Miller, James M.

The following data is extracted from Biographical Sketches, Coles County, Illinois - Charleston Township.

James M. Miller, dealer in dry goods, boots and shoes, clothing and furnishing goods, Charleston; has been a citizen and merchant of Charleston for more than forty years, being the oldest merchant now doing business in the city; he was born in Spencer Co., Ky., Aug. 29, 1814; he is a son of John H. and Jane Miller, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Pennsylvania; he was raised on a farm and followed the occupation of farming until 1838, when he came to Charleston and engaged in general merchandising, having visited the State and purchased land in Bond Co. two years before; he has continued in the mercantile business to the present time, with the exception of one year which he spent in the cattle business in Wisconsin; although Mr. Miller has passed through several seasons of financial depression, and has himself suffered some reverses of fortune, his mercantile career has, upon the whole, been a prosperous one; he has always paid dollar for dollar, and has a comfortable competency remaining; he has done much to improve the city, having built several stores and dwellings, expending no less than $30,000 in improvements; he was the first of the Charleston merchants to purchase goods in New York City, which he did for the first time in 1841. He has served two terms in the City Council. He was married April 7, 1842, to Helen E. Walker of Charleston, a native of Kentucky; she died July 24, 1851, leaving one daughter-Mary F. (now Mrs. A. C. Stallard, of Shelby Co., Ky.). Mr. Miller was married again Aug. 3, 1852, to Nancy S. Harris, of Cortland Co., N. Y,

Source: Biographical Sketches, Coles County, Illinois - Charleston Township

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