Wilber L. Miller

As printed in 1909

WILBER L. MILLER.

Wilber L. Miller, formerly engaged in the furniture and undertaking business and now devoting his energies entirely to the latter line in Washington, was born in this city April 5, 1868. His parents, Charles S. and Eliza A. (Worthen) Miller, are numbered among the early residents of Iowa, having first come to the city in 1854 while in 1858 they took up their permanent above in Washington. The Millers are of an old New England family. The great-grandfather, Jacob Miller, was born in 1760 and removed from Chesterfield, New Hampshire, to Northfield, Massachusetts. He served his country as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, valiantly aiding in the struggle for independence and again was a soldier in the war of 181 2. He married Phebe Grover. The paternal grandfather, Cyrus Miller, was a native of Massachusetts, born on the 22d of October, 1794, and his life record covered the intervening years until the 8th of April, 1882, when he was called to his final rest. He served his country as a soldier in the war of 1812, manifesting the spirit of loyalty for which the family has always been noted. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eliza M. Leach, was also a native of the old Bay state.

Charles S. Miller, father of Wilber L. Miller, was born in Northfield, Massachusetts, April 12, 1830, and having arrived at years of maturity was married at Enfield, Connecticut, on the 23d of September, 1849, to Miss Eliza A. Worthen, who was born October 17, 1830, at Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, and was a daughter of Jacob and Eliza (Wason) Worthen. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Miller came to Iowa in 1854 and entered land near Keota. Two years later, however, they removed to St. Louis and Mr. Miller secured employment in the car shops at St. Charles, having previously been engaged in car building in the east. In the spring of 1858 they arrived in Washington, Iowa, and Mr. Miller entered commercial circles here in the wagon-making business while later he turned his attention to the sale of sewing machines. Gradually he made progress in a financial way and in 1875 embarked in the furniture and undertaking business, which he conducted successfully for twenty-eight years, enjoying not only a large trade but also the confidence and good will of the general public. In fact he was well known and highly esteemed throughout the county, being a man of sterling business integrity and of genuine personal worth. He was outspoken and positive in his convictions yet he believed in giving others the right of their opinions. Honesty was one of his most salient characteristics and moreover he endeavored throughout his entire life to follow the Golden Rule, doing unto others as he would have them do unto him. In politics he was a silver democrat and a strong admirer of William Jennings Bryan. He died July 1, 1903, at the age of seventy-three years, two months and nineteen days, while his wife passed away March 28, 1904, at the age of seventy-three years, five months and eleven days. On the 23d of September, 1899, they celebrated their golden wedding, having completed a half century of happy married life. Mr. Miller was reared a Unitarian and his wife held membership in the Methodist church. They were the parents of five children: Frank, who died at the age of twenty-one years from injuries sustained in a tornado at Burlington, Iowa, in 1873; Theresa, the wife of William Gentzler, of Waterloo, Iowa; G. Edgar, who died in infancy; Fred, living in Webster City, Iowa; and Wilber L., of this review.

The last named has spent his entire life in Washington and in retrospection one can see him in his boyhood days, attending the public schools where he mastered the common branches of English learning. He lived at home throughout the period of his minority and after completing his education worked for his father in the store until the ist of August, 1889, when he was admitted to a partnership in the furniture and undertaking business. Thus throughout his entire career he has been connected with commercial interests in Washington. On the ist of January, 1903, however, he sold out but on the ist of September, 1904, reentered trade circles as proprietor of an undertaking establishment which he still successfully conducts. He has a large share of the public patronage in his line for he carries a fine line of undertaking goods and moreover is known to be thoroughly reliable and trustworthy in all of his dealings.

On the loth of July, 1895, Mr. Miller was married in Fort Madison, Iowa, to Miss Emma Arnold, a daughter of Emerson and Eliza (Cramner) Arnold. Mrs. Miller was born in Des Moines county, Iowa, near Danville, September 16, 1873. Her maternal grandmother still survives at the age of nearly ninety years. She is Mrs. Sophia Woodmansee, having married again since the death of her first husband, Mr. Cramner. All of the other grandparents of Mrs. Miller have passed away. Her parents, however, now reside in Denmark, Lee county, Iowa. Her father was born in Indiana and her mother in Des Moines county, Iowa, and he was a soldier of the Civil war. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been born three children: Murrel Arnold, Maude Vaile and Charles Emerson.

IS-i HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Mr..Milk'r is well known in fraternal circles, holding membership in Washington Lodge, No. 26, A. F. & A. M.; Cyrus Chapter, No. 13. R. A. M.; Bethlehem Commandery, No. 45, K. T. and Kaaba Temple of the Mystic Shrine. In his political views he is an earnest democrat, iiis tudy of the questions and issues of the day leading him to the opinion that the principles of the party are best calculated to conserve the public gied. He was a member of the city council for two terms and exercised hi official prerogatives in support of various movements and measures which he believed would prove beneficial to the community. In fact his cooperation can always be counted upon to further progressive public measures and his labors are an element in the general improvement of city and county. He has a wide acquaintance and his uniform courtesy and genial spirit have made him popular with a large circle of friends.

As printed in History of Washington County, Iowa from the first white settlements to 1908. Also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.