My Genealogy Hound

OLIVER P. MILLER. The petty difficulties of the township in which our subject resides find their way to his office, and he sends the parties away in better humor with themselves and with the world in general than they were on coming to him, for he is a gentleman who, although having an extended knowledge of the prosaic aspects of life, is prone to see the humorous side, and gild the baser metal with the brightness of wit.

Mr. Miller is one of the old settlers of Lake Township, but was born in Ohio, Preble County, August 19, 1832. He was the fourth in order of birth of nine children born to Jacob F. and Docia (Weaver) Miller, natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were married in Ohio, whither their parents had moved at an early date, and there they resided on a farm for many years. Mr. Miller was a popular man and held various offices, the most prominent being those of Assessor and Commissioner. He served in the War of 1812, and was under Gen. Harrison in the battle of Tippecanoe. His death occurred in the State of his adoption February 11, 1849. The Miller family came originally from Germany and settled in Tennessee, in Hawkins County. The Weaver family came from England and its members were among the first settlers of Virginia.

Of the nine children born to the above mentioned couple, eight lived to mature years: George, who resides in Benton Harbor; A. K. who resides in West Manchester, Ohio; O. P., our subject; Margaret, wife of Robert Gilfillin, of Ohio; Robert D., who lives in Colorado; Cyrus, who resides in West Manchester, Ohio; Abigail, deceased, the wife of Lewis Howe, of Ohio; and James, deceased, who left a family in Dayton, Ohio. Both Mr. and Mrs. Miller had been married previously, and the former was the father of two children by his first union: Frederick, deceased, and Sarah, deceased. Mrs. Miller’s first husband was John Price, by whom she had four children, one dying in infancy. Elaridge, deceased, left a family in Illinois; Ellen, deceased, was the wife of Dan Ritz, of West Manchester, Ohio; and John, of Greenville, Ohio.

Oliver P. Miller passed his boyhood and youth in Ohio, and attended the common schools of his neighborhood. He commenced life for himself as a carpenter and continued this for ten years, meeting with fair success. On the 1st of May, 1864, he joined Company C, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio Infantry, and was attached to the Army of the Cumberland, although in 1864 it was called the Army of Ohio. He served in Maryland and Virginia, and participated in but one engagement, being mustered out at Camp Dennison, Ohio, in September, 1864. After reaching home he remained there until 1867, when he came to this State, and resided on rented land for eight years. In 1873 he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of unimproved land, for which he paid $12 per acre, and in 1875 he moved on this farm. He now has fifty acres under cultivation and is one of the foremost men of his neighborhood. Nearly the entire time he has resided on his farm he has held the office of Justice of the Peace and has discharged the duties of that office in a very creditable manner. He has also held the office of Township Clerk and Road Commissioner.

In the year 1853 Mr. Miller married Miss Ann M. Fye, a native of Ohio, and the daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Maloy) Fye, natives of the Old Dominion and Ohio, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Fye were the parents of fifteen children, nine of whom lived to years of maturity. Mary E., wife of H. Young, resides in Marion, Ind., Margaret, who is the wife of Frank Meadows, resides in De Lisle, Ohio; Elizabeth, who is the wife of T. Ross, makes her home at Dawn, Ohio; Ann M. was the wife of our subject; Benjamin resides in Richmond, Ind.; Charley is in Kansas; Henry is in Indiana; Hester is the wife of Daniel Clingerman, of Niles, Mich.; and Jasper lives in Benton Harbor. Mrs. Fye died in 1864, and her husband in 1889. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller were born five children, as follows: Orvin W., of this county; Cleon; Margaret C., wife of William Aland, of Berrien County; Malissa, who died at the age of two years; and Emma, who died at the age of eight years. Mrs. Miller died in 1884. Mr. Miller is a member of the County Grange and Lake Grange No. 84, of which he is Secretary. In politics he is a Republican.