My Genealogy Hound

REV. J. C. MILLER. Some of our Indiana friends may be glad to read a sketch of their old friend and pastor who traveled over Indiana for five years working for the cause of Christ. He was born Oct. 15, 1836, in Randolph county, N. C, raised on a farm, and was a local preacher until the war broke out. In 1861 he was drafted in the Confederate army, but he hired a substitute. Three months after the conscript law came out, taking all from eighteen to forty-five, but Mr. Miller was teaching school at that time and was exempted. But three months after they came round again, taking all from sixteen to sixty, and Mr. Miller’s sympathies being with the North he was reported as a Union man. So the examining physicians examined him and passed him, and the only way he could get out was to go to one of them and bribe him, which he did, and again got his exemption papers, by the doctors reporting him unfit for camp life. But three months after they came around again with a different conscript law, and to evade it he had to leave home, which he did, and traveled through east Tennessee and Carolina preaching, and had many narrow escapes to evade the conscript. He was trying to get to the Union lines all the time, but saw no chance until about the close of the war, and in trying to get to them he was captured by a squad of rebel cavalry and had his horse taken. The war closing almost immediately after he returned to his old home, and was on the police force for some time. Moved to Hamilton, Ind., in September, 1865, and worked in a tannery that winter. Worked on a farm in Clinton county. After that was circuit rider five years in Indiana. Was married to Miss Amy A. Hasok Aug. 31, 1870, in Delaware county, Ind. Mr. Miller was pastor and farmer until Feb. 15, 1882, when he was transferred to the Missouri Methodist Protestant Conference, and settled in Jasper county, Mo. He bought a farm, joining Jasper on the west, of eighty acres, and forty acres joining Jasper on the north. Both are improved, with two good orchards, and all under cultivation. He also has four lots, a good dwelling house, two stables, and all kinds of fruits in the rapidly growing town of Jasper. Mr. Miller has two children, named Samuel M. and Melvin N. He is engaged in farming, and is pastor of the Jasper circuit.