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John
W. Miles
written
by J. A. Oxford
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"In
the early hours of the night, on the 1st day
of July, 1925, after a long and painful
struggle with that grim destroyer, Death, John
W. Miles yielded to his fate, acknowledged his
conqueror, and peacefully and quietly passed
to the Great Beyond.
The subject of this brief sketch was born near
Covington, KY, March 22, 1847, and died at
Elizabethtown, IL, July 1, 1925, aged 78
years, 3 months, and 9 days. Embraced within
the parentheses of these dates was a life of
earnest endeavor, of unsullied honor, of
usefulness to his community, state and nation,
and crowned with a large measure of the
appreciation of his fellow citizens. His
widowed mother brought him here when about 8
years old, and his boyhood was that of the
average Hardin County boy in that early day,
when none were rich, when work was honorable
to all, and indolence was discreditable to
any.
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When
nearing his 17th milestone in the journey of life, on
February 4, 1864, he entered the U.S. service as a
private in Co. C, 48th IL, Inf. vol. in the Civil War,
and was with Gen. Sherman in his famous "March to
the Sea." He was wounded in a battle before
Atlanta, GA, and was with Gen. Grant in the
"Grand Review" in Washington City at the
close of the war. He received an honorable discharge
September 15, 1865, having served one year, 7 months,
and 11 days.
We have known the deceased from his boyhood, and since
his marriage in 1873, the relation of our families has
always been most intimate and cordial. We early
learned that his word and promise were as good as his
bond, and a friendship that began strong, grew with
age. If we look to see upon what foundation his
character was built we will find at its base
integrity. No man ever lived who was defrauded by John
W. Miles. No man ever lived who carried away from his
presence a feeling that he had been wronged. No man
could lay at his door corruption. He loved his
children and family with a tenderness and love
possessed by few men, and that feeling was heartily
reciprocated by them, as was strongly evidenced during
his last illness, when no stone was left unturned that
would bring relief or aid in assuaging his suffering.
And when death finally ensued, he was given a burial
that would do credit to the wealthiest citizen of the
county.
He had long been a strong, useful and influential
member of the Christian Church. He was a man of
profound reverence, or unfaltering faith in God, and
implicit trust in His divine promises, and a firm
believer in the immorality of the soul. If a man die
shall he live again? has been the great question
presented to every age as generation after generation
has come and gone. Happy is the human being whose
intellect and conscience with divine faith answers
this question. "I know that my Redeemer liveth."
He of whom we are writing could most assuredly so
answer.
At 2 p.m. July 3, 1925, the cortege a car bearing the
stars and stripes and Pastor Hoke, followed by the
hearse containing the body, which was literally
covered with wreaths of beautiful flowers, and these
followed by a train of 15 or 18 cars, carrying members
of the immediate family and other relatives and
friends, bore him to his last resting place at
Rosiclare, and after a brief funeral service conducted
by Rev. W. S. Hoke at the Christian Church, which the
exigency of the case demanded, the remains were taken
in hand by the Odd Fellows, of which order he was an
old and honored member, and after their beautiful and
impressive funeral ceremonies, surrounded by those
whom he loved and who loved him, all that was mortal
and of a dear friend and brother, was deposited in the
narrow limits of the tomb. Peace to a just man's
memory; peace to his ashes; honor to his good name,
and sincere sympathy for his good wife and
children."
Source:
submitted by: Amanda Trill, great-great granddaughter
to John W. Miles - Trillntn@aol.com
and transcribed by Deanna Heneghan
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