John W. Miller Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 391-392

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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JOHN W. MILLER, a worthy representative of the agricultural interests 
of Belle Prairie township, Beadle county, South Dakota, was born in 
Cadiz, Harrison county, Ohio, December 4, 1850, and is the only child 
of Casper and Catherine (Williams) Miller. Soon after his marriage his 
father decided to seek his fortune in the gold fields of California, 
but never reached his destination, meeting his death at the hands of 
the Indians. Five years later the mother married Alfred Hubbs. 

Mr. Miller remained at home with his mother until he attained his 
majority, but at the age of thirteen began to work in the coal mines. 
In 1864 he removed with the family to Kewaunee, Illinois, where he also 
found work in the mines, and later on going to Coalville, Iowa, in 
1874, was similarly employed for three years, at the end of which time 
he returned to Kewaunee. Once more he entered the mines there and 
continued to work at that place until 1883. It was in that year that 
Mr. Miller came to Beadle county, South Dakota, and took up his 
residence on the northeast quarter of section 1 ~, Belle Prairie 
township, on which homestead he has resided continuously since. He also 
owns the northwest quarter of section 24 of the same township, which he 
took up from the government as a tree claim. 

On the 28th of March, 1872, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Miller 
and Miss Annie M. Hill, who was born in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, in 
1852, and they have become the parents of nine children who are named 
as follows: Lillian F., now the wife of B. B. Thurston, an early 
pioneer of Clifton township, Beadle county; Charles R., a resident of 
Kewaunee, Illinois; William F.; Ernest L.; Elmer E.; Roland K.; 
Frederick L.; Verna V. and Raymond H. With so pleasant a family around 
him, Mr. Miller anticipates many happy years as a just recompense for 
those passed in toil and hardship incident to pioneer life. Having all 
his life been handicapped by a limited education, he fully realizes his 
loss and is striving to give his children the best advantages afforded 
by the public schools of the county, it being his aim to improve and 
maintain the schools at the highest degree of excellency. Socially he 
has the respect and confidence of his fellow townsmen and has served 
them in various capacities as a township and school official. 
Politically he has been a lifelong Republican and gives his influence 
to such crusades as prohibition and equal suffrage.