My Genealogy Hound

James M. Miller, circuit clerk of Lewis County, Mo., was born at Millersburg, Ky., October 19, 1829, the son of James and Nancy W. (Baker) Miller, the former of Scotch-Irish stock, born in 1791, in Kentucky. The grandfather John, came from Ireland, about 1774, with two brothers and a sister, the latter and one of the former being killed by the Indians. John located on the site of Millersburg, Ky., in 1778, where he built the first brick house in the State. He erected the “Irish Fort,” at the third settlement in the State. James came to this county in 1838, and bought 600 acres of land, but soon became the owner of 2,000 acres, and engaged in stock-raising. He was a soldier of 1812, and his second wife, Rebecca Johnson (Trotter), still draws a pension. His first wife, Nancy W. (Baker), was born in Kentucky in 1793, and died in 1860; he died in 1878. Our subject, the seventh of eleven children, was nine years old when the family came to this county, and lived with his parents until twenty years of age. December 9, 1849, he married Elizabeth, a daughter of Francis Richardson, and born January 12, 1833, in Franklin County, Ky. Their children are John C.; Nannie, now Mrs. Frank Ransom; Fannie, the wife of Samuel S. Hyett; and Hettie, the wife of Joseph Offutt. Our subject was a farmer and stock raiser in Lyon Township, until 1870, when he moved to St. Louis, and became agent for Alexander & Patterson, in buying hogs, and for five years he was a partner in the firm of Miller & Allen, of Broadway Stock Yards. In 1876 he returned and settled in Canton County. From 1882 he was a circuit clerk eight years, elected over a popular opponent by a majority of 723 votes. He is a Democrat, and first voted for Pierce. He is a Mason and an Odd Fellow. His wife is a member of the Christian Church.