LEWIS MILES
Lewis Miles was reared at home under pioneer conditions
and received his first education in a log schoolhouse in
Corydon, Iowa. He
went for one year to school in North Scituate, Rhode Island,
and in 1865 graduated from Bryant & Stratton Commercial
College in Chicago. Having
supplemented his education by careful reading and study, he
took up the profession of teaching and was so engaged in
Corydon for about two and a half years, at the end of which
time he read law under General Glasgow and prepared himself
for the bar examination.
On October 20, 1868, he was admitted to the bar, but in
the following years from 1869 to 1871 engaged in mercantile
pursuits. In
1872 he began the actual practice of law in partnership with
J. N. McClanahan and after this partnership was dissolved, he
became associated with W. H. Tedford, remaining in this
connection until 1879, when Mr. Freeland became his partner,
who remained with him in business until 1893. Since August 1,
1894, he has practiced in partnership with C. W. Steele and
this firm has ever enjoyed a wide reputation and an extensive
clientage. Mr.
Miles has conducted many important cases to successful issue
and has handled much of the litigation arising in the city and
in the surrounding country.
He is well read in the law, forceful in argument and
prepares his cases and briefs carefully. By his long years
of experience he has become one of the most prominent members
of the bar not only in his city and county, but in the state
of Iowa, and his ability along legal lines found recognition
in his appointment to the important office of United States
district attorney on November 27, 1889, in which capacity he
served until January 1, 1894.
In 1898 he was reappointed to the same office and he
again served in the same position from 1902 to 1907, being in
all for thirteen years the incumbent in this position. In 1897 he was
admitted to the bar of the supreme court of the United States.
On February 20, 1868, Mr. Miles married Miss Mary D.
Robb, a daughter of William and Rebecca Robb, of Wayne county,
and of this union were born four children: William E., who is
engaged in mercantile pursuits; Charles B., who is also
engaged in commercial lines; Winifred, the wife of H. H.
Carter; and Lois, who married D. W. Jackson.
Mr. Miles has been an active factor in the local
councils of the republican party. He has always taken great interest in
political affairs and as early as October, 1869, was elected
to the state legislature from his district. In 1879 he was a
candidate for the state senate, but was defeated at this
election. Being
nominated in 1883 on his party’s ticket for the same position,
he was elected and served in the upper house of the Iowa
legislature from 1883 to 1887.
He secured the passage of a number of important
measures which were of great benefit to his district, and his
work while at the capital was generally of an important and
effective character. In
1880 he served in the capacity of presidential elector. Mr. Miles’ life
work has been successful in the truest sense of the word. He is broad-minded
and tolerant and readily discriminates between the essential
and non-essential points as they come up in his work. He takes the same
interest in promoting public affairs that he gives to his
private practice and he has done much that redounds to his
credit to benefit the city in which he makes his home. He has been
actuated by a laudable ambition to succeed from his early
youth and this ambition and his undaunted energy have carried
him to success.