.xt-two years. James R. is the second of the family. Samuel died in childhood. Sarah J. became the wife of Owen Garlough and after his death married B. F. Garlough. Henry Clay, who was also a soldier, belonging to the Seventeenth I'nitcd States Regulars, now resides in Xenia.

James R. Littler was a youth of fifteen years when his father died. He afterward made his home with his maternal grandparents until 1855. when he went to Cedar- Aille, Ohii>, to serve as an apprentice to a Ijlacksmith. He received thirty-seven dollars for his services the first year, sixty dollars for the second year and seventy-five dollars for the third year. 'hen he had completed his apprenticeship he worked in Cedarville as a joiu'neyn.an and also in New Burlington.

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

L'nto Air. and Mrs. Littler have been born twelve children. Those living are: Clayton B., Frank R., Joella, Jennie M., 'ilia, Clyde, Goldie, Loreii and Glenn. Their third child, Sarah, died at the age of twenty-six years, and James H. and Mary E. died in childhood. In 1860 Mr. Littler cast his first presidential vote, supporting Lincoln in that year and again in 1864. He voted while in the saddle, the rebel balls trying all around him. He is a member of Xenia Lodge, F. & A. M.; Mitchell Post,

As printed in A Biographical record of Clark county, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.