Ohio County, West Virginia          Biography of Lewis J. MILLER

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 278-279
Ohio County

LEWIS J. MILLER, formerly general manager of the
Wheeling Wholesale Grocery Company, stands as one of
the veteran and representative figures in the wholesale
trade of Wheeling, in which city he was born August 25,
1858, a son of Peter Miller, who was one of the sterling
pioneer merchants of this city. Peter Miller was born in
the Fulda River District of Hessen, Germany, November
1, 1832, a son of John and Anna Maria Miller, he having
been a youth at the time of the father's death, but the
widowed mother having attained to the venerable age of
eighty-eight years. Peter Miller was reared and educated
in his native land and was about nineteen years of age
when he came to the United States. In 1852 he estab-
lished his home at Wheeling, and here he served a three
years' apprenticeship in the tailoring establishment of
Christian Hesse, working the first year for $10 a year and
his board, the second year receiving $20 and board and a
suit of clothes. In the third year he became a skilled
journeyman at his trade. In 1860 he engaged in the retail
grocery business at the corner of Main and Third streets,
where he continued operations five years, the brick block
which he erected at this location still standing and in ex-
cellent preservation. He continued for many years as one
of the substantial, reliable and highly respected business
men of Wheeling, and through his well directed endeavors
accumulated an appreciable fortune, as gauged by the
standards of the locality and period. He was eighty-one
years of age at the time of his death, and his widow
passed away at the age of eighty-three years, their mar-
riage having been solemnized November 1, 1857. Mrs.
Miller, whose maiden name was Christina Heil, was born
and reared in Germany and came to the United States in
the same year as did her future husband.  Both were
devout communicants of the Catholic Church, and in
polities he was a democrat. These honored pioneers of
Wheeling became the parents of nine children: Lewis J.,
Christina, Rosa, Mary, Emma, Peter W., Catherine, Lor-
etta and Charles B.

Lewis J. Miller gained his early education in the schools
of his native city, and as a youth he found employment
in a local nail factory. During the first week his wages
were 44 cents.  He continued to be employed in this
factory five years, and he then entered the employ of
George Feeny, who was here engaged in the wholesale
confectionery business and with whom he continued his
association eleven years, his compansation at the start
having been $3 a week and his final salary having been
$12.50 a week.

In 1886 he established on a small scale a wholesale
grocery business, and erected a frame building of one
story, with a frontage of thirty feet, where he continued
in business until 1912, when he sold to Miller Brothers and
lived retired for seven years. In 1919 he became manager
of the Wheeling Wholesale Grocery Company, continuing
until he retired, February 1, 1922.  Mr. Miller gained
success and high reputation in the wholesale grocery busi-
ness, and was counted one of the leading representatives
of the same in his native city. The Wheeling Wholesale
Grocery Company, with headquarters at 302 Main Street,
was organized in 1918, on the co-operative plan, and its
success under this system led to careful investigation of
its methods and policies on the part of committees of busi-
ness men from other cities of the Union. John H. Welty,
Frederick Viewig and Lewis J. Miller constituted the
committee which, in a similar way, made investigation of
co-operative enterprises of the same type in other cities,
and finally the business was incorporated with a capital of
$50,000.  John H. Welty became the president of the
company and Mr. Miller, the general manager. Unequivocal
success attended the concern, which rapidly extended its
business throughout the trade territory normally tributary
to Wheeling, and after two years it was found expedient
to increase the capital stock to its present figure, $100,000.
The establishment utilizes 9,000 square feet of floor space,
is at all times well stocked in all departments, and its
facilities are such as effectually meet the demands of the
constantly expanding trade.

Mr. Miller is a liberal and progressive citizen and sub-
stantial business man of his native city, is a democrat in
politics, and both he and his wife are communicants of
the Catholic parish of Corpus Christi Church. November
11, 1912, recorded the marriage of Mr. Miller and Miss
Lenora Powell, daughter of David Powell, a leading con-
tractor and builder at Wheeling. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have
no children.

For the past fourteen or more years Mr. Miller has cus-
tomarily passed the winter seasons in Florida, where he
has made for himself a record as a skilled fisherman and
where he has captured piscatorial trophies which he has
preserved and which have attracted admiring attention in
his home city.