Bios & Family Stories > Misc. Bios > Miller, William E.

Served on the Iowa Supreme Court from September 14, 1870, when he was appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the retirement of Elias H. Williams, until December 31, 1875. For two years he was Chief Justice.

Born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1823. His early vocation was that of a molder in his father's iron foundry. By studying law in his leisure hours, at this time and later while a reporter on newspapers at Iowa City, he was able to gain admission to the bar in 1853. In 1857 he was elected Judge of the District Court. During the Civil War he was a colonel in the Union army.

After the war he was again elected to the District bench which position he held when appointed to the Supreme Bench.

Judge Miller was the compiler and editor of the Codes of Iowa known as "Miller's Codes".

Judge Miller died in Des Moines in 1896.

Source of biographical sketch (verbatim transcription) and portrait: Annals of Iowa, 3rd series, Volume XXVI, Issue 2, July, 1944, page 141.
Transcriber’s note: William E. Miller is buried in Woodland Cemetery, Polk County, Iowa.