BIOS: Franklin MILLER, Stoystown, Somerset County, PA

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History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; Bedford County by E. 
Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis 
Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 288/9

Franklin MILLER.

Franklin Miller, of Stoystown, was born March 15, 1855, in Quemahoning 
township, and is a descendant of Joseph Miller, who was of German lineage and 
came from Reading, Pennsylvania, to Somerset county.  He settled in Stony 
Creek township, near Coleman's Station, where he purchased a large tract of 
land which he improved, and on which he resided until his death.  He married 
and was the father of a numerous family.  His remains were interred in the 
Miller burying-ground, one mile north of Coleman's Station, on the Berlin 
road.
Joseph Miller, Jr., eldest child of Joseph Miller, Sr., was born in 1784, in 
Reading, Pennsylvania, and was reared to the life of a farmer.  At the age of 
twenty-three he moved to Quemahoning township and settled upon a tract of 
three hundred and twenty acres of land adjacent to Higgins' creek, a branch 
of Stony creek, now known as Beaver Dam creek.  The patent for this land was 
issued in 1784 by the executive council of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
to John Paul, a member of the Society of Friends, from whom Mr. Miller made 
his purchase.  The enterprise was successful, enabling Mr. Miller to bequeath 
a farm to each of his sons.  He was a member of the Lutheran church.  Mr. 
Miller married Mary, daughter of Henry Shaffer, and their children were: 
Samuel J., of whom later; Jacob J., Valentine J., Elizabeth, Susanna, 
Rosanna, Noah J., Nancy, Mary, and Sarah. Mr. Miller's death occurred in 
1860.
Samuel J. Miller, son of Joseph and Mary (Shaffer) Miller, was born July 27, 
1806, in Quemahoning township, and there passed his life in agricultural 
pursuits.  He was a Republican in politics.  Mr. Miller married Elizabeth 
Mowry, born October 11, 1811, in Brothers Valley township, and the following 
were their children: Josiah, born in 1835, served in the Union army during 
the civil war; Noah S., born in 1837, held a captain's commission and was 
wounded in the service; Gideon, born in 1839, was killed at the battle of 
Gettysburg; Peter, born in 1841; Samuel S., born in 1843, also served in the 
civil war; Nancy, born in 1845; Adam, born in 1847; Jacob S., born in 1849; 
Jeremiah S., born in 1851; David, born in 1853; Franklin, of whom later; 
Lemon, born in 1857, Benjamin S., born in 1860.
Franklin Miller, son of Samuel J. and Elizabeth (Mowry) Miller, obtained his 
education in the common schools of Somerset county, which he attended until 
the age of seventeen, and then for one winter was engaged in teaching.  The 
following autumn he entered the normal school.  After completing his 
education he began farming, a calling to which he has since devoted the 
greater part of his time.  He spent four years in Johnstown as foreman in a 
lumber yard, and for the same length of time served as deputy and road 
manager.  He has been a life-long Republican.
Mr. Miller married, September 24, 1882, Sadie A. Bowman, and they are the 
parents of two sons: Lavan M., born July 13, 1888; and Samuel G., March 28, 
1896.  Mrs. Miller is a daughter of Noah Bowman, a native of Jenner township, 
who enlisted during the Civil war, and a few years after his return home died 
from the effects of disease contracted while in the service.  Politically he 
was a Republican.  Mr. Bowman married Mary Cover and their family consisted 
of the following children: Lavan, Nancy C., and Sadie A., born April 10, 
1864, in Jenner township, wife of Franklin Miller.  After the death of her 
husband, Mrs. Bowman married Jonas Mamrer, a farmer and a Republican, 
becoming by this union the mother of one child, Michael C. Mamrer.