- CHARLES MILLER, who is extensively engaged in farming and
stock-raising, is one of Rock
- County's leading and enterprising business men, and is numbered
among the pioneers of 1844. His home is now on section 7, in
the town of Porter, where he has resided for many years. He
was born in Monroe County, Pa., on the 4th of October, 1823,
and is the son of Amos and Elizabeth (HUSTON) MILLER, both of
whom were natives of Monroe County, the father born of Irish
parentage, while the mother was of Welsh origin. During his
early life, Amos MILLER was engaged in mechanical pursuits and
learned the trade of wagon making, which he followed until thirty
years of age. He then turned his attention to farming, and in
1852 removed from Monroe County, Pa., to Rock County, Wis., where
the eight succeeding years passed. In 1860 he became a resident
of Dane County, Wis., where he purchased a small farm, which
he made his home until his death in 1863, when in the seventy-seventh
year of his age. His quiet and unassuming manner won him many
friends, and his fair and honest dealings throughout life secured
him a reputation of which any might be proud. His excellent
wife had, long years previous, departed this life, her death
occurring in 1826.
- There were six children born of their union, four sons and
two daughters, and the family circle is
- yet unbroken: John, the eldest, an attorney-at-law has been
engaged in the practice of his profession in Steubenville, Ohio,
for the past fifty years, and for several terms has served as
District Judge of Jefferson County. He is a man of prominence
in the State, and is now seventy-six years of age; George, who
is yet residing in the town where he was born, followed farming
for many years, but is now engaged in merchandising; Rebecca
is the wife of S. D. BUTTS, a resident of Clear Lake, Iowa, who
was numbered among the very earliest settlers of Rock County,
dating his residence from 1835, and is said to have turned the
first furrow on its broad prairies; Joseph is also a resident
of Clear Lake, Iowa; Charles, of this sketch, is next in order
of birth; Mary B., widow of Austin FREEMAN, is a resident of
Denver, Colo.
- After the death of his first wife Amos MILLER was a second
time married, the lady of his choice
- being Susan SHUCK, a native of Pennsylvania, born in Northampton
County. Six children graced their union as follows: Samuel,
who is engaged in farming near Kansas City, Mo: Catherine J.,
wife of Robert J. BUTTS, of Pipestone County, Minn.; Amos, who
enlisted in the ranks of the 13th Wisconsin Regiment, died while
in the service at Ft. Scott, Kan.; Lewis engaged in farming
in Floyd County, Iowa; Ella M., widow of John JACKSON, makes
her home in Osage, Iowa; Thomas is living in Duluth, Minn.,
and is the youngest of the family. Mrs. MILLER departed this
life in Osage County, Iowa, in July, 1888, at the very advanced
age of eighty nine years.
- At the early age of three years our subject was deprived
of a mother's care. The days of his
- boyhood and youth were passed in his native county, and his
educationwas received in the common schools. Remaining under
the parental roof until attaining his twentieth year he then
left home, buying his time for $150, and began working as a
farm hand, receiving as a compensation for his services $13 per
month. He worked through the summer and in the winter of 1844-45
went to what is known as the Jefferson Woods near Jefferson,
Wis., where he procured timber, which he rafted down the river
to Janesville, and there sold it for building purposes. He also
traded some timber for oxen, and the following spring began breaking
land in Milton Township, using seven yoke of oxen and a 36-inch
breaking-plow. He continued to break prairie until the harvest
season drew near, when procuring a cradle he engaged in harvesting
for fifty-three days at $1 per day. He then traded his ox-team
for a horse, and operated a tread-machine used in threshing grain.
About the year 1846 he made his first purchase of land, comprising
320 acres, for which he paid $60 in cash. The land was situated
on Jug Prairie, in what is now Union Township, and was in a wild
and uncultivated condition, but he at once began its cultivation,
and in the course of time developed a fine farm, which served
as a nucleus of his large landed possessions.
