JOHN L. MILLER, a retired farmer of Oneco Township, was born on the 20th of July, 1828, in Perry County, Pa. He is the son of Samuel S. Miller, whose father was a farmer of Lancaster County, Pa., where he was born, spending his early days with his parents at home but subsequently learned the trade of a carpenter. At the age of twenty-five he married Miss Esther Zimmerman, whose father and mother lived in the same place. Samuel rented his father’s farm after marriage and occupied it for several years. He then went to Perry County, Pa., and lived on a rented farm for several years, from thence going to Union County, where he worked at his trade for the rest of his life, dying in that county at the age of sixty-two years. After his death his wife lived in Union County two or three years, then in Clinton County, where the family owned a house and lot, for two years, after which she discontinued keeping house and went to live with her daughter, Mrs. Johnson, with whom she resided ten years. Then for four years she lived in Clinton County, and in 1865 removed to Stephenson County, Ill., spending the last years of her life with her children, and dying at the age of eighty-five years.

John L. Miller lived with his mother until one year before his marriage. He worked on a farm for monthly wages until about sixteen years of age, when he began an apprenticeship of one and one-half years at the shoemaker’s trade in Clinton County. He then returned to Union County and teamed for two years, and worked by the day for one year. In August, 1849, he was married to Miss Mary Kurts, whose people were natives of Lebanon County, Pa. Her father, Stephen Kurts, was a farmer, and married Susan Royer, a native of Lebanon County, in which county they spent the last days of their life. After his marriage Mr. Miller moved to Clinton County and prosecuted his trade of shoemaking for a period of three years. He then emigrated to the West, arriving in Stephenson County, Ill., in August, 1853. He located near Rock Grove, where he bought a house and lot and began the business of shoemaking. At the end of one year he sold out and moved onto fifteen acres of land near the State line, on which he built a house, and for ten years farmed the land and worked at his trade. He then lived on a rented farm in Wisconsin for seven years, when he sold his personal property and bought the farm in Oneco Township on which he remained until one year ago, when he rented it to a son and retired from work. Mr. and Mrs. M. have had four children: Mrs. W. H. Gift (see sketch elsewhere); Joseph T., who is married and occupies the homestead; Franklin, married and living on a farm near the home place, and John W., who died in the fall of 1865. Mr. Miller has always been identified with the Republican party, as was also his father.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888)