Biography of Conrad Miller, pages 589/590.  History of 
DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 
Indianapolis, 1914.



Among the worthy citizens of DeKalb county of a past 
generation, whose residence here contributed in no small 
degree to the prestige of the community, was the late 
Conrad Miller, for,  while laboring for his individual 
advancement, as was natural and right, he never forgot his 
obligations to the public and his support of such measures 
and movements as made for the general good could always be 
depended upon. He commanded the respect of all classes by 
his exemplary life, and his memory will long be revered by 
his friends who survive.  Conrad Miller was born in Germany 
in 1817, and was a son of John Jacob and Anna Mary (Bush) 
Miller. John J. Miller, who was a native of and resident of 
Wittenberg, Germany, brought his family to the United 
States in 1819, settling near Hagerstown, Maryland. Two 
years later he moved to Canton, Ohio, locating on a farm 
nearby, where he spent the remainder of his days, his death 
occurring on June 3, 1868, at the advanced age of ninety 
years, eleven months and eighteen days.  Conrad Miller was 
reared under the parental roof in Ohio, and, upon attaining 
manhood’s years, married Anna Long, who was born and reared 
near Canton. Mr. Miller engaged in farming, to which 
vocation he had been reared, and subsequently he was for 
many years engaged in the operations of a hotel at Dalton, 
Wayne county, Ohio. He became a man of prominence and 
influence in that community and for the long period of 
twenty years he efficiently served as justice of the peace. 
In 1866 Mr. Miller moved to DeKalb county, Indiana, where 
he engaged in farming, and here, too, he gained a high 
place in the esteem of his fellows.  When the county farm 
was established, he was appointed the first superintendent 
of the same, retaining that position four years. He had 
twenty-three inmates under his charge, and at the outset he 
was seriously handicapped through lack of conveniences, but 
he did his best to properly care for the unfortunates under 
his charge and retired from the office with the approval of 
all who were familiar with the work he had done.  After 
leaving the county farm, Mr. Miller bought a home in 
Auburn, where he lived about six years, but eventually 
moved to the state of Missouri, where the deaths of himself 
and his wife occurred.  To Conrad and Anna Miller were born 
seven children, of whom the only one living in DeKalb 
county is Ada, the wife of Abe Grogg, of Grant township, 
this county. She had two brothers, both of whom are 
deceased. A sister, Martha M., taught school in Auburn 
about six years, and then became the wife of Fletcher 
Starr, and they now live in Newkirk, Oklahoma. Harley 
taught school for awhile in DeKalb county, but eventually 
went west, where he studied medicine and was a successful 
physician at Newkirk, Oklahoma, until his death. Frances 
taught several terms of school in DeKalb county, taught 
about six years in Kansas City, and also served as an 
instructor in teachers’ institutes in Missouri. She is now 
the wife of Doctor Wheeler, of Kansas City, who is 
secretary of the Missouri state board of health. Cora, who 
was educated for the pedagogical profession, married Elan 
Spellman, now deceased, and she lives in Oklahoma. In every 
relation of his life, Conrad Miller was true to every trust 
reposed in him and enjoyed to a notable degree the 
confidence and good will of all who knew him. He was a man 
of broad ideas and kindly impulses, and in civic life of 
the communities where he lived he was a potent factor for 
good, the world is better for his having lived.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com