- On the 1st of January, 1852, in Rock County, Wis., Mr. MILLER
was united in the holy bonds
- of matrimony with Miss Catherine J. BUTTS, a native of Northampton
, Pa., and a daughter of Michael BUTTS, who was an early settlerof
this county. The young couple began their domestic life in a
little log cabin, which had been erected on his purchase, and
he began in earnest the development of the wild lands, which
his care, cultivation and improvements soon transformed into
a fine farm. Prosperity attended his efforts, and he was enabled
to extend the boundaries of his land until his farm on Jug Prairie
comprised 400 acres. In 1867 he left the pioneer home, placing
his farm under management of his son Willis, and purchased 160
acres on section 7, Porter Township, where he has since continued
to reside. All the necessary buildingd s for the care and shelter
of his stock have been erected, and all the improvements necessary
to a well regulated farm have been made. He has given much attention
to the breeding of cattle, and now ships about 300 head of stock
annually.
- By the union of Mr. and Mrs. MILLER twelve children have
been born, and except one daughter
- all grew to manhood and womanhood. John, the eldest, is
operating a farm of 440 acres in Dane County, Wis.; Pearlina
is the wife of J. E. COULTON, who resides in Minnehaha County,
Dak., where he is operating 640 acres of fine land; Willis,
who wedded Miss Maria ALTERMOSS, is farming 400 acres
of land in Union Township; Aurora B. is the wife of William
MOORE, who is the owner of a fine farm of 666 acres in Columbia
County, Wis.; Stanton wedded Miss Minnie MOSS, and is now operating
380 acres of land in Dane County; Ulysses was joined in wedlock
with Miss Grace LUMM, and is engaged in agricultural pursuits
in the town of Porter, Rock County; Chester married Inez MAXSON,
and is operating an extensive farm of 1,000 acres in Green County;
Charles, Jr., is engaged in farming in connection with Mr. MOORE
on 666 acres of land in Columbia County; Katie is still with
her parents; Rettie died at the age of fourteen years; Ernest
and Fred are also still under the parental roof. The children
have all received good educational advantages and are well fitted
for the responsible positions which they occupy. They have become
respected men and women in the various communities where they
reside, and are an honor to the family name.
- As before stated Mr. MILLER started out life for himself
at the age of twenty years, paying $150
- for his time. When he came to Rock County his cash capital
consisted of only $14, which he spent in looking about for a
location. Dependent upon his own resources, his money all gone,
such a prospect would not seem bright to many, but nothing daunted
he set to work to gain a livelyhood. After working at day's
labor for some time he found that he had accumulated $60, and
with this sum made a partial payment on his first purchase of
land. He has passed through the trials and hardships of pioneer
life, but with indomitable energy, perseverance, and industry
has labored on, and is now one of the wealthy men of Rock County.
He and his sons are operating the largest landed interest in
the State of Wisconsin, the total aggregating 4,756 acres. Upon
each farm will be found a fine residence and barn, the latest
improved machinery, the best grades of stock, and everything
necessary toward the operation of a model farm. They feed annually
about 1,000 head of stock, which yields a good income.
- The success to which Mr. MILLER has attained has not been
accidental, but has been brought
- about by hard labor, untiring industry and fair dealing.
His honest, upright life has won the confidence of all and secured
him many friends. In politics he is a stalwart Republican, firm
in support of the party principles, and though he has often been
solicited to accept public honor has steadily refused to fill
any but minor positions. His judgement and counsel are often
sought, and many men has he tided over adversity. He has promptly
and generously responded to all calls to aid in public enterprises,
is generous and charitable, and to him many are indebted for
favors shown in time of need. From the time of entering upon
his business career he had never been absent from his business
duties for a single day until the winter of 1888-89, when he
was confined to his home by ill health, but has now sufficiently
recovered to be once more at the head of his large interests.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 268-270.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
- Transcribed by Bill
|