F.C. Miller, b. 9 May 1841

SCHARF, STINIGER, BRANFEST, BLIM, CAMERON

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/21/2004 at 11:56:30

F. C. Miller, proprietor of the Maquoketa Butter Tub Factory, is doing a very good business. He is a veteran of the late war, and is a fine representative of the volunteer soldiers of foreign birth that were reared in the United States under Republican institutions, and in the hour of trouble showed themselves patriotic, devoted citizens of their adopted country, enlisted under her banners, and were among her bravest defenders against those of her sons who sought to destroy the Union.

Our subject was born in Saxony, Germany, May 9, 1841. His father, Gotleib Miller, was born in the same place, and was there reared to the life of a farmer. He came to American in 1853 accompanied by his wife and five children, setting sail from Bremerhaven, in the month of May, and landing in New York after a voyage of ten weeks. The family came as far as Galena, then the western terminus of the railway; and from there with team to Jackson County. Mr. Miller bought a tract of wild prairie land in Van Buren Township, six miles north of Preston, and in the years that followed he was busily engaged in its improvement, and had greatly enhanced its value when he sold it in 1865. After that he moved to Burgess, in Clinton County, and there he rounded out a useful life in 1877. The maiden name of his wife was Christiana Scharf, and she was also a native of Saxony. They were people of great worth, and were held in kindly regard by the whole community in which they lived. They were the parents of five children, who grew to maturity: Amelia married Harmon Stiniger, and they live in Atlantic City, Iowa; Pauline married Fred Branfest, and they live in Van Buren Township; Harmon lives near Preston; Franz lives in Van Buren Township.

He of whom we write was the eldest son and he received a very good education in his native country, having attended school quite steadily until he came to America with his parents. He resided with them for a short time and then began life on his own responsibility, working out by the day or month until he commenced to learn the trade of a cooper, in the fall of 1860. He was thus occuped until August, 1862, and during that time had watched with great interest the fierce struggle between the North and South, and in August, that year, he determined to go to the assistance of his adopted country, he then being twenty-one years of age; and in that month he enlisted in Company I, 31st Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served with faithfulness and efficiency until after the war closed. He was in the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Champion Hills, was present and did good work at the siege and capture of Vicksburg and Jackson, (Miss.), and in the fall of 1863, his regiment joined the forces of Rosecrans at Chattanooga, and took part in the battles of Lookout Mt. Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, (Ga.), and then went into winter quarters at Woodville, (Ala.) May 1st our subject and his comrades started with Sherman's command on the Atlanta campaign, and were actors in many important battles of that campaign, including Resaca, Kenesaw Mt., Atlanta, Jonesboro, etc. In the month of December started on Sherman's march to the sea. After arriving at the sea-board, his regiment, with others, was dispatched to Washington and passed through the Carolinas and Virginia, by way of Richmond, and in the Capitol City Mr. Miller took part in the grand review, and was honorably discharged with his regiment in July, 1865.

After his experience of military life, our subject came North, and in Chicago worked at the cooper's trade some years. In 1871, after the great fire in that city, he came to Maquoketa and commenced to manufacture butter tubs. Like many another enterprise, this began in a small way, and at first Mr. Miller sold the products of his labor, personally. But his business gradually increased. In 1885 he suffered serious loss by the burning of his shops; but he soon replaced them by his present commodious ones, which are furnished with first-class machinery, operated by an eight-horse power engine. He has a large sale of butter tubs in different parts of the country.

Mr. Miller was married to Miss Mary Blim, a native of Ann Arbor, Mich., Dec. 30, 1868. Four children have blessed their wedded life: Jennie, Frederick, Mabel, and Christiana May. The latter died at the age of one year, ten months and six days.

Mrs. Miller's father, Philip Blim, was a native of Germany, who, on coming to American when a young man, resided in Canada for awhile, and then removed to Ann Arbor, Mich. He later took up his residence in Chicago, but the last years of his life were spent in Sterling, Ill. The maiden name of his wife was Janet Cameron, and she was a native of Scotland. Her father, Alexander Cameron, was also a native of that country. He emigrated to America accompanied by his family, and settled in Moore Township, Province of Ontario, Canada, where he improved a farm and spent his last years. His daughter, Mrs. Miller's mother, died at Ann Arbor, Mich.

We have seen that in the trying times of the late Rebellion, Mr. Miller proved himself a loyal citizen, and in time of peace, his good citizenship has been no less evident. He is a self-made man, having steadily worked his way to his present position of comparative affluence by unceasing and well directed industry, and by promptness and good business habits. He stands well in this community, and in all the relations of life, is all that an honest and upright man should be. Politically, he is numbered among the stanchest supporters of the Republican party, and socially belongs to the A.W. Dripps Post, G.A.R., Peerless Lodge No. 60, K. of P., and Timber Lodge A.O.U.W., and Iowa Legion of Honor.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)