BIO: William MILLER, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/1picts/commbios/comm-bios.htm _____________________________________________________________________ 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. _____________________________________________________________________ WILLIAM MILLER is one of the prosperous and intelligent farmers of Taylor township, Centre county, residing on the Mountain road. He was born September 28, 1831, at Yellow Springs, Huntingdon Co., Penn., a son of Charles and Ann (Bird) Miller, the former a native of Centre county, and the latter of Sinking Valley, Huntingdon (now Blair) county, Pennsylvania. By occupation the father was an iron worker, and on his return to Centre county in 1840, he located at Hannah Furnace, where he died in 1852, at the age of forty-five years. He was an Old-line Whig in politics, and was a member of the United Brethren Church, to which his faithful wife also belonged. She passed away in 1850, aged forty-five years. In their family were the following children: William, of this sketch; Margaret, a resident of Bellefonte, Penn.; John, who is operating a sawmill in Clearfield county, Penn.; Mary A., of Philipsburg, Penn.; George W., who was killed at the battle of Spottsylvania during the Civil war; Jane, a resident of Bellefonte; and two who died in infancy. The paternal grandfather of our subject died in Philadelphia, of yellow fever, while on a visit to his daughter. William Miller remained at home until it was broken up by the death of his parents. At the early age of nine years he began work at the Hannah Furnace, where he was employed until he had reached his twenty- first year, and later was connected with different iron works until 1860, when he located upon his present farm, and has since devoted his time and attention to agricultural pursuits with excellent success. In January, 1851, he married Miss Susan Caraher, and to them eight children have been born, namely: Clara, wife of Lewis Sheets, a lumberman of Janesville, Penn.; Daniel, a farmer of Osceola, Penn., who married Annie Miller, a relative; Wesley (deceased); Annie, wife of D. S. Fleming, of Du Bois, Penn.; Frances, wife of George Copenhaver, a farmer of Osceola; George W., railroad freight agent at Houtzdale, Penn., who married Laura McMunagle; Harry, a photographer, of Tyrone, Penn., and Bertha, at home. Mrs. Miller was born March 19, 1832, in Sinking Valley, Huntingdon Co., Penn., and is a daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Waite) Caraher, natives of York county and Huntingdon county, respectively. They were married in the latter county, where they remained until 1848, when they came to Centre county, locating at Hannah Furnace, where the mother died in 1850, at the age of fifty-three years. A year later the father removed to the farm on which our subject now resides, and there continued to make his home. He died, however, in Blair county, while on a visit to a daughter. He followed blacksmithing in early life, but later lived retired, enjoying a well-earned rest. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Caraher: Samuel (deceased); Margaret, widow of David Bratton, a blacksmith and later a farmer; Eva E., Michael and Abraham, all three deceased; Alfred, a blacksmith, of Houtzdale, Penn.; Susan, wife of our subject; Mary, wife of William Clark, of Houtzdale; Catherine, widow of Jacob Rider, of Guthrie county, Iowa; Henrietta, widow of John Cline, of Bellefonte, Penn., and one who died in infancy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Miller remember when their homes seemed to be on the frontier, and game and other wild animals were very plentiful. One day, while in the timber looking for her cows, she was approached by three wolves, which she at first took to be her dogs, and on realizing what the animals were was very much frightened, but succeeded in driving them away. In April, 1892, Mr. Miller met with a misfortune in the loss of his home, which was destroyed by fire. Not only did he lose his nine-room house, but the family records and most of the furniture and personal effects were also consumed. He has since erected his present comfortable and commodious dwelling, about twenty feet from the former site, whose exterior surroundings denote thrift and comfort, while the interior domestic economy and arrangements show the intelligence, culture and refinement of the owners. Politically, Mr. Miller is identified with the Republican party, has served as school director for four years, supervisor ten years, overseer of the poor one year, and collector twelve years. Public- spirited and enterprising, he gives his support to all worthy objects tending to promote the welfare of the community, and was instrumental 476 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. in building the plank road running from Unionville to Tyrone. He is widely and favorably known, and enjoys the confidence and respect of all with whom he has come in contact.