merchant, of Maxwell, Iowa, and by his superior management and rare business ability and efficiency, he has done not a little to advance the reputation Story County enjoys as a commercial center. He was born in Huron County, Ohio, October 27, 1832, being a son of Henry and Margaret (Ruch) Miller, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania in 1805, and died in Williams County, Ohio, September 23, 1863. The mother was also born in 1805, and died in Williams County, Ohio, on the 2d of September, 1863. Jefferson Miller was reared on a farm, obtained a common school education in his youth, and in 1862 opened a hardware store for himself at Bryan, Ohio, and there continued until 1873, after which he removed to Toledo, Ohio, and was in business there until the fall of 1880, when he settled in Des Moines, and in April, 1887, came to Maxwell and here now continues, his stock of goods being the largest in the town. His experience in this line of business dates back twenty-eight years, and he is acknowledged to be one of the enterprising and successful business men of the town. He was married in 1859 to Miss Ann R. Coulter, who was born in Macoupin County, Ill., October 23, 1839, she being an earnest and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Maxwell. Mr. Miller is a stanch Republican, and socially belongs to Herald Lodge No. 455, of the A. F. & A. M., of Maxwell.
William A. Miller, postmaster and dealer in stationery, Colo, Iowa. The following is a brief sketch of the career of Mr. Miller, a man whose present substantial position in life has been reached entirely through his own perseverance, and the facts connected with his business operations and their results only show what a person with courage and enlightened views can accomplish. He first saw the light of day in Pennsylvania, and his boyhood and youth were spent in the place of his birth with no unusual occurrence until he had reached his nineteenth year. It was then that the late war broke out, and our subject, but a mere boy, went in defense of his country's flag, enlisting in Company C, Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Regiment, and served until the following winter when, on account of disability, he was discharged from the service, immediately after which he returned to his home in Pennsylvania, and followed different pursuits with varying success until 1864. At that time there was a great rush of settlers to the then new State of Illinois, and Mr. Miller followed the tide of immigration to Lee County, where he took up his residence. This proved a very fortunate move on the part of Mr. Miller, as it was here, the year of his arrival, that he formed a life partnership with Miss Maggie Lahman, an amiable young lady of that county, that has since proved so happy. Mrs. Miller was a daughter of Christian Lahman, an early pioneer of Illinois, and a successful business man of Lee, County. For three years after their marriage the young couple made their home in Lee County, and then, in 1867, removed to Chicago, where Mr. Miller established a merchandise business. He later sold out, but on account of the fire which rendered it impossible for his debtors to pay him, he lost quite heavily. Mr. Miller returned to Lee County, and engaged in feeding and selling stock, but this not proving as remunerative as he could wish, and thinking the West offered greater opportunities for a capable and energetic young man, he took Horace Greeley's advice, and in 1876 himself and family were comfortably situated on a farm in New Albany Township. He carried on farming and stock-raising until 1880, and then came to Colo, and established a general grain, stock and coal business, which he has ever since success-