Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 522 - 524 

GEORGE S. MILLER, of the firm of Miller & Sheppard, prominent real-estate dealers of Wichita. He and his partner are reliable men, and in all dealings are strictly honorable, and conduct a large business in the sale and transfer of farms, lots, blocks and other city property. Mr. Miller established himself in his present business in this metropolis of the Arkansas Valley in the year 1876. The wealth of the firm consists principally of city property. They have erected a handsome brick block on Oak street, at a cost of $10,000; it is built of St. Louis pressed brick, is three stories in height, 48x80; two large stores occupy the lower floor; the upper floors are devoted to offices and suites of rooms, with water pipes, and all the modern improvements; the building is an ornament to the city. The firm own a valuable piece of property, with a frontage of seventy-nine feet on the same street, and have other realty in various parts of the city.

            The ancestral history of George S. Miller, which forms a record of considerable interest, we subjoin as follows: His paternal grandparents were Joseph and Martha (Humphreys) Miller, the former of Scotch birth and parentage, and the latter of French descent. They spent their entire lives in Monaghan County, Ireland, where their children were born and reared.

            George Miller, the father of our subject, who was born April 14, 1796, in Belabay, County Monaghan, Ireland, was the eldest son, and the second of eleven children which comprised the parental household. He emigrated to the United States early in life, and married in New York City. on the 6th of May, 1842, Miss Isabella Clark. He spent his last years at Greenwood, in Jackson County, Mo., where his death took place on the 20th of January, 1875.

            George Miller, Sr., was twenty-two years of age at the time of his father's death in Ireland, and being the eldest son the care of the family naturally devolved upon him. This trust he fulfilled in a most praiseworthy manner, providing for his mother and the younger children until the latter were of an age to take care of themselves. After becoming a citizen of the United States he located in New York City, where he became bookseller and publisher. He started out without any capital, but by the exercise of economy and good judgment, met with success. In 1854 he resolved to change his location and occupation, and made his way to Jo Daviess County, Ill., where he invested a part of his capital in 1,000 acres of land. Four years later he sold this and purchased a farm near Zion's Grove, in Carroll County, where he lived until 1869. Thence he removed to Greenwood, Jackson Co., Mo., and engaged in farming and general merchandising, and was thus employed until his death.

            The father of our subject was a man of great piety, a member of the United Presbyterian Church, of sound common sense and most excellent judgment, even tempered and cheerful, and made it a rule of his life to be governed by principle without passion. He was exact and methodical in his business transactions, carefully avoided contracting debt, and was prompt to meet his obligations. Possessing these qualities of character it naturally followed that he commanded the esteem and respect of all who knew him.

            The maternal grandparents of our subject died when his mother was about twelve years of age, and there is no satisfactory record of them. Mrs. Miller was the eldest of four children, two sisters and one brother, and at an early age was thrown upon her own resources. She learned dressmaking, and by this means made a comfortable living until her marriage to George Miller, Sr., when she was about twenty years of age. As a faithful wife and mother she was devoted to her family. She passed away at her home in Greenwood, Mo., on the 18th of July, 1875, six months after the decease of her husband.

            George S. Miller, the subject of this sketch, was born in the city of New York, No. 649 Broadway, Aug. 27, 1850. He spent four years thereafter in his native city, four years on a farm near Hanover, Ill., and eight years on the farm near Zion's Grove, in Carroll County. He attended school at first about seven months each year, and continued his studies in the seminary at Mt. Carroll, Ill. He employed himself thereafter for a time very successfully as a teacher. Later he returned to his native city and engaged first as clerk in a bookstore, and afterward occupied the same position in a boot and shoe store.

            After the removal of his parents to Missouri, young Miller attended Lincoln College two years, of which Rev. Randall Ross, of the United Presbyterian Church, was President. He was an earnest and ambitious student and stood at the head of his class. Upon the death of his father, by whom he had been appointed executor of the estate, he took charge of the store, farm and personal property, which was appraised at the sum of $27,000, and successfully managed the same through the trying times of 1875 to 1880, and without legal advice settled up the estate, realizing some $39,000 out of it for the heirs. In the meantime he had two younger brothers, twelve and fifteen years of age, and two sisters of less years, to care for. They all lived together on the homestead in Greenwood until the boys left for college and the sisters were married.

            Our subject inherited in a marked degree the excellent characteristics of his honored father, being prompt in business matters, careful about contracting debts, and giving close attention to the details which are too apt to be neglected as of minor importance. He carefully avoided speculation and resisted the temptation and excitement of the transient "booms" which proved the ruin of so many men.

            Mr. Miller, in 1886, changed his residence to the city of Wichita, and invested his means in real estate, associating with him Mr. T. J. Sheppard, with whom he has since operated. He had, however, previous to this, and after the children had been scattered from the homestead, made a brief sojourn at Leadville, Col., where he was engaged in the real-estate and loan business for a period of four years as senior member of the firm of Miller & Powell. These gentlemen commenced as strangers in Leadville, and a year later commanded the bulk of the business into which they entered. At Greenwood, when quite a young man the advice of Mr. Miller, was often sought by those older upon matters of general business. He served at one time upon the United States Grand Jury, and at another time occupied the same position in the United States Circuit Court, an honor quite uncommon for one so young.

            The record of the brothers and sisters of our subject is as follows: Annie C. became the wife of William Dawson, who died in 1885, leaving his widow with two children; this sister now makes her home with our subject. Humphreys H. C. is practicing law in the city of Chicago; John L. died at the homestead in Greenwood, Mo., when twenty-six years of age, and Joseph C. when eighteen; Jennie I., Mrs. Patterson, is a resident of Evanston, Ill.; Martha H., Mrs. Brooks, lives at Leadville, Col.; Nathan C. is practicing law like his brother, in Chicago, Ill.; William J. is operating a ranch near Durango, Col.; George S. officiated as the guardian of the younger children, and managed and planned for them always to the best of his ability.

            Mr. Miller, by his fine business tact and undoubted integrity of purpose, has gained the confidence of his fellow-citizens, and may be justly recorded in these pages as one of the leading business men of this far-famed metropolis of the Arkansas Valley. He is a man of culture, but is rather reticent, preferring to listen to others rather than to force himself into notice, when he does speak, however, his varied and interesting conversation commands the attention of his auditors. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., having joined that order in 1874. In politics he is a supporter of the Republican party.

[ Home ]