Edgar Thomson Miller

Edgar Thomson Miller, of Media, Pa., son of Levis and Ann McIlvain Miller, born Fifth month 4, 1835, married, Eleventh month 7, 1865, Mary Haldeman, daughter of Issac and Eliza West Haldeman. Mary was born Fourth month 24, 1840, in Upper Providence, Delaware county, Pa., (the house now within the borough of Media). Her father, Issac Haldeman, was born in Charlestown, Chester county, 1797; her mother was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Maris) West, of Springfield, Delaware county, the former of the same family as Benjamin West, the painter.

Edgar T. Miller was educated at schools near his home, and at Salem, N. J., and was a pupil at the latter place, for a time, of Aaron B. Ivins, later principal of the Friends' Central School, Philadelphia. In 1852-3-4 he attended Treemount Seminary, kept by Rev. Samuel Aaron, at Norristown, Pa. He was engaged, in 1861, at Keokuk, Iowa, when the Civil War broke out, and having entered the military service he had an extended experience therein.

In the summer of 1861, Keokuk, being on the border of Missouri, was considered in danger of attack, and he joined a company of "City Rifles," commanded by Captain W. W. Belknap, afterward a major-general and Secretary of War, under whom he served in the engagement at Croton, on the Des Moines river, in August, 1861. In April, 1862, he was mustered in as an officer of the 15th regiment infantry, Iowa Volunteers, and then served for thirty-eight months, until after the war had closed. He was in numerous battles and engagements, including Corinth, Vicksburg, and Atlanta, and was in the "March to the Sea," under General Sherman. He served with his regiment for about half the time, and during the remainder was on the staffs of Gen. Alexander Chambers, and Gen. Frank P. Blair, holding successively the rank of Second and First Lieutenant, Captain, and Brevet-Major.

After the war he was for some time in business in Philadelphia, but from 1867 to 1890 resided on a farm near Swarthmore, retiring then to Media, where he has taken an active interest in the schools, and in municipal affairs, etc. He is (1900-01) President of the School Board of Media, and a Curator of the Delaware County Institute of Science.

Children of Edgar T. and Mary H. Miller:

Elizabeth Haldeman, b. 7. 11, 1868, m., 2. 9, 1901, Samuel Sebastian Evans, of Cedartown, Polk county, Ga.

John Spencer, b. 5. 5, 1872, student at law.

Clarence Haldeman, b. 1. 10, 1881, student of medicine.

Marion, b. 4. 8, 1885.

SOURCE:  Howard Malcolm Jenkins, Genealogical Sketch Of The Descendants Of Samuel Spencer Of Pennsylvania, p. 203-5