LEWIS MILES

 

     Lewis Miles can look back upon forty years of active experience in the profession of the law in Wayne county and has attained a position of prominence among the members of the bar.  Since 1894 he has practiced in partnership with C. W. Steele, and the law business transacted by the firm is of most extensive proportions.  Mr. Miles was born in Marion county, Ohio, June 30, 1845, and is a son of William and Emily (Welch) Miles.  The mother’s family were old Vermont settlers.  William Miles came with his family to Wayne county, Iowa, April 30, 1853, and took up government land, for which he had made entry in 1851.  At that time there were only four log houses in the locality where he settled and the nearest market was Alexandria, Missouri.  He was here successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, December 26, 1879, excepting the years 1857 and 1858, during which time he was also engaged in the mercantile business.  The mother passed away on October 11, 1865.  Both were members of the Freewill Baptist church.  Of their family seven children grew to maturity, while two died in infancy, and our subject is the eldest member of the family.

     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.

 

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