MILLER, George

GEORGE MILLER
A Short biography of George Miller
George Miller was born at Siblengen Switzerland December 6th 1812, His parents were not very well of in this world and had to work hard for a living, and He learned the milling business and worked for a very low wages at different places until he became a man. When he concluded he would try and make his way to America, walking all the way to Harve, France from there he sailed to America, was 65 days on the ocean and landed at New York with just 3 cents in his pocket and no friends, he started out to hunt work. He walked as far as Madison, New Jersey where he got a chance in a mill and worked there for about six months, when the mill burned down he then made his way west to Ohio into what was then Lucas County. He Chopped 10 areas of very heavy timberland, cleared it and fenced it for $100 with which he entered 80 acres of land at $1.25 per acre what was then called the Cottonwood Swamp. He then went and worked on the Maumee Canal until he took the fever and had a hard attack of it. A man by the name of Bremen, a Prussian, tool sick also but convey home and took Miller with him and took care of him. He afterwards married Bremen’s daughter probably in the latter part of 1837 or 38. They soon after settled on his land in Franklin Township where they could not see the sun for the big trees till near 10 o’clock until he got his farm cleared up. The country was very new at that time, no roads only as they made them through the swales and swamps; and their provisions they had to go to Defiance for in a canoe along the winding course of Bean Creek nearly 100 miles. They had their trials and hardships incident a new country. He lived on his farm until he did clear it up and made it like a garden, raised a large and respectable family having had 16 children by one women of this number 7 died in infancy. Two died since, Mary died at the age of 24, Doritha Sciles (nee Miller) at the age of 34. 3 girls and 4 boy yet living, Rev. Fredrick Miller (at one time school examiner of this county) is now living in California and preaching there. John lives in Lucas County and George is in Wood County and the 3 girls near the old place. Mrs. Mariah Miller died October 16th 1872 aged 49 years, George Miller since died September 28th 1886 at his home in Franklin Township in his 74th year. Mr. Miller was a very honest conscious man, I will relate one little circumstance, he had engaged some fruit trees from one of my boys that was dealing in fruit trees at the time, when the trees were delivered at Archbold, Miller went after them and said he could not pay for them now till fall, my son told him all right and let him have the trees. Some six months afterwards he called with me and said he owed my son for some fruit trees, as the book was left in my hands I got it and found the trees delivery and it was marked paid for. Mr. Miller said it was a mistake for he had not paid for them and here was the money, I asked him if he had given a note he said no told me to pay it when I could I wish we had more such men.
James S. Riddle