In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1914) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From History of Darke County Ohio: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time (1914), A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900)
THOMAS C. MILLER.
Thomas C. Miller, a member of the Darke county bar, was born in West Milton, Miami county, February 25, 1841, upon a farm. His father, Samuel Miller, was a native of Virginia, born in Charleston, in 1801. He learned the miller's trade and followed that pursuit for many years. In early manhood he removed to Ohio, and in this state was married to Margaret Bowman, a native of Chillicothe, Ohio. Subsequently they removed to Miami county, where Mr. Miller followed his chosen vocation for man_\- years. In 1860 he came with his family to Darke county", locating in Arcanum, where he remained for a number of years, and then returned to Miami county, where his death occurred in 1874. His wife, who survived him for some time, died in Greenville in 1890.
Thomas C. Miller, whose name forms the caption of this sketch, was the only child born to his parents. He spent his boyhood days in the vicinity of his native town and pursued his education in the common schools, and afterward assisted his father in the work of the farm and the operation of the mill; but, not content to devote his energies to industrial pursuits, he determined to enter professional life and to this end began reading law under the direction of Hon. E. P. Kellogg, of West Milton, now a prominent lawyer of Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Miller was admitted to the bar at Trov, this state, and began practice in Bedford, Ohio, where he remained for twelve years. On the expiration of that period he removed to Greenville, where he has since devoted his attention assiduously to the practice of his profession and the duties it involves. He is recognized as one of the leading lawyers of the Greenville bar, and his devotion to his clients' interests is proverbial.
Mr. Miller has been twice married, and by the first union had three children: Perry E., William E. and Lemuel E. His present wife bore the maiden name of Miss Anna Gundell. She was born in Darke county, was a daughter of Benjamin Gundell, an old resident of this county, and at the time of their marriage was the widow of Henry Beard.
During the civil war Mr. Miller manifested his loyalty to his country by enlisting in the One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under the command of Captain Jason Young and Colonel J. Warren Keifer. The regiment was ordered to Virginia, and in the south he faithfully served until 1865. He participated in a number of engagements and skirmishes, and also spent some time in the hospital, and when the war was ended received an honorable discharge, in July, 1865. He is a member of the Frizelle Post, No. 227, G. A. R., and is as true and faithful to the duties of citizenship in times of peace as when he followed the starry banner upon the battlefields of the south. His life has marked a steady advance in his profession, and by his careful preparation of cases, combined with a keen power of analysis, he has won many notable forensic combats.
As printed in A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
THOMAS C. MILLER.
The records of Darke county show that never before have there been so many able members of the bar within its confines. With innumerable important matters before the people which involve serious problems of jurisprudence, it is exceedingly necessary for the lawyer of today to be able to cope with them and lend his aid in obtaining justice. Because of the necessary qualifications for success, the modern attorney is. being asked to occupy positions of trust and responsibility and his advice and co-operation are wanted in the handling of civic matters. Thomas C. Miller of Greenville, Ohio, is a lawyer who rightly belongs to the class defined above, while as a man he has justified the confidence felt in him by those who know his capabilities and recognize his merit. Mr. Miller was born at West Milton, Miami county, Ohio, February 25, 1841, a son of Samuel and Margaret (Bowman) Miller, natives of Charleston, Va., and Ohio, respectively. Thomas C. Miller is the only child born of their marriage. Samuel Miller was reared in Virginia, but came to Ohio about 1835, and locating in Miami county, operated a mill on Stillwater near Milton for a number of years. His death occurred in that locality when he was sixty-seven years old. His wife passed away at Greenville, when about the same age. They were earnest members of the Methodist church and good, Christian people.
Thomas C. Miller grew up at West Milton, where he was given but a limited education. From childhood, however, he was an omnivorous reader and by close personal application made himself a well-informed person long before he began the study of law, and this general information has proved of inestimable value to him in his practice. While still a lad he began trading horses and was thus engaged when the Civil war broke out. The patriotic young man did not hesitate but enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Tenth Ohio volunteer infantry and served for two years as a private, participating in a number of important engagements, escaping without serious injury. Returning home, after the close of his period of service, Mr. Miller began studying law, and in 1874 was admitted to the bar, and immediately thereafter entered upon a general practice at Troy, Ohio, from whence he came to Greenville in 1892, and has since continued here, being associated with some of the most important jurisprudence of the county. Prior to his admission to the bar, he represented several of his friends in suits, winning the first two. His success attracted the attention of E. P. Kellogg, an attorney of Milton, who induced Mr. Miller to study under him, and encouraged him in every way. The success which Mr. Miller has experienced is all the more remarkable in that he is almost entirely self-taught, and indicates that he had much natural ability and a keen insight into human nature which have been valuable aids to him.
Thomas C. Miller was married to Miss Louisa M. Thompson, a daughter of Augustus and Sarah (Mote) Thompson, and they became the parents of three children: Perry E., who is a traveling salesman, married and has two children, Virginia and Louisa, and lives in Greenville township; William E., who operates a roofing and tinsmith business at Dayton, Ohio, married Emma Miller and Lemuel E., who is in a life insurance business at Dayton, Ohio, married and has a daughter, Dorothy. Mrs. Miller was born in Miami county, Ohio, but her father was a native of Maryland, who came to Miami county at an early day. Both he and his wife passed away in that county. For his second marriage he was united to Mrs. Anna D. Bear (nee Grindle), and by this union there are no children. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are consistent members of the United Brethren church. He is a Republican in political faith. For some years he has been serving as a pension attorney, and has rendered valuable assistance to his old comrades in securing their right from the government for past services. His connections with Jobes Post, G. A. R., are very pleasant, and he enjoys attending encampments, for like other veterans, he does not forget the days when the Boys in Blue were the savior of the nation.
As printed in History of Darke County Ohio: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name Thomas C. Miller: James O. Starr (b. 1869)
The printed record stops around 1914. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.