Nathaniel Miller, distiller, was born in Washington Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 19 November 1837. He is a son of Daniel Miller and Catherine [Snyder] Miller. His grandfather, John Miller, was born in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He came to Dauphin County and owned and cultivated a farm in Jackson Township, where he died in the early sixties. His wife was a Miss Sauler. Their children are: Michael Miller, farmer and blacksmith, died aged fifty-five years, in Jackson Township; Philip Miller, wagon maker, died eighty-two, in Jackson Township; Daniel Miller; John Miller, farmer, residing in Jackson Township; Elizabeth Miller, Mrs. John Letich, residing in Jackson Township; Christian B. Miller, removed from Dauphin County, in 1886, to Kansas, where he now lives; and several children who died in infancy.
Daniel Miller, father of Nathaniel Miller, was born in Lower Mahanoy Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, 10 July 1811. He was a blacksmith, and followed that trade in connection with farming. He also conducted a distillery in Washington Township, until the time of his death, which occurred 4 July 1872. His wife, Catherine Snyder, was born 18 June 1808, and died 15 December 1884. Their children are: Susan Miller, born 25 July 1833, married John Frank, resides in Elizabethville, Pennsylvania; James Miller, born 16 February 1835, Elizabethville; Nathaniel Miller; Adam Miller, born 14 July 1841, went to Mercer County, and was never heard from; Mary C. Miller, born 17 August 1846, married G.Hoke, Elizabethville. Mr. Daniel Miller was for many years justice of the peace in Jackson Township.
Nathaniel Miller was educated in the common schools of his native place. He was put to work on the farm as soon as he was able to do anything, and assisted at home until he was twenty-two, when he hired out for two years. He then spent about four months in learning the business of distilling whiskey. After his marriage he worked for two years in his father’s distillery. Then on account of the high whiskey tax the distillery was closed for four years. At the end of that time Mr. Miller rented his father’s property for three years. His father died about 1872 when he bought the distillery and has ever since conducted the business. Mr. Miller owns a farm in Washington Township, in connection with a partner. It includes one hundred and thirty-five acres, with a grist mill, formerly known as Stine’s Mill. He also owns a farm in the eastern part of Washington Township, containing one hundred and twenty-five acres, another of one hundred and thirty five acres in Halifax Township, and still another of one hundred and sixty-three acres near Millersburg.
Nathaniel Miller was married, 13 January 1867, to Miss Leah Holtzman, daughter of John M. Holtzman and Elizabeth [Novinger] Holtzman, born 17 December 1835. She died in Washington Township, 12 January 1883. Their children were: Jane Alice Miller, born 13 March 1868, died 27 March 1869; Stephen Allan Miller, born 22 September 1870, baggagemaster on the Summit Branch railroad, married Anna Beadle; Helen Catherine Elizabeth Miller, 15 December 1876, resides at home. In his second marriage, which occurred in Perry County, Pennsylvania, 11 September 1883, Nathaniel Miller was united to Elmira Bealor, widow of William Smith, born in Juniata Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania, 28 April 1949, daughter of David Bealor and Margaret [Smith] Bealor. They have one child, Ida Mary Miller, born 18 September 1884.
Mr. Miller is a Democrat. He is one of the borough council, and has been school director for one term. He is a member of the Reformed church, and has served as deacon.
Max Bealor, grandfather of Mrs. Miller, was a native of Berks County, where he was educated and grew to manhood. He married and removed to Perry County, Pennsylvania, in the early part of this century. He settled at Markelsville, where he died about 1850. His wife, Catherine Keiser, survived him fifteen years. Both were members of the Reformed church. Their children are: Susan Bealor, Mrs. McDowell, deceased; John Bealor, deceased, aged fifty-five years; David Bealor, deceased; Margaret Bealor, deceased wife of James G. Blaine; Sallie Bealor and Catherine Bealor, died in girlhood; Joseph Bealor, deceased; Mary Bealor, maiden lady, died in 1892; Benjamin F. Bealor, died at Markelsville, Pennsylvania, 22 June 1896, at an advanced age.
David Bealor, Mrs. Miller’s father, was born in Brecknock Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. He came with his parents to Perry County at the age of twelve, where they settled on a farm at Markelsville, where he was brought up. He received two weeks’ schooling and had to walk twelve miles to school when he did go. At the age of sixteen he began to learn masonry, and followed that trade until his marriage. At that time he bought a farm on which he lived during the remainder of his life. He died in 1876, in his eighty-third year. His wife, Margaret Smith, was a native of Perry County. She died in 1888, aged eighty-one. Their children were: Sarah Bealor, died in 1895, her first husband was George W. Titzel [and] her second, John Christ; John C. Bealor, farmer, Blaine, Perry County, Pennsylvania; Catherine Bealor, Mrs. WIlliam Sausaman, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Elizabeth Bealor, Mrs. George Ernst, Washington Township; Lydia Bealor, maiden lady, Harrisburg; Elmira Bealor, Mrs. Miller; and Martha Bealor, maiden lady, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Margaret Smith, the mother of Mrs. Miller, is descended from English stock. The children of her parents, Daniel Smith and Catherine [Ketner] Smith, are: John Smith, died in Missouri in 1884; William Smith, died in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the spring of 1895; Daniel Smith, farmer, near Millerstown, Perry County, Pennsylvania; Elizabeth C. Miller, Mrs. Seabold, died at Duncannon, Pennsylvania, spring of 1893; Samuel Smith, died about a year after his mother, in 1852; Benjamin Smith, died in 1853, unmarried; Margaret Smith, mother of Mrs. Miller; Sarah Smith, Mrs. Moses, died at Johnstown, Pennsylvnia, in 1888; Lydia Smith and Catherine Smith, died young; Charles K. Smith, farmer, Newport, Perry County, Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Miller resided at home until her first marriage at Markelsville, Pennsylvania. They then located at Newport, Pennsylvania, where Mr. William Smith died. He was born in Juniata Township, Perry County. He was a carpenter, and worked at that trade until his death in 1877. Their children are: Martha Calista Smith, wife of Harry C. Swab; and George B. Smith, a farmer, in Illinois.
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The above information was modified/edited from Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, published in 1896 by J. M. Runk and Company of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A free download is available from the Internet Archive.