My Genealogy Hound

SAMUEL F. MILLER, a leading business man and grain merchant of Mechanicsburg, was born in that city, Sept. 20, 1856, son of David and Leah (Forney) Miller, the former of whom was born May 14, 1825, on the old homestead farm of his father in Windsor township, fourteen miles north of Reading, Berks county.

David Miller was a son of George and Mollie (Raver) Miller, natives of Berks county, who came of German ancestors. They were consistent Lutherans and very excellent people. Eight children were born to them, of whom David, father of our subject, was second in the order of birth. He remained upon the farm with his father, attending public school during the winter, until he was seventeen years of age. At that time he went to Leesport, Berks county, Pa., and began learning the trade of a miller. After remaining there three years, he attended school for three months. By this time he was twenty years of age, and he rented a water mill on Maiden creek, in the township of that name, Berks county. Operating the mill for three years, he returned to Leesport, and formed a partnership with William Major, but sold his interest in 1853. The same year he located at Mechanicsburg, Cumberland county, and built the first steam mill of the Valley. This mill was operated some years with E. Zook, when Mr. Zook sold his interest to Moses Eberly, to whom, in 1861, Mr. Miller sold his interest. He then engaged in handling grain, and some years later added coal.

On Oct. 18, 1852, Mr. Miller married Miss Leah Forney, born in Berks county, daughter of John and Lydia (Hertzler) Forney, natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were consistent members of the Lutheran Church, in which they were very active. David Miller died Sept. 17, 1886, and at that time was one of the wealthy and highly esteemed citizens of Cumberland county. He was one of the stanch Republicans of this locality; a member of Eureka Lodge No. 302, F. & A. M., of Mechanicsburg, and a director of the Second National Bank of the city. The children born to himself and wife were as follows: Samuel F.; Miss Lydia, of Mechanicsburg; Annie M., who married John W. Plank, of the Plank Department Store of Carlisle, Pa.; and several who died in infancy.

Samuel F. Miller was reared in Mechanicsburg, and received his education in the public schools and the Cumberland Valley Institute. In April, 1882, he married Miss Sallie Landis, a daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Cook) Landis, well-known people of Cumberland county. One child has been born of this marriage: David F., born March 11, 1883, a student of Gettysburg College. Upon the death of his father, Mr. Miller took charge of the business, and is now one of the leading grain and coal merchants of the city. His business is in a very flourishing condition, and his field of operation is constantly extending. In politics, he is a Republican, but he has never aspired to public office. For many years he has been a consistent member of Trinity Lutheran Church, in which he has been active in both church and Sunday school work. Fraternally, Mr. Miller is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the K. of P., as well as of the K. of M. He is a man of excellent business ability, a good manager, and stands very high in the commercial world.