William Miller

As printed in 1880

WILLIAM MILLER, furniture dealer, Mt, Gilead; was born in Washington Co,, Pa., Sept, 11, 1818, being the third child of Joseph and Pamelia (Harris) Miller, they having had seven children, as follows: Neheiniah, Melvina, William, John T,, Benjamin, Tunis and Stephen, The father was by trade a cabinet maker, and afterwards became a contractor and builder, but has been for some forty years engaged in farming, and is still living in Washington Co., Pa., at the advanced age of 89 years, William left home in 1836, coming to Mt, Gilead, where he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner; he then returned to Pennsylvania, where he remained one year, when he again settled in Mt, Gilead and commenced in the contract business for himself. In 1850 he took the contract for the Court House in this place, and in 1853-4 put up J.

S. Trimble's residence; in 1855 he secured the contracts for Mt. Vernon and Bucyrus court houses, the former in connection with David Auld, the latter in connection with J. Jennings and David Auld. He had contracts for the prison at Columbus, also for the first Presbyterian Church, and Third Street School House, in 1858-59. In 1861-62 he built the "Neil House," at Columbus, and in 1863 he alone put up the Van horn residence and Granite Block; shortly after, in company with J. E. Smith, he was engaged in bridge building; also put up the Bank Block, at that time the firm of Miller,Smith & Frayer; he put up the Crestline and Cardington school-houses; at about that time, he took the contract for the Richland Co. Court House, under the firm name of Miller, Frayer & Sheets, also the Erie & Licking Co. Court House; we might mention here that the Vanhorn Block at Mt. Gilead, and the Beatty & Chase Block at Cardington, were put up by Miller & Smith. Mr. Miller has been married three times; first in 1839 to Hannah Crawford, by whom he had four children, all deceased; some years later, he united in marriage with Mary Carpenter; they had four children, all deceased but one; irr 1864 he married his present wife, Sarah M. Bruce. Mr. Miller is now engaged in the furniture business; the firm name being Cooper, Miller & Co.; they keep a large assortment of everything usually found in a first-class store of the kind; he has been a member of the Masonic Lodge since 1852; he was at one time an Abolitionist, going through the ordeal of rotten eggs with the Rev. Shedd and others; of late years he has voted the Republican ticket. Mr.. Miller has led a busy Hie, and has ever been considered a man of sterling integrity, and the many public buildings and private residences that he has erected, will long stand as monuments of his skill and energy.

As printed in History of Morrow County and Ohio (1880). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.