Henry Miller, one of the leading and most substantial
business men of Staunton, Macoupin County, was born at Luibbake, Prussia,
Germany, August 31, 1836, and is a son of William and Charlotte (Hiffmann)
Miller.
William Miller was a carpenter by trade and followed this
business both before and after he came to America in December, 1857. His
wife died in Germany in 1856. He died at Staunton, Macoupin County,
Illinois, March 4, 1884. Two children survived, namely: Henry, of this
sketch, and Johanna, who is the wife of August Dingerson, of Staunton
township, Macoupin County.
Henry Miller was 17 years of age when he
crossed the Atlantic ocean in the sailing ship "Minerva," reaching New
Orleans in time to witness what was to him a very novel exhibition, the
celebrating of the Fourth of July by the negroes. He had learned the
butchering business in his own country and found work at Columbia, Monroe
County, Illinois. In 1855 he first located in Staunton, but remained but a
few months, going then to Madison County, where he worked with Archibald
Hoxsey for two years. In 1858 he located a second time in Staunton, where he
started a butchering business for himself, in which he has been engaged ever
since. This enterprise Mr. Miller built up from the very bottom, a work
which required perseverance, ability and economy. Now he, with his five sons
in partnership with him, about controls the retail trade of the city, owning
large slaughter houses and supplying the greater part of the meat used in
the vicinity. One of the pioneer business men, Mr. Miller has been also one
of the most important and most successful. He owns, in addition to his
abbatoir, the Miller Block, which he built and where his retail business is
carried on, and a magnificent, improved farm of 190 acres lying partly in
and partly without the city limits, besides 950 acres in Dorchester
township, Macoupin County. His large brick residence is a land-mark which
attracts general attention.
In 1862 Mr. Miller married Louisa
Langewich, who was born December 21, 1842, in Luibbake, Germany, being one
of a family of 12 children born to Charles and Caroline Langewich. She came
to America with her parents in 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have 10 children,
all of whom are living at this date, namely: Henry, Louis, Emma (wife of
Oscar Gosch of St. Louis, Missouri), Lena, Otto, William, Lucy, Charles,
Matilda and Albert, all of whom are at home except Mrs. Gosch and Charles,
the latter being in a drug store in St. Louis, Missouri. All the other sons,
who are energetic and promising business men, are associated with their
father in business.
Mr. Miller belongs to the Business Men's Club.
In politics he is an independent. The family belong individually and
collectively to the Lutheran Church.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 527-528.
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