Biographies
(Transcribed by Sharon Wick)

Source:
 A Portrait and Biographical Record of
Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio
Containing Biographical Sketches of Many Prominent and Representative Citizens,
together with Biographies and Portraits of all the
Presidents of the United States
and Biographies of the Governors of Ohio
CHICAGO: A. W. BOWEN & CO.
1896

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JAMES M. MILLER, M. D., a prominent young physician of Mendon, Mercer County, is a son of Milton N. and Susan E. (Noble) Miller, and was born at Celina, Ohio, Feb. 14, 1861.  His parents were natives of Ohio, and were of German-Irish descent.      MILTON N. MILLER was himself a physician, and began the practice of medicine in 1847 in Mendon, remaining there until 1854, when he removed to Celina, continued the practice of his profession there fifteen years, and then purchased the Saint Charles Hotel, conducting this popular hostelry until his death in October, 1889, at the age of seventy-two years.  Dr. Milton N. Miller was an early settler in Mercer county, being there early enough to aid in the construction of the banks of the great reservoir.  When he began the practice of medicine in Mendon, the country was but very little cleared and the roads were practically unopened, so that travel was anything but pleasant and agreeable, and all the hardships of the pioneer physician were familiar to him.  Mrs. Miller, his widow, still lives and owns the Saint Charles Hotel, but has now nothing to do with its management.  She is now seventy-two years of age, and is yet a healthy woman of her age.      James M. Miller, the subject of this sketch, is the youngest of four living children.  His early youth was spent as was that of other boys at that day and age of the world, in the public schools of his county, the difference, however, being somewhat in his favor, as he had the privilege of attending the better schools of the city of Celina.  From these schools he was graduated in the class of 1811, and in the spring of 1882 he began the study of medicine with his father; but his father soon afterward retired from the practice, he continued his studies with Dr.  G. J. C. Wintermute, a biographical sketch of whom appears in another part of this work.  In 1883 he entered the university at Wooster, Ohio, and completed his medical studies at the Ohio Medical college at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1886.  The same year he began the practice of his profession at Venedocia, Van Wert county, Ohio, remaining there, however, but six or seven months, when he removed to Mendon, Mercer county, where he has since resided and practiced his profession.  Here he has been very successful, and enjoys a lucrative practice.      In 1888, at Celina, Ohio, Dr. Miller was married to Miss Dellia White, a daughter of John and Emeline White, residents of Mercer county, having come to this county from Scioto county.  Mrs. Miller died in 1889, and Dr. Miller in 1891, married for his second wife Miss Sadie N. Archibald, a daughter of JONATHAN and Ellen ARCHIBALD, residents of Adams county, Ind., in which county Mr. Archibald was a prominent and successful farmer for many years, and until his death, in 1889.  To Dr. and Mrs. Miller there has been born one child, which is now deceased.  Dr. Miller is a member of the I. O. O. F., of the Knights of Pythias, and of the K. O. T. M., in all of which three lodges he has filled all the chairs.  In politics he is a democrat, is a representative citizen, and is at the present time a member of the village council.  Few young physicians, if any, have made more rapid progress in their practice, and won the confidence of the public to such a degree in so short a time, and it is proper to predict for him still greater strides in his professional career. Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 437

JOHN M. MOSIER, and early settler and a prominent farmer of Mercer county, Ohio, was born in Fairfield county, Aug. 30, 1817.  Reared upon his father's farm, he remained at home with his parents until he was married, in 1841.  Immediately afterward he began life for himself on rented land, which he farmed until 1844, in which year he bought the tract of land, on which he yet lives.  In the original tract there were eighty acres, but Mr. Mosier not long afterward bought forty acres more, making his farm then consist of 120 acres.  Very soon after removing to Mercer county Mr. Mosier had a log cabin erected and began the work of clearing and improving his land.  He was one of the first settlers in the region in which he now lives, and neighbors were then few and far between.  The county seat had already been located at Celina, which was a very small place, having less than 100 inhabitants, and his nearest neighbor, otherwise, was three miles distant.  For the purpose of holding court and transacting the county business, a temporary court house had been erected, or rather was rented, which served for some time.  Mr. Mosier has himself assisted in the erection of two court houses, and he has seen the town and surrounding country develop from the condition of a  wilderness to that of a highly civilized and prosperous state.      The land that he purchased when he first came to Mercer county cost him $140, all that he was able to pay for it.  Since then he has made his own way in the world, aided materially and always encouraged by his excellent wife.  He has now over 100 acres of land in a high state of cultivation, with a good, large dwelling house, and a fine barn, an unusually fine orchard, etc., everything, in short, that goes to make a good farmer's home.  His farm is located one mile from the court house in Celina, and borders on the corporation line.  Both he and his wife take great interest in public affairs, and are public-spirited citizens.  Mr. Mosier is a democrat in politics, but does not aspire to office of any kind.  He has, however, held the office of township trustee and a few other minor offices, but not because he desired political prominence or anything of the kind; only because he was willing to perform his duty to the public whenever necessary.      Mr. Mosier married Miss Jemima Davis, who was born in Licking county, Ohio, Dec. 7, 1819, and is a daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Perry) Davis, the former of whom was of Welsh descent, and the latter of German.  He was a farmer and died in Fairfield county.  He and his wife were the parents of nine children, viz.:  Thomas, Catherine, Jemima, wife of the subject; Mary, Elizabeth, Susanna, Christina, Sarah and Jacob.  Only three of the above, all of them daughters, are now living.      To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Mosier, there have been born eight children, viz.: Mary C. and Emily J., both of whom died young; Philip, who died at the age of fourteen; Perry, who died when quite young; Jacob, who died Dec. 4, 1895, aged forty-four years; George, who died young; Maggie, wife of John Younger, who is at the present time marshal of Celina, and William, married and farming on the old homestead.  Both parents and all the children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.      It will now be appropriate to treat somewhat briefly of the ancestry of Mr. Mosier.  He is a son of Philip and Catherine (Dust) Mosier, both of whom were from Virginia.  After their marriage they removed at a very early day to Fairfield county, when Lancaster had but a very few houses in it.  r. Mosier was offered almost any quantity of land that he might be willing to take, for the team of horses he brought into the county with him, but preferred to keep his team.  He settled on  a piece of land, which he cleared and improved, and upon which he lived the remainder of his days, dying about 1840.  He and his wife were among the bet class of the pioneers, always friendly and kind to all, and always ready to lend a helping hand.  They were both Lutherans, and reared a family of seven children, viz: Sarah, Henry, Margaret, George, Daniel, Polly and John M., the latter two being twins.  The subject of this sketch is the only one of the above family now living, and he and his brother George were the only members of the family that ever removed to Mercer county.  George Mosier removed to Mercer county in 1839 and died July 13, 1895.  He was one of the pioneers of his part of the county, and became a prominent farmer. Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 449

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