Ohio County, West Virginia Biography of Lewis J. MILLER This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 278-279 Ohio County LEWIS J. MILLER, formerly general manager of the Wheeling Wholesale Grocery Company, stands as one of the veteran and representative figures in the wholesale trade of Wheeling, in which city he was born August 25, 1858, a son of Peter Miller, who was one of the sterling pioneer merchants of this city. Peter Miller was born in the Fulda River District of Hessen, Germany, November 1, 1832, a son of John and Anna Maria Miller, he having been a youth at the time of the father's death, but the widowed mother having attained to the venerable age of eighty-eight years. Peter Miller was reared and educated in his native land and was about nineteen years of age when he came to the United States. In 1852 he estab- lished his home at Wheeling, and here he served a three years' apprenticeship in the tailoring establishment of Christian Hesse, working the first year for $10 a year and his board, the second year receiving $20 and board and a suit of clothes. In the third year he became a skilled journeyman at his trade. In 1860 he engaged in the retail grocery business at the corner of Main and Third streets, where he continued operations five years, the brick block which he erected at this location still standing and in ex- cellent preservation. He continued for many years as one of the substantial, reliable and highly respected business men of Wheeling, and through his well directed endeavors accumulated an appreciable fortune, as gauged by the standards of the locality and period. He was eighty-one years of age at the time of his death, and his widow passed away at the age of eighty-three years, their mar- riage having been solemnized November 1, 1857. Mrs. Miller, whose maiden name was Christina Heil, was born and reared in Germany and came to the United States in the same year as did her future husband. Both were devout communicants of the Catholic Church, and in polities he was a democrat. These honored pioneers of Wheeling became the parents of nine children: Lewis J., Christina, Rosa, Mary, Emma, Peter W., Catherine, Lor- etta and Charles B. Lewis J. Miller gained his early education in the schools of his native city, and as a youth he found employment in a local nail factory. During the first week his wages were 44 cents. He continued to be employed in this factory five years, and he then entered the employ of George Feeny, who was here engaged in the wholesale confectionery business and with whom he continued his association eleven years, his compansation at the start having been $3 a week and his final salary having been $12.50 a week. In 1886 he established on a small scale a wholesale grocery business, and erected a frame building of one story, with a frontage of thirty feet, where he continued in business until 1912, when he sold to Miller Brothers and lived retired for seven years. In 1919 he became manager of the Wheeling Wholesale Grocery Company, continuing until he retired, February 1, 1922. Mr. Miller gained success and high reputation in the wholesale grocery busi- ness, and was counted one of the leading representatives of the same in his native city. The Wheeling Wholesale Grocery Company, with headquarters at 302 Main Street, was organized in 1918, on the co-operative plan, and its success under this system led to careful investigation of its methods and policies on the part of committees of busi- ness men from other cities of the Union. John H. Welty, Frederick Viewig and Lewis J. Miller constituted the committee which, in a similar way, made investigation of co-operative enterprises of the same type in other cities, and finally the business was incorporated with a capital of $50,000. John H. Welty became the president of the company and Mr. Miller, the general manager. Unequivocal success attended the concern, which rapidly extended its business throughout the trade territory normally tributary to Wheeling, and after two years it was found expedient to increase the capital stock to its present figure, $100,000. The establishment utilizes 9,000 square feet of floor space, is at all times well stocked in all departments, and its facilities are such as effectually meet the demands of the constantly expanding trade. Mr. Miller is a liberal and progressive citizen and sub- stantial business man of his native city, is a democrat in politics, and both he and his wife are communicants of the Catholic parish of Corpus Christi Church. November 11, 1912, recorded the marriage of Mr. Miller and Miss Lenora Powell, daughter of David Powell, a leading con- tractor and builder at Wheeling. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have no children. For the past fourteen or more years Mr. Miller has cus- tomarily passed the winter seasons in Florida, where he has made for himself a record as a skilled fisherman and where he has captured piscatorial trophies which he has preserved and which have attracted admiring attention in his home city.