HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
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CHAS. A. MILLER, attorney, St. Charles, Ill., was born in Dundee, Scotland, in January, 1842, son of James and Isabella, Miller, who were also born in Scotland. The year of his birth Mr. Miller was brought to America by his parents, who immediately located in St. Charles, Kane County. Here the subject of this sketch received his educational training in the public schools, and has been a continuous resident of St. Charles since his parents located in the village in 1842. On November 8, 1870, Mr. Miller was married to Miss Marion E. Tuck, who was born at Brentwood, N. H., and is now deceased. The children of this union are Marian I., Charles A., Jessie I., Frederick G., Helen Mar, Warren and Clarron. In political sentiment Mr. Miller is a Republican and served his fellow-citizens as a member of the Board of Supervisors for St. Charles Township for seven years (1875-82), being Chairman of the Board during three years of his incumbency; was also Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Kane County eight years (1884-92), and Clerk of the Circuit Court from 1892 to 1896. In religious belief Mr. Miller is a Congregationalist, and fraternally belongs to the Masonic Order, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Grand Army of the Republic.
HOWARD MILLER, educator and editor, Elgin, was born at Lewisburg, Penn., where he was educated in private schools, received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Mount Morris College, and the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from McPherson College. He taught in private schools during his earlier manhood, for several years was Professor of English Literature at McPherson College, and later was identified with railroad management. In 1900 he established "The Inglenook," a magazine published under the authority of the Brethren church at Elgin, and has been its editor to the present time (1903). For several years prior to 1900 he was engaged in the service of the Mexican Government, spending his time in that country. His purely literary work, in addition to his journalistic labors, has covered a wide field.
JACOB MILLER, retired manufacturer, Aurora, Kane County, Ill.; born in Hessen, Germany, Dec. 3, 1826; grew to years of maturity at Frankfort-on-the-Main, where he also received his educational training and learned the piano-maker's trade, at which he was employed during his early manhood. In 1854 he came to the United States, establishing his home in Elgin, where he engaged in the manufacture of cigars, being one of the pioneers in this line in Illinois, and at the present time (1904) the oldest cigar-maker in the State. Mr. Miller conducted a small but successful trade in Elgin for a short time, and later opened another store at Aurora, but in 1857 removed his entire stock to the latter city, where, within a few years, he built up an extensive cigar-manufacturing business, which extended throughout Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. His factory was one of the largest and most widely known in the West for many years prior to 1897, when he retired from active business life other than attending to his realty interests and other investments. For several years Mr. Miller owned a large farm in DeKalb County, Ill., and took much pride in its management. Coming to this country when the question of slavery was the dominating issue in American politics, he became identified with the Republican party, and has voted the Republican ticket for more than forty years. In 1855 he married Miss Sophia Busse, who was born and brought up in Germany.
JOHN S. MILLER, merchant and stock-feeder, Sugar Grove, Ill.; born at Becket, Mass., March 20, 1847, a son of Frank and Mary (Russell) Miller, was reared and educated in his native State, where he was trained to farming. When he engaged in business for himself, he. went into a store at South Hadley Falls, which he conducted for about six years, at the end of that period selling out and removing to Illinois. In 1876 he established a general store at Sugar Grove, Kane County, a village just laid out, and had for his partner Thomas Judd, one of the first settlers of Sugar Grove Township. Their first store building was a cabin, but after about a year they dissolved partnership, and Mr. Miller erected a new building, in which he has continued the mercantile business up to the present time (1904). Mr. Miller has also dealt extensively in live stock, and in 1898, in connection with Frank Catlin, organized the firm of Miller & Catlin, which soon became noted as one of the largest sheep-feeding firms in Northern Illinois, having brought from the South and West, in one year, more than 20,000 head of sheep, which they fattened for
