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WILLIAM G. MILLER is a native of this county, a son of one of its early pioneers, and for many years has been interested in its agriculture. He is a practical, sagacious farmer and stock raiser and carries on his farming operations after good methods, so that his homestead in Loami Township is under the best of tillage and highly improved in every respect.
Mr. Miller was born in Chatham Township February 3, 1838. His father, Jacob Miller, was born in Bourbon County, Ky., and came to Sangamon County as early as 1825. He found here but very few white settlers, and where he located on Government land in Chatham Township, his nearest neighbors were from four to six miles away. He lived in an old log cabin with no floor for many years. He was prospered in his undertakings and developed a fine estate of four hundred acres of land. He served in the War of 1812 and was near Tecumseh when he was killed. In 1862 this venerable pioneer passed away at the ripe age of seventy-six years, leaving behind him the record of a good life, well-spent. He was for many years a member of the Baptist Church, and his wife was also of that faith. Mrs. Miller's maiden name was Lucina Poats, and she was born in Virginia. Her parents removed to Kentucky in a very early day. She died on the old homestead in 1878.
Our subject was one of thirteen children, of whom six are living, and he was born in a two story log house built by his father. He attended a subscription school taught in a log schoolhouse and obtained the best education afforded by the times. He began farming for himself when he was twenty years of age. While he was busy managing his farming interests the war broke out, and as soon as he could arrange his affairs he volunteered to aid in suppressing the rebellion. He was in the flush and vigor of early manhood when he enlisted August 9, 1862, in the Seventy-third Illinois Infantry. He was with his regiment at Perrysville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Franklin, Nashville and Missionary Ridge. In all these battles he proved himself to be possessed of excellent soldierly qualities, performed his duties faithfully, and faced the enemy bravely in the most hotly-contested engagements. While fighting at Missionary Ridge he was wounded by a ball in his left arm and was taken to the hospital at Nashville, where he passed the following winter. The next spring he had rheumatism and was disabled for duty for six months. The most of this time was spent in the Cumberland field hospital. He rejoined his regiment soon after the capture of Atlanta and remained with it until the close of the war. He was mustered out at Nashville June 12, 1865.
After the close of the war Mr. Miller returned home and resumed farming. The following year he took unto himself a wife in the person of Miss Sarah A. Hall, to whom he was wedded June 28, 1866. Mrs. Miller is also a native of this county, and is a daughter of Thompson and Eveline Hall, early settlers of this part of the State. Eight children have been born of this marriage - Minnie and Madison, both deceased; Oscar, Lucy E., Walter, Edna, Nellie, and a child that died in infancy.
Mr. Miller has a fine place and a cozy home in this township. His two hundred and twenty acres of land are of soil of exceptional fertility and yield him large harvests. His buildings are in good order and he has a complete supply of farming machinery of all kinds. He is a man of sound common sense, possesses judgment and foresight in a good degree and manages his affairs with due discretion, so that his position is among our most intelligent and successful agriculturists. He was reared a Whig and after the formation of the Republican party naturally fell into its ranks and has aided in the deliberations of his fellow Republicans as a delegate to various conventions. He knew Abraham Lincoln and is a great admirer of his noble character. Socially he is connected with the Grand Army of the Republic and is a member of the Farmers' Mutual Benevolent Association. Both he and his wife are members in good standing of the Methodist Church.