Wilbert S. Miller
Real estate agent
-- from History of West Virginia, Old and New -- Chicago: American Historical Society, 1923. v. 2., p. 20
WILBERT S. MILLER is present of The Wheeling Realty Company. This is an organization amply financed and with a number of years' record of successful handling of both large and small properties, city and agricultural, with a number of large transactions to its credit in the transfer of industrial properties. It is member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Real Estate Board. Mr. Miller is a member of the Lions Club.
He represents some of the prominent land holding families of Easter Ohio. His great-grandfather, Daniel Miller, was born in Maryland in 1788, and was eighteen years of age when his parents came west and settled in Harrison County in 1806. The Millers acquired Government land. Daniel Miller married Susannah Lowmiller, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1796 and was four years of age when her parents, John and Katherine Lowmiller, settled in Harrison County. John Miller, grandfather of Wilbert S. Miller, was born in Harrison County February 22, 1822, grew up under pioneer conditions and was a prosperous and well to do farmer of the county. He was especially active in the affairs of Harrison County, and held the office of county commissioner. In 1849 he married Susan Mikesell, representing another old family of Harrison County, where she was born in 1824. John Miller and wife had nine children, and seven of them are still living: Oscar B., a resident of Ironton, Ohio, and one of the oldest teachers in the state, both in length of service and in age; Andrew B. Miller; Rev. Daniel D., a Lutheran minister at Smithton, Virginia; Samuel H., formerly professor of science at Thiel College in Pennsylvania; Joseph, a farmer in Hancock County, West Virginia; Clement E., who operates the homestead farm in Harrison County; and Rev. Jesse L., who for over twenty-five years has been pastor of Grace Lutheran Church at Youngstown, Ohio.
Andrew B. Miller, father of Wilbert S., is still active as a farmer in Harrison County, where he was born December 9, 1852. He had a good education in public and normal schools, and for half a century has devoted his time to grain and stock farming. He has been a life-long democrat and a leader in the Lutheran Church. Andrew B. Miller married Flora A. Smith, who was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, February 16, 1859, daughter of Aaron ad Sarah (Weir) Smith. Aaron Smith was a life-long resident of Jefferson County, and owned half a dozen farms there. His wife