Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Miller, Timothy L 1817 - 
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Author: Portrait & Biographical Album, 1890

TIMOTHY L. MILLER. 

No visitor to this county would long be unfamiliar with the name and 
personality of the gentleman above named, who is widely known to stockmen and 
others as one to whom the advancement of the cattle interests in this section 
is largely due. He has undoubtedly done more to introduce fine Hereford cattle 
than any other man in this vicinity, and ranks as one of the leaders in stock-
raising in the entire State. Not less than $100,000 has been spent by him in 
this direction, and at all the prominent expositions he carries off his share 
of laurels on the stock exhibited. He became prominent as the owner of the 
famous bull, Success, which has a wonderful record for his fine descendants, 
and went far to popularize the noble breed. Mr. Miller began the introduction 
of Herefords in the spring of 1872, when he introduced Sir Charles, No. 543, 
from the Province of Ontario, Canada. He subsequently became the owner of 
Success, whom he imported from Herefordshire, England, by the side of his dam 
when he was three months old. This animal was regarded as the greatest of his 
breed in the world, Lord Wilton of England not excepted. Mr. Miller refused 
$25,000 for him, and kept him until his death in the fall of 1886. Mr. Miller 
claims that eighty per cent, of his herd are daughters and granddaughters of 
this famous animal. The present head of the herd is Conqueror, the son of 
Success from Leonora III., the dam being the sister of Mrs. Edwards Leonora, 
which was regarded as the best cow of England. Foremost among the other 
animals are Dictator and Grove Turner, the latter being the grandson of Lord 
Wilton on the sire's side and of Grove III. on the dam's side. The entire herd 
consists of about two hundred fine animals, three-fourths of which are cows 
and heifers, and represent some of the finest strains in this country. Mr. 
Miller was born in Middletown, Conn., April 7, 1817, and is a representative 
of fine old New England families of English and German descent. He grew to 
manhood in his native place, receiving as good an education as New England 
afforded in her common schools. He removed to Summit County, Ohio, in 1842, 
purchasing his first land two years later, and living upon it until 1856. He 
then came to Illinois, immediately after the completion of the Illinois 
Central Railroad, securing Government land in this county. His first purchase 
was two hundred and forty acres, which was subsequently increased until his 
estate amounted to over six hundred acres, all of which is highly improved and 
about half drained by tiling. All of the outbuildings are first-class, the 
immense stock barn being one hundred and eighty feet square, and so arranged 
as to shelter three hundred head of cattle and feed to supply the whole. The 
residence is one of the largest in the State, being two hundred and four feet 
long; it is built in sections, the main building on the west, office in the 
center, contains twenty-five sleeping rooms, and is well designed for the 
pleasure and accommodation of the household and the numerous visitors who 
enjoy its hospitality. A cellar is built under the entire edifice. The father 
of our subject was Timothy B. Miller, a native of Middletown, Conn., and the 
son of Peter Miller, who was born in Prussia and there educated for the 
ministry. He did not follow the ministerial profession, but coming to America 
when a young man, settled in Connecticut and devoted himself to business. He 
married a Miss Joyce, who came of English parentage, and both died in New 
England at an advanced age. They were members of the Episcopal Church. Timothy 
B. Miller early in life learned the business of a shoe manufacturer, which he 
followed for some years, later becoming a trader in meats, continuing in this 
business during the remainder of his active life. He removed to Ohio in 1846, 
dying there a few years later. In Middletown, Conn., the father of our subject 
was married to Miss Mary Hughes Pierce, a native of that city and the daughter 
of an English couple who has resided in Boston during the Revolutionary War. 
They subsequently removed to Middletown, where Mr. Pierce for many years had 
the management of a brewery. Mrs. Timothy B. Miller after the death of her 
husband came to Illinois, and lived with her children in this State until 
1886, when she was called hence at the advanced age of eighty-six years. Her 
demise took place at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Edward Mize, of Chicago. 
She and her husband were active members of the Episcopal Church. They were the 
parents of six children, two of whom died young and one in mature years. The 
survivors are: our subject, who was the first-born; Charles R., a business man 
of Brooklyn, N. Y.; and the daughter before named. The first marriage of the 
gentleman with whose name this sketch is introduced took place at the bride's 
home in Middletown, Conn. His chosen companion was Miss Abigail S. Elliott, 
who was born in that place, was carefully reared by excel- lent parents, and 
well educated. Her parents were Clark and Almira (Gillett) Elliott, who 
belonged to prominent New England families and were also natives of 
Connecticut. Mr. Elliott was a carriage-maker in his early life, but in later 
years devoted his attention to general merchandising. He died in his native 
State when about three-score-and-ten years old. Mrs. Elliott survived him some 
years, dying in 1888 at the ripe old age of ninety-five. Both were members of 
the Congregational Church. Their daughter, Mrs. Miller, shared her husband's 
joys and sorrows until 1858, when in the prime of life she was called from 
time to eternity. She was the mother of five children, dying at the birth of 
the last, who was christened Henry, and who died when three years of age. The 
surviving offspring of this marriage are: Kate E., wife of George B. Woodward, 
who has charge of the branch house of the Fairbanks Scale Company in St. Paul, 
Minn.; Abbie A., the wife of Frank Gould, a wholesale merchant of Chicago, 
whose residence is in Evanston; Mary P., wife of Albert C. Reed, who resides 
in Crete, this county, and does business as a broker in Chicago; and Timothy 
E., a farmer of Washington Township. The lady who now presides over Mr. 
Miller's home became his wife in Rockford, prior to which time she had borne 
the name of Anna E. Hodges. She was born in Clarendon, Vt., July 22, 1828, 
being a daughter of Silas W. and Polly (Gillett) Hodges. Her parents were 
natives of Vermont and Connecticut respectively, and of New England parentage. 
The father was a son of Dr. Silas Hodges, a prominent physician who died in 
Clarendon in 1804, at the age of sixty-one years. The mother belonged to a 
family of seafaring people. The old stock in both lines were 
Congregationalists in religion. The parents of Mrs. Miller were married in 
Rutland County, Vt., and there the mother died at the age of fifty-two years, 
and the father at the age of seventy-two. He had been a farmer, merchant and 
owner of a marble quarry. Mrs. Anna Miller was educated in Holyoke, Mass., and 
there acquired an excellent mental training and development, together with a 
knowledge of the high principles which should animate womanhood. She came to 
Rockford, Ill., after reaching maturity. She is the mother of one child, a 
daughter, Abbie, who died in infancy. She and her husband have been members of 
the Congregational Church for many years. Mr. Miller is a genial man who takes 
great pleasure in showing visitors over his fine estate, and his stock is by 
no means overlooked. The good cheer of the mansion is dispensed with grace by 
his wife, whose culture and refinement fit her for any circle of society. Mr. 
Miller was formerly a Democrat, and was President of the Hickory Club in 
Middletown, Conn., in 1840, but since the organization of the Republican party 
he has taken his place in its ranks. Elsewhere in this volume appears a 
lithographic portrait of Mr. Miller. 

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

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