Jacob Miller
Portrait and Biographical Album
Lake County, Illinois, 1891
Jacob Miller is one of the leading and influential farmers of Antioch
Township, residing on section 35. As this sketch proceeds we will see
what a prominent part he takes in public affairs and know that he is
justly termed one of the best citizens of the community. He was born in
the village of Nietersteinsel, forty miles from Strausburg, Germany,
October 19, 1828, being a son of Jacob and Christina (Quering) Miller,
both of whom were natives of the same neighborhood, the former born
November 4, 1805, and the latter March 23, 1799. They were married
October 14, 1827, and in 1831 sailed for the United States. Six weeks
were spent upon the ocean and in May, 1831, they located in Buffalo,
where they made their home for a year and a half. After an eight
months' residence in Detroit, Mich., we next find them June 2, 1834,
establishing a home in Chicago, where they resided for a year and a
half. The same length of time was spent on a farm in Cook County, and
in 1837 they settled on section 6, Warren Township, this county, where
they remained until July, 1843, when they took up their residence on
the old Miller homestead. It was then a wild and uncultivated tract of
land but by the united efforts of father and sons only a short time
elapsed before the once wild prairie was a fruitful field. The death of
Mr. Miller occurred May 19, 1874, and his wife died December 19, 1888,
at the age of eighty-nine years.
We now take up the personal history of our subject, who at the age of
fifteen years came to Lake County and aided in the development of the
new farm. In the winter season when there was not much work to be done
at home he attended school, which was held in an old log building with
a mud and stick chimney, furnished with slab seats and a huge fireplace
which occupied the greater part of one end of the building. The year
1850 he spent in California, going by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and
in his business operations on the Pacific Coast was quite successful.
Prosperity has also attended his efforts as a farmer and stock-raiser.
He owns two hundred and twenty-six acres of well cultivated land,
furnished with good buildings and has made a specialty of the breeding
of Percheron horses for the past ten or twelve years. He was
instrumental in organizing the Milk Shippers Association and was
appointed one of the committee to sell the stock of the company. He
worked inits interests all along the Wisconsin Central Railroad from
Burlington, Wis., to Chicago, and thus furnished a combination of much
importance, for thereby the milk dealers of Chicago secure their
supplies. He is now one of the nineteen directors of the company.
On June 19, 1851, Mr. Miller and Miss Harriet Sorter were united in
Marriage. Unto them have been born four children, three of whom are
living - Jane, wife of Henry Wedge; George A. and Lewis. Mr. and Mrs.
Miller are members of the Centennial Methodist Church, with which they
have been connected for thirty years and are liberal supporters of the
work, doing all in their power for the spread of the gospel. He is
connected with the Masonic lodge at Millburn and for twenty-five years
has been a School Director. He cast his first vote for Franklin Pierce
but since 1856, when he supported the Fremont, has been a Republican,
and by that party was elected Assessor for four terms. All the
educational, social and moral interests for the benefit of the
community find in him a friend and no more worthy citizen has Antioch
Township than Jacob Miller.
