M. W. MILLER

MILLER

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/21/2020 at 15:44:48

M. W. MILLER is one of the well known, early and prominent pioneers of Adams county. He came here in October, 1853, and has since made this place his home. He was born in Wabash county, Indiana, February 16, 1841. His father, Judge Jacob Miller, one of the first judges in Adams county, was born in Pennsylvania, a descendant of German ancestry. His mother was also a native of Pennsylvania and of German extraction, her maiden name, Mary Wyant. The Judge was a miller by trade and while a resident of Pennsylvania owned and operated mills. About 1830 he moved to Wabash county, Indiana, and cleared away the forest and developed a farm. In the spring of 1849 he came with his family to Iowa, and settled near Eddyville, where he spent the summer. In the fall he moved to Lucas county and located near Chariton, remaining there until August, 1853, when he came to Adams county and entered Government land where Quincy now stands. He subsequently gave one-half of his tract to the county on condition that the county seat be located there, which it was. The land was surveyed and platted by Dr. Wakeman Triplet. A son-in-law of Judge Miller built the first house and sold the first goods in Quincy, and the Judge himself built the second one, a log house. In October, 1854, judge Miller died, leaving a widow and eight children, four sons and four daughters. One son, Jacob Miller, Jr., died at Vicksburg with small-pox. He was a member of the Fourth Iowa Infantry. The other members of the family are as follows: Martha Holbrook, a resident of Quincy township, this county; William, of Bristol, Iowa; Sarah, also of this county; M. W., the subject of our sketch; John, of Kansas; Mary Huntington, a resident of California; and Eliza Ellen Reynolds, also of California. The last was the first child born in Quincy, her birth occurring in February, 1854. The mother died in September, 1886, aged seventy-four years. Judge Miller was a man of many admirable traits of character, esteemed and respected by all who knew him. He was a member of the I. O. O. F.

M. W. Miller, whose name heads this sketch, was a lad of eight years when he came to Iowa, and was twelve when the family located in Adams county. Losing his father when only thirteen, he early began to do for himself and to assist his mother in caring for the younger children. His education was limited to the common schools, supplemented, however, by a practical business experience and by much reading at home. He improved a farm in Quincy township. In 1879 he bought wild land in section 35, Douglas township, from year to year continued to improve it, and now has one of the best farms in the township. His comfortable residence is located on a natural building site, and is surrounded by evergreens, orchard and grove. His barn, outbuildings and fences are all in fine shape, and the general appearance of the premises at once stamps the owner as a man of enterprise.

Mr. Miller was married December 3, 1865, to Miss Phebe R. Lawrence; she was born in Morgan county, Ohio, June 10, 1847, a daughter of Thomas and Patience (Devoll) Lawrence, mention of whom will be found on another page of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have one daughter, Maud R., born May 7, 1879. Mr. Miller is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.