My Genealogy Hound

William Miller, farmer and stock-raiser of Gasconade County, Mo., was born in Prussia, in 1834, and is the fifth of six children born to Peter Henry and Mary (Erka) Miller. They came to the United States in 1838, and after spending one year in Franklin County came to Gasconade County, and were the first German settlers of Second Creek, and almost the first in the county. The country was very wild at that time, and the woods were full of wild animals of various kinds, bears, panthers, wild cats, and deer being among the various species. The father was a well-to-do farmer, and died at the age of fifty-three. The mother died three years later at the same age. Of their family, two sons and one daughter are living. The daughter, Mrs. Minnie Stupplemann, is residing in Osage County. The two sons are among the first farmers of Gasconade County. William Miller attended the common schools, which were then very inferior, three months during the year, and after becoming grown attended school in St. Louis for some time. At the age of fourteen he went to St. Louis, and for four years drove a flour wagon in that city. He then became cabin boy on a Mississippi steamer, and for three years worked on the Lower Mississippi, Ohio and Illinois Rivers. After his return to Gasconade County he worked for various farmers, and after a time purchased part of his present farm. March 1, 1855, he married Sarah Adkins, who was born in Hermann, and died in 1872, leaving five children: Mary J. (wife of Charles Hoffmann), Henry, Rebecca (deceased), Martha (deceased) and Louisa. In 1872, Mr. Miller married Minnie Hoffmann, who was born in Lippe-Detmold, and died in 1876, leaving one child, Sarah. The same year Mr. Miller married Mary Hilkemann, a native of Gasconade County. She died leaving three children: Sophia, William and Minnie. Mr. Miller is the owner of over 600 acres of fine land, 200 acres of which are in a good state of cultivation. In 1867 he erected a large stone house, and all his property has been the result of his own industry. He is a Republican in politics, and cast his first presidential vote for Fremont. He deals quite extensively in stock, shipping principally to St. Louis.