THE MILLER BROTHERS When Henry Miller became of age, having
learned the trade of a carpenter he, along with his brother, Daniel A. who was
two years younger, started West. When their mother, Ruth Arnold Miller, died on
September 7th, 1816, their home life was somewhat disrupted. Arriving at
Chicago, then just a trading post, they took employment which paid them well
and was of assistance to them in buying property down–state—Quincy, Illinois
being the city they selected in Adams County. Here they built a mill which was
operated by them for some time to a good advantage. Here Henry married Elmira
Pond on June 19, 1831, she having come here from Ohio with her parents. When
Elmira's first child was born on September 25, 1832, her sister, Clarisa, came
to care for her. Here she met Daniel A. Miller and later they were married.
Since the brothers had married sisters, they were able to operate upon a
partnership basis in a most desirable manner most of their lives. It was while
they were operating here that Abraham Lincoln came to Quincy to organize a
company to go against an Indian uprising known as the Blackhawk War of 1832 and
1840. Henry offered his services and had a close association with Lincoln as a
result, After Lincoln became president of the United States, Henry would often
tell his children how he and Lincoln displayed their physical prowess in feats
of strength, especially wrestling. They were of similar physiques, though
Lincoln was a few inches taller. Some time during the 1830's James Gardner
Miller and his youngest son, James David, born Sept. 27, 1812, left New York
for Illinois to join the other boys. Here James David died Aug. 30, 1839 as a
result of overexertion in a grain cradling contest. He left a wife and two
daughters and a son, Benjamin. His daughters were Adaline, Minerva, and Sarah.
His wife was Adaline Pearson.
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