BIO: Harry J. Miller, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2011.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

                              CHAPTER LIX.

                         UPPER ALLEN TOWNSHIP.

569  UPPER ALLEN TOWNSHIP.

  HARRY J. MILLER, farmer, P. O. Mechanicsburg, one of the prosperous 
business men whose family history can be traced back for two centuries, 
is of German origin, his great-great-grandparents coming from 
Switzerland to Pennsylvania in 1732.  George Miller, the great-
grandfather of our subject, was born in Switzerland in 1722, and with 
his father, Michael, settled near Elizabethtown, in Lancaster County; 
united with the church and was the first minister of the Big Swatava 
German Baptist Church.  He died in 1798, leaving ten children, of whom 
Henry begat Moses, who married Hannah Mohler, and by her had six 
children:  Sarah; Amos, died in infancy; infant daughter deceased; 
Harry J., born June 26, 1848; Solomon and Mary.  On the great-
grandmother's side George Klein, the first minister at North Kill (now 
Little Swatava), was born at Zweibrucken, Germany, in 1715, and settled 
at North Kill in 1750.  Elizabeth, the daughter of George Klein, was 
the mother of Moses Miller, who was the father of Harry J. Miller.  
Moses died June 26, 1885, aged sixty-five years, two months and twenty-
nine days.  Our subject has traveled over much of the Western country, 
and has ever been a close observer of the methods and manners of the 
people.  He received a liberal education, adopted the vocation of a 
teacher, and for several terms taught in this township, near his 
boyhood's home, where he gave satisfaction.  In 1869 he formed the 
acquaintance of Miss Martha C. Hutton, of Adams County, Penn., who was 
later married to Harry B. Palmer.  After Mr. Palmer's death, in 
September, 1880, Mr. Miller renewed the acquaintance, and November 11, 
1883, they were married (Mrs. Miller had three children by her first 
husband:  Edgar, Bertha and Lillie, the latter died in 1880).  To Mr. 
and Mrs. Miller was born, August 18, 1884, a daughter, Orca Z.  They 
reside on a handsome farm near Shepherdstown, which was willed to Mr. 
Miller by his father at the death of his mother, who still lives in 
Mechanicsburg.  In politics Mr. Miller is a Republican.  He has done 
effective work for his party in this neighborhood, though he has never 
held or desired office for himself.