Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Miller, George S 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 2, 2008, 2:57 am

Author: Past & Present Will County, 1907

George S. Miller is one of the prominent representatives of the business life 
of Monee. He has varied interests there, being engaged in general merchandise, 
in buying and shipping grain and in banking as well, as cashier of the Eastern 
Will County State Bank. He was born in Mattison, Cook county, Illinois, in 
1865. His father, Simon Miller, was a native of Bavaria, Germany, and came to 
America with his parents when a youth of fourteen years. The family settled in 
Chicago and he became a member of Company 6, Volunteer Eire Department, 
serving with Barrett and Sweenie, the latter afterward becoming chief of the 
Chicago fire department. After several years on the force Mr. Miller was 
advised to leave the city and settled at Eichton and afterward at Mattison, 
where he turned his attention to general merchandising and the grain trade. 
Later he was engaged in the same line of business at Monee. He was a very 
successful business man and was widely known throughout the county by reason 
of the extent of his operations, the excellent business qualifications which 
he displayed and the straightforward methods which he followed in the conduct 
of his interests. He also figured in public life as a leader in local 
democratic circles. He served as supervisor for several years and was the last 
democratic chairman of the county board of supervisors. At one time he was the 
unsuccessful candidate for the state legislature. He held membership in the 
Reformed Lutheran church and spent his last days in Chicago, where he died 
July 3, 1902, his remains then being interred in Monee. The mother of our 
subject bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Bepperling. She was born in New 
York, and is now living in Chicago, having accompanied her parents on their 
removal to that city at an early day. In fact Chicago was only a village at 
that time and among her playmates were the little Indian children. Unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Simon Miller were born three sons, who died in childhood, and a 
daughter, who is now Mrs. Holzapfel, a resident of Alhambra, California. 
George S. Miller largely spent his boyhood days in Monee, where he pursued a 
common-school education. He also spent six months as a student in the 
Metropolitan Business College in Chicago. When twenty-two years of age he 
began business as a general merchant and still continues in this line, having 
now one of the largest and most complete stocks in the village. A liberal 
patronage is accorded him and he makes a close and earnest study of the 
demands of the public, so that he is able to meet any call that may be made by 
the general trade. He also owns an elevator and buys and sells grain. In 1893 
he was one of the organizers of the Eastern Will County State Bank and from 
the beginning has been its cashier, while his father-in-law, John Kolstedt, 
has been president of this organization. This is one of the strongest banks in 
Will county with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars and surplus 
of nine thousand dollars. A general banking business is conducted and from the 
beginning the enterprise has been most, successful. George Sonneborn is vice 
president and the officers are members of the board of directors, together 
with John Scheidt, of Eichton, Illinois; Phil Glaeser, of Eichton; Fred Nagel, 
of Monee; Nicholas Fortmiller, of Mattison; Albert P. Lilley, of Peotone; and 
Henry J. Sehluntz, of Joliet. In 1891 was celebrated the marriage of George S. 
Miller and Miss Francilia Kolstedt, a daughter of John Kolstedt, who is 
mentioned elsewhere in this volume. They now have one son, Harold M. Their 
home is one of the finest residences of the village and its hospitality is 
most pleasing, being generous and warm hearted. Mr. Miller belongs to the 
Reformed Lutheran church. His political allegiance is given to the democracy 
and for two years he served as trustee of the village board, while for sixteen 
years he has been president of the village board. In this connection he has 
given most capable service, being especially interested in its growth and 
substantial improvement and working along modern business lines for its 
development and growth. He endorses all those interests which are a matter of 
civic virtue and of civic pride and in political as well as business lines his 
efforts have been far-reaching and beneficial to Monee.

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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