BIO:  Ephraim Miller, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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Part II, Biographical Sketches, Shrewsbury Township, Pg 179

EPHRAIM MILLER, D. D., resident pastor in charge of the Lutheran Church at 
Shrewsbury, was born December 8, 1818, in Cumberland County.  His parents, Daniel 
and Elizabeth (Frankenberger) Miller were natives of Pennsylvania and of German 
descent.  They had four sons and five daughters, of whom Rev. E. is the eldest.  In 
his early life he assisted his father at his trade, and attended the public schools.  
At the age of fourteen he began clerking in a store in which he remained three and a 
half years.  In his eighteenth year he entered Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, 
and graduated in 1841, as A. B., and later received the degree of A. M.  Up to 1844 
he taught school in Illinois.  In 1845 was ordained and preached at Shelbyville 
until 1847.  From there he went to Springfield, Ill., where he had charge of a 
Lutheran Church for four years; then to Oregon, Ill., for seven years; then to Peru, 
Ill., two years; next to Mount Morris, three years; back to Springfield for six 
years and a half; then went to Dixon, four years; Cincinnati four years and a half; 
Smicksburg, Penn., two years.  In 1881 he came to Shrewsbury, and has charge of New 
Freedom and Fissel’s Churches.  October 13, 1846, he was married at Hillsboro, Ill., 
to Mary J. Boone, of Kentucky, descended from a brother of the famous Daniel Boone.  
They have had eight children, of whom two died in infancy.  The living are William 
E., Mary E., John Henry, Alice E., Walter Boone and Charles A.  Rev. Miller was one 
of the organizers of the Hillsboro College, in 1846, and of Carthage College in 
1870, and of Mendata College in 1856.  In 1849 he established a classical school at 
Springfield, Ill., and continued it until 1851.  He also helped to organize the 
synod of northern Illinois in 1851.  He was twice elected to a professorship in the 
college at Springfield, Ill., but both times felt it his duty to decline.