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Below is a family biography included in The History of McLean County, Illinois published by Wm. LeBaron, Jr. Co. in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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SAMUEL MILLER, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Downs; born in Randolph Township, McLean Co., Nov. 17, 1845; he is the oldest living son of M. H. Miller, usually known as Hagar Miller, one of the early settlers, and whose sketch appears among the biographies of Randolph Township in another part of this work. The subject of this sketch lived with his parents and followed farming until February, 1864, when he enlisted in the 94th Regt. I. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union. He joined the regiment at New Orleans, and went to Mobile Bay, where he was engaged in the siege and capture of Ft. Morgan, Blakely and Spanish Fort, by which Mobile fell into the hands of the Union army; he was then forwarded to Galveston, Tex., where he was transferred to the 37th I. V. I., and was on detailed service until May, 1866, when he was mustered out of service at Houston, and received his discharge at Springfield in May, 1866, having served in the Union army two years and three months; he then returned home and engaged in farming, which business he has since followed; he removed upon his present place in 1872, where he has 160 acres of land upon which he has good farm buildings. His marriage with Emma Passwater was celebrated March 9, 1871; she was born in Randolph Township, McLean Co., and is a daughter of Clement Passwater, one of the early pioneers of McLean Co.; they have three children by this union — Rebecca E., Cora C. and Franklin H.

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This family biography is one of 1257 biographies included in The History of McLean County, Illinois published by Wm. LeBaron, Jr. Co. in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of McLean County, Illinois

View additional McLean County, Illinois family biographies here: McLean County, Illinois Biographies

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