Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

E. M. J. Miles, a substantial and well known agriculturist residing on section 23, Hayes township, where he owns a valuable and well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres, was born in La Salle county, Illinois, July 13, 1858.  His father, Edward Miles, who was a native of County Meath, Ireland, was there reared to manhood.  In the year 1849 he crossed the briny deep to the new world and located in the state of New York.  In 1852 he journeyed westward to Illinois and was married in Springfield, that state, to Miss Eliza A. Gleason, who was born and reared on the Emerald isle.  She was employed in the family of Abraham Lincoln at the time of her marriage.  Edward Miles was a boatman and for several years freighted down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans.  Subsequently he took up his abode on a farm in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, in 1866, and through the succeeding decade was there successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits.  In 1876 he came to Buena Vista county, Iowa, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land near Newell in Coon township.  With the aid of his sons he opened up and developed the farm, gradually transforming it into a valuable and productive piece of property.

E. M. J. Miles was a young man of eighteen years when he came to

Buena Vista county and he continued to assist his father in the work of the home farm until the latter's death.  Subsequently he operated the home place for a few years but in the fall of 1898 bought the farm on which he has since resided.  When it came into his possession the place was in a badly run-down condition but he at once set to work to repair the buildings, fence the fields and bring the land under a high state of cultivation.  Though he now rents almost the entire farm he still gives careful supervision thereto, and is recognized throughout the community as a most enterprising and progressive citizen.

On the 29th of August, 1894, in Newell, occurred the marriage of Mr. Miles and Miss Anna McTigue, of Sac county, Iowa.  She is a daughter of Patrick and Elnora (Hathaway) McTigue, both natives of New York.  In 1868 they became residents of Dubuque county, Iowa, and about six years later removed to Sac county, where they passed the remainder of their lives.  The father died in November, 1891, at the age of sixty-eight years, and the mother departed this life August 14, 1908, at the age of seventy-six.  On the maternal side her great-grandfather was a soldier of the Revolutionary war.  Unto Mr. and Mrs. Miles have been born five sons:  James A., Ed Gleason, Joseph William, Raymond P., and Arthur B.

Mr. Miles gives his political allegiance to the men and measures of the democracy and has been elected by his fellow citizens to various positions of trust and responsibility.  Having resided in this county for almost a third of a century, he is well known here, while his upright and honorable career has gained him the esteem and regard of all with whom he has been associated.