William Henry Miller
WILLIAM HENRY MILLER, formerly a farmer of East Franklin township, Armstrong county, now living retired in the borough of Kittanning, where he has had his home since the spring of 1911, was born Dec. 1, 1839 in Bedford county, Pa., son of James and Eliza (Strunk) Miller. William Henry Miller, the grandfather was a native of Ireland, and came to the United States alone, before his marriage. He settled in Mifflin county, Pa., where he followed farming until his death. His children were as follows: Moses, William, Jackson, James, Martha, Ann, Phoebe, Caroline.
James Miller, father of William Henry Miller, of Kittanning, was born in Mifflin county, Pa., where he lived until after his marriage. He learned the carpenter�s trade there, and later engaged in the machine business. Locating at the county seat of Bedford county, he conducted a machine shop, and sold the first threshing machine sold in Bedford county. After ten years residence there he removed to Armstrong county, Pa., in October, 1847, settling on the 300 acre farm in Franklin township upon which he passed the remainder of his days. he died in 1905, at the age of ninety-three years. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and in politics held to the principles of the Democratic party. He married Eliza Strunk, who was born in Mifflin county Pa., two miles from Lewistown, on a farm, daughter of Henry and Mary (Starr) Strunk, and died Aug. 11, 1890, aged seventy-two years, five months, twenty-three days. Mr. and Mrs. Miller had three children, William Henry, Mary Jane, and Caroline.
William Henry Miller received his early education in Bedford county, but was only eight years old when the family removed to Armstrong county, where he grew to manhood. He engaged in farming and stock raising on the homeplace, where he continued to live throughout his active years, assuming the entire care of the property as his fathers advancing years made him relinquish the heavier work, and he farmed there until retirement, in March, 1911. He has since lived in Kittanning, his home being at No. 499 High street. His son-in-law, Mr. Meals, now has charge of the farm and its cultivation. Mr. Miller prosecuted his work with intelligence and industry, and his large valuable farm showed the care and attention he bestowed upon it.
In 1862 Mr. Miller married Edith King, who was born Sept. 8, 1843, in Clarion county, Pa., daughter of Joseph Cheyney and Margaretta (Zink) King, and they have had the following children: Anna, Mrs. James Wiley, who lives at Kittanning; James who is now a resident of Pittsburgh; Joseph of West Kittanning; Cora, wife of Charles Meals; William, who died at the age of eleven months; Charles, of Detroit, Mich.; Laura, at home; and Pearl who died when two years old. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the Methodist Church. In politics he has always been a democrat, but he has never taken any active part in such affairs, and has never aspired to office.
Joseph Cheyney King, father of Mrs. William Henry Miller, was born Dec. 6, 1807, at Thornton in Delaware county, Pa. Moving to Clarion county, Pa., when a young man, he engaged in mercantile pursuits, and later assumed the management of Black Furnace. Subsequently, in partnership with Mr. Black, he started a new furnace, known as the Tippecanoe Furnace, on Tippecanoe creek in Clarion county. After some years the firm dissolved, and Colonel King, as he was then known, came to Armstrong county, becoming a manager of Graff�s Furnace, on Buffalo creek, in Franklin township. His family was established in a home in Worthington, this county, where he resided until his sudden death. on Sept. 11, 1857, at the age of forty-six years. his wife Margaretta (Zink), a native of Lampeter township, Lancaster county, Pa., born Dec. 15, 1816, died Nov. 9, 1887, age seventy years, ten months, twenty-four days. They had a family of nine children: Esther, Catherine and Phoebe (twins), Edith (Mrs. Miller), Joseph, John, Elizabeth and Alfred.
Source: Pages 902-903, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed November 1998 by Nanci Michalkiewicz for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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