Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 271 - 272

DAVID H. MILLER has accomplished a satisfactory work as a farmer and acquired a competency to live on in his declining years, and has retired from the business to make room for younger blood, required in the active life of the farmer. He now resides at No. 1000 North Lawrence avenue, Wichita. 

     Mr. Miller was born Aug. 30, 1825, in Washington County, Md. His father's given name was Henry C.; his mother's name before marriage was Elizabeth Leckrone. She, too, first saw the light in the same county as her husband. Henry C. Miller died Nov. 2, 1865, aged a little over eighty-five years. He was a farmer by occupation. His parents were from Lancaster County, Pa., and were of German extraction. They were said to have been successful in gathering together much of this world's goods. The father was a member of the German Reform Church, and a soldier in the War of 1812. His good wife was born April 17, 1789 and died Feb. 9, 1830, aged nearly forty-two years; she was a member of the same church as her husband. Their children answer to the names of Jacob, Christian, Henry, John, Samuel, David and Daniel. Two daughters died in infancy. Being left alone comparatively young, Henry again married. This time Mary Leckrone found favor in his eyes, and his affection being reciprocated, they were accordingly joined in wedlock. This union was blessed with three children. They were named Susan, Elizabeth and Rebecca. Four boys and three girls of Henry's children are still living. 

     David H. Miller, the subject of this outline sketch, married Miss Susan Winder, who was born in Washington County, Md., Dec. 29, 1837. She was a daughter of Samuel and Susan Newcomer. They, too, were of the manor born. The father, born Nov. 12, l797, died Nov. 14, 1872. The Reformed Church voiced his feelings religiously. He was strongly attached to his home, a sincere Christian, and a very kind father. The mother was born Jan. 1, 1805, and fell asleep May 28, 1864, aged a little over fifty-nine years. Their children numbered fifteen, twelve girls and three boys - Elizabeth, Camilla, Mary, Sally, Lydia, Susan, Emma, Caroline, Melvina; four died in infancy, three of them in one week of scarlet fever. Of the boys John Samuel is deceased. Daniel died a prisoner of war on Johnson's Island, Ohio. 

     Our subject was reared to rural life, receiving the usual education of such, but during the war he was struck with a regular succession of drafts, amounting to eight in number (strange to say he was a blank seven out of the eight times), the one time it caught him, but $300 paid him out. This was about the time of the Gettysburg fight. While the army was returning from that fight the wife found shelter and concealment in the cellar. Shots were fired into the building, which was used as a barrack. The two armies preyed on the goods and chattels of the principal of this sketch to the value of some $4,000, no part of which he has ever recovered. He was a renter at that time. Finally, on the day of Lee's surrender, he started by rail to Ogle County, Ill., landing there with a few hundred dollars. He began anew to work by the day. Finally he came in possession of a corn-sheller with which he made several thousand dollars. He lived in Illinois five years, then set out for Kansas, stopping in Topeka eighteen months; from there to Wichita by wagon. Here he pre-empted 160 acres of land four miles east of the Little Arkansas River. This was in 1871. He proved up on the claim and bought another farm. He owns many valuable city lots as well as farm lands, the total value of which would make many thousand dollars. 

     A man of foresight as Mr. Miller is could see into the future enough to know that a fortune lay in those city lots and farmlands. He is the father of five children. One died in infancy; Minnie married James P. Royal; Harry married Belle Turner; they have one boy, named Lloyd. Molly and John Forry were married and have a son named Earl; Charlie is still single; he has become an expert in music on the trombone.

      Pioneers like the one we have been writing up had a pretty hard time of it in an early day. Privations, hardships, lack of old friends and conveniences could only be tolerated by faith in the "good time coming, boys, good time coming; wait a little longer." The Democratic party is the mouthpiece of his sentiment. He and his wife are members of the Dunkard Church, and have been for many years.

[ Home ]