William Henry Miller

As printed in 1902

WILLIAM H. MILLER.

William II. Miller is now living a retired life in Bucyrus, after long connection with stock dealing interests, whereby he won a handsome competence that now enables him to put aside the more arduous duties of business. He was born September 4. 1844. ni Winchester, Ohio, and is a son of John Miller, who died during the early boyhood of our subject. The father was a native of Germany and emigrated to this country about 1830, settling at Winchester, Crawford county, about 1837. The mother, Mrs. Catherine Miller, is still living.

William Henry Miller acquired his education in the common schools of his native county and subsequently resided with his brother-in-law, Jacob Yeaaglv. whom he assisted in farm work, receiving as compensation for his sei vices his board and clothing. He was thus employed until about seventeen or eighteen years of age. after which he worked for Ephraim Monnett and G. H. Wright. He afterward entered the service of William Kinear, with whom he remained until February, 1864, when he responded to the country's call for aid, enlisting as a member of Company E, Thirty-fourth Ohio Mounted Infantry. He was then only nineteen years of age. His command was known as Captain Shaw's Company, and after the promotion of Captain Shaw, Captain Helwig was in charge. Mr. Miller participated in the battle of Lynchburg and of Staunton and in the movement in western Virginia. He was wounded on the 24th X July, at the battle of Winchester, being shot through the hips. He was then taken from the field by two comrades, being supported by placing his arms around their necks, and in this way he was dragged along until late in the evening, when he was placed on a horse and rode until about ten or eleven o'clock at night. He was then put in an ambulance, in which he remained until the next afternoon, when he was transferred to a freight car with many other wounded comrades and thus taken to Sandy Hook, Maryland, where his wounds were dressed in the field hospital. He there remained for several days, and he and his comrades were again placed in box cars and sent to Baltimore. While in the hospital in that city gangrene set in and he also suffered from fever. Many of his comrades died of flesh wounds, from the effects of gangrene and blood poisoning, but the best possible care and 'attention was given the wounded soldiers. From Baltimore Mr. Miller was afterward transferred to Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, where he remained until the surrender of General Lee, when he received an honorable discharge and returned to Bucyrus.

Here Mr. Miller worked at various employments for a time, after which he returned to the service of Mr. Monnett. After a time he was married and began farming upon rented land in Marion county, Ohio, which he operated on the shares, continuing to make that place his home for five years. He then rented a farm in Crawford county, of Robert Kerr, giving part cash for the use of the land, and paying the remainder of the rental in farm products. In a few years he was able to rent the entire farm of six hundred and forty acres, for which he gave fifteen hundred dollars a year. He then began dealing in stock-buying, feeding and selling cattle, and for about thirteen years he remained upon the Kerr farm. He then purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres south of Bucyrus, for which he paid nine thousand dollars. After a year or two there passed he engaged in buying and shipping stock, in partnership with Samuel Shriber. After leaving the farm he continued in that business for three years. He rented the place and took up his above in Bucyrus, however, continuing the stock business until the spring of 1900, when he retired to private life. In 1887 he purchased of Charles Raymer a farm of eighty acres, for the sum of three thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars, and in 1896 he purchased another tract of eighty acres on the east, known as the Morris farm, for which he gave thirty-four hundred dollars. His business affairs as a stock dealer were prosecuted so diligently and managed with such keen discrimination that he was annually enabled to add to his income and is now the possessor of a handsome competence.

In August, 1866, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Lucinda Weirick, a daughter of Aaron and Margaret Weirick. Her father was born in Weiricktown, Pennsylvania, June 6, 1814, and about 1834 emigrated to Crawford county, Ohio, where he purchased and operated a farm. His wife bore the maiden name of Margaret A. Clark, and was a daughter of Archibald and Ann Clark. Her birth occurred April 5, 1819. The mother of Mrs. Weirick's paternal grandmother lived to the very advanced age of one hundred and three years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been born four daughters and a son, namely: Josephine, born April 29, 1867, Ellamina, born March 6, 1869; Margaret, born February 6, 1871, and died on the same day; Florence, born February u, 1872; and Sanford Aaron, who was born April 22, 1874, and died August 9, 1882. Mr. Miller is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of Bucyrus, contributes liberally to its support and is deeply interested in all that pertains to its upbuilding and advancement.

As printed in A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.