BIO: Abram V. MILLER, Centre County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  ABRAM V. MILLER.  Among the citizens of mark in Centre county no one 
is more worthy of consideration than the gentleman whose name 
introduces this biography. In days of peace he has not only proved a 
valued member of society, but on Southern battle fields during 

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  239

the dark days of the Rebellion, he fearlessly fought for the old flag 
and the cause it represented.  He is now, however, living retired at 
this pleasant home in State College, surrounded by a wide circle of 
friends and acquaintances, who delight to show their appreciation of 
his sterling worth and many excellent traits of character. 
  The Miller family was among the very earliest settlers of 
Pennsylvania, locating on the banks of the Delaware river about 1675, 
several years before William Penn took up his residence here. Later 
members of the family made their home at what is now Downingtown.  
Reuben Miller, the grandfather of our subject, was a resident of 
Chester county, this State, and was a miller by trade as well as by 
name.  He married Thomazine Valentine, and had eight children: William, 
who became a wealthy citizen of Kentucky, and whose daughter is now 
living in Harrisburg, Penn; Robert V.; Isaac; Mordica, who also lived 
in Kentucky; Mrs. Eliza Thomas; Mrs. Mary Ann Harris; Mrs. Jane Harris; 
and Mrs. Rachel Miles.
  Robert V. Miller, the father of our subject, was a native of Chester 
county, and after the death of his father he went to Alexandria, Va., 
and lived with his uncle, Mordica Miller, until 1815, at which time he 
came to Centre county with his uncles, Valentine Bros., and worked in 
an iron store at Bellefonte.  He hauled iron from that city to 
Pittsburg, thence carrying it by rafts and arks on the Ohio and 
Mississippi rivers to Louisville (Ky.), Natchez and New Orleans.  
Subsequently he went to Lexington, Ky., and there kept an iron store 
for Valentine & Thomas, of Bellefonte, Penn., and was engaged in 
prospecting for a time; he also for a brief space kept an iron store in 
Louisville, Ky.  Returning to Centre county, he for some time prior to 
1827 was proprietor of the Mill Hall Iron Works in partnership with his 
brother Isaac and his brother-in-law, Joseph Harris, but on October 29, 
that year, he joined the regular army, enlisting in Company A., First 
Regiment of Artillery, U.S. A., and was stationed at Camp Holback, 
under Capt. (later Gen.) W. J. Worth, and First Lieut. W. A. Patrick 
(who was provost marshal general of the Army of the Potomac during the 
Civil war), until the fall of 1830, when he returned to Centre county, 
and engaged in the iron business for several years. He was also the 
owner of 300 acres of valuable land in the county near Pleasant Gap, 
which he left to his children. He died from excitement on the 7th of 
July, 1863, three days after the battle of Gettysburg, in which two of 
his sons participated.
  Robert V. Miller was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Lytle, a 
native of Centre county, and they became the parents of twelve 
children, as follows:  Reuben, who died at the age of four months; one 
that died in infancy unnamed; William, a civil engineer, who died while 
surveying for a railroad in Honduras, Central America; Eliza, a 
resident of Bellefonte; Abram V., subject of this sketch; Isaac, who is 
living retired near Bellefonte; Thomazine, a resident of Philadelphia; 
Jacob, who was killed in the battle of South Mountain, September 14, 
1862, and was buried at home; Mary Ann, who is living with her brother, 
Robert V.; Clarissa, wife of Henry Pennington, of Abilene Kans.; Jane, 
wife of Alfred Russell, who is also a resident of Abilene and is 
serving as county clerk; and Robert V., a contractor of Bellefonte.
  Our subject was born April 24, 1838, in Spring township, Centre 
county, and there secured a good practical education. After leaving the 
schoolroom he engaged in teaming until the breaking out of the Civil 
war.  On April 15, 1861, spurred on by a spirit of patriotism, he 
became the second to enlist in the Bellefonte Fencibles, and took part 
in the first battle of the war, that of Falling Waters, July 2, 1861.  
On the 26th of July he was honorably discharged and returned home, 
where he recruited for the 45th P.V.I., the Second Pennsylvania Cavalry 
and the 57th P.V.I.
  In the winter of 1861 Mr. Miller again enlisted becoming a member of 
the First Pennsylvania Cavalry, and participated in the battles of 
Falmouth, Strasburg, Mt. Jackson, Cross Keys and Fort Republic.  While 
on picket duty in 1862 he had an arm and several ribs broken, which 
caused his confinement in the hospital at Washington, D.C. for some 
time. Rejoining his regiment, he took part in the engagements of 
Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, and was discharged December 28, 1863.  
On the 29th of the following February, however, he again enlisted, this 
time in the 184th P.V.I., and with that command was in the battles of 
Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor and Petersburg.  In the first attack on 
the Weldon Railroad he received a shot in the shoulder, one in the leg, 
one in the head and a piece of shell took off a part of his lower jaw, 
together with eleven teeth.  For twenty-four hours he lay on the battle 
field in this condition, when he was finally found and taken to City 
Point, Va., and thence to Campbell Hospital, Washington, D. C.  On May 
12, 1864 he had been commissioned first lieutenant of Company E, 184th 
P. V. I., and with that rank was mustered out.  His army record is one 

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  240 

of which he may be justly proud, for he was ever found at his post of 
duty and in the thickest of the fight.
  On September 29, 1865, Lieut. Miller was married to Miss Jane Potter 
and of the four children born of their union, the births of three 
occurred in Iowa.  John, born March 18, 1866, and Robert, born July 23, 
1867, both died in infancy; and Elizabeth, born October 13, 1868, and 
George P., born October 1, 1871, are at home.
  Since 1874, Lieut. Miller has served as United States gauger and 
store keeper for his collection district and in the fall of 1895 was 
the Republican candidate for prothonotary.  Although the county was 
Democratic, by 800, he was beaten by only 69 votes.  In 1896 he was the 
candidate for sheriff of Centre county on the Republican ticket, and 
was beaten by only 16 votes with the largest vote ever polled in the 
county.  He is a noble type of citizen soldier, equally true to his 
country on the battle field or in the peaceful surroundings of his 
home, and his family may well feel proud of his honorable and manly 
record.