WILLIAM MILLER.
There was not much in his early surroundings to inspire dreams of conquest when William Miller, now a prominent farmer of Douglas township, this county, was a little lad growing up in Germany. But, somehow, the spirit within him seemed mightier than the conditions, and in his adopted county he has become deservedly successful, his name being well known for miles around his immediate home. It would be interesting to know just what first planted the seed of ambition in a youth of this kind. Was it an environment in a country so crowded that making a living became a difficult task; was it the advice of friends that drove him later to America, or was it love of adventure, a desire to know wdiat kind of a world existed beyond the horizon of his sky? Whatever the motive, he came, and he brought with him those strong traits of character which are necessary to success in any country. He had not only physical strength, but energy, perseverance and faith in himself, and so it is not surprising that he should have risen to such a plane of prominence as to make this brief biography appropriate here.
William Miller was born on October 14, 1875, in Hesse Nassau, Germany, son of Henry and Kate (Dresher) Miller. It was not a little family circle into which he was born, for he was the sixth of seven children, supported by the work of their father who was a shoemaker, both he and his wife being hard-working Germans, born and brought up in the little town in which they reared their family. Both are now deceased. They not only had care for the things of this world, but brought up their children in the fear of the Lord, and early led their little brood into the church of their choice, the Lutheran. There were born to these pious, hard-working parents seven children, as follow: Henry, who remained in Germany, and followed the trade of his father; Conrad, who came to this country, married Bertha Dittman, and became a farmer in Viola township, this county, and who died on November 1, 1908, his widow surviving him; Hartman, a farmer in Germany; Helen and Henry, also residents of Germany; William, the subject of this sketch, and Kate, who married Edward Roggish, of Manning, Iowa.
Owing to the excellence of the German school system, William Miller's education was above that of the average American boy of that day, similarly situated, although he did no more than attend the common schools. He was indeed a brave little fellow who could bid goodbye to mother, father, sisters and brothers, and start on the journey which was to separate him from them for many years, perhaps forever, and this he did at the tender age of fifteen. To be sure, he was to meet Conrad, his older brother, who had preceded him to the shores of America, but the journey was made alone. After living with this brother for awhile, William Miller started life for himself, by "working out" by the month on a neighboring farm, and he was thus employed for the following fourteen years.
On February 15, 1905, William Miller was united in marriage to Ida Berg, who was born in LaSalle county, Illinois, daughter of William M. and Ricky (Beckman) Berg, natives of Pommern, Germany, the former of whom was a son of Ludwig and Mary (Petersen) Berg, of Pommern, who, coming to America in 1880, located in La Salle county, Illinois, and farmed there until they moved to Audubon county in 1884, settling in Douglas township, where they spent the balance of their days. The children born to this union were as follows: Fred, who lives on the old homestead; William, father of Mrs. Miller; Ricky, who married James Blom, of Audubon, and Minnie, now Mrs. Graves, of Douglas township. The history of William Berg, father of Mrs. Miller, is interesting. Coming from Germany with his parents, he first "worked out" by the month in La Salle county, Illinois, then moving to Audubon county, he began the acquisition of land and now has four hundred acres of valuable land in Douglas township, a tract which he has extensively improved. He and his wife are the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Miller is the eldest. The others are as follows: Minnie, who married Fred Holtz, of Douglas township; Emma, living at home: Lucy, who married Oluf Winther, of Audubon, this county; Lilly, who married Edward Holtz, and Frank, who lives at home.
After his marriage, William Miller located on a farm one mile west of Audubon, where he and his wife lived for one year, at the end of which time they moved to Lincoln township, where they lived two years. In 1907 Mr. Miller bought what is known as the Peter Harmon place in section 4, Douglas township. Part of his success at least is due to the fact that Mr. Miller has been progressive in his ideas, and has made improvements as they became necessary. Besides engaging in general farming, he has raised mixed stock, Duroc-Jersey red hogs and draft horses.
To William and Ida (Berg) Miller two children have been born, William H. born on February 10, 1906, and Lillian Helen, January 7, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the Lincoln Lutheran church, to which they have contributed not only of their time and of their warmest interest, but of their means. In his church activities as well as in matters pertaining to their livelihood. Mr. Miller's efforts have all been seconded by his good wife, who has ever been ready with encouragement and devotion, and with a practical mind and willing hands to aid him. Theirs is a home which attracts many friends, for these wide-awake, active people are regarded as among the prominent residents of that neighborhood.
Mr. Miller has not tied himself up to the principles of any one political party, but exercises his privilege of voting independently, being an ardent advocate of good local government and believing firmly that in local affairs men and not measures should be the good citizens' guide in the exercises of their franchise.
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Transcribed from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 470-472.
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