My Genealogy Hound

P. S. Miller, stockman and farmer, of Miller County, Mo., was born in what is now Miller County (then Cole County), Mo., in 1827, being the fourth of fourteen children born to William and Sarah (Mulkey) Miller, who were born in Virginia and North Carolina, October 23, 1795, and December 13, 1800, respectively. The father came from Virginia to Missouri in 1818, and the following year located in Cole County, at Factory Fort, where he was married in 1820 to Sarah Mulkey, whose parents came from their native State of Tennessee to Missouri in 1805, locating ten years later in Cole County, where they resided many years. After his marriage Mr. Miller resided in Cole County until 1825, when he moved to Spring Garden, Cole County, and entered 500 acres of land, and built a log cabin. Four years later he built a large double log house. In the winter of 1834 he located on the Osage River, in the vicinity of where Tuscumbia now is. Three years later he entered a large tract of land, and in the fall of 1837 traded his Osage River land for his original entry at Spring Garden, but in 1838 sold this farm, and purchased forty acres of partly improved land near Mt. Pleasant, and entered 1,000 acres more in the vicinity. He afterward disposed of this land also, but continued to reside near Mt. Pleasant until his death, in 1878. He took an active part in politics, and was a life-long Democrat. His wife died May 2, 1883. P. S. Miller, whose name heads this sketch, was the first white male child born in what is now Miller County, and was educated in the select schools of the latter county. He aided his father on the farm, and in November, 1848, was wedded to Miss Lucy A. McKenzie, who was born in Cole County, and ever since has resided on the farm where he now lives, which consists of 320 acres, 120 of which were given him by his father. All the land is under fence, and over 160 acres are under cultivation. He raises a good grade of cattle, hogs and sheep, and is considered one of the prosperous farmers of the county. He is a Democrat in politics, and in 1879-80 was sheriff and collector of Miller County, and in 1883-84 filled the office of collector only. Socially he is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Mt. Pleasant Lodge, No. 134, and is a member of Chapter No. 87, at Tuscumbia. He and wife are members of the Christian Church, and are the parents of the following family: Sarah A. (Mrs. L. P. Atkinson), Mary M. (Mrs. Benjamin Hinds), Icaphena I. (Mrs. William Long), Fannie T., Lou A. (Mrs. S. S. Starting), John F. (who died in April, 1881, aged nearly nineteen years), and Maggie M. (Mrs. James Weaver). Mr. Miller was residing in the county when it was organized, in 1836, and the first county court was held in his father’s house, also the first circuit court. The county was named in honor of his father and brothers. Mrs. Miller is a daughter of John and Agnes (Gibson) McKenzie, who were born near Rockingham, N. C., and immigrated to Cole County, Mo., in 1829. The father followed farming until his death, in 1871. His wife died in 1870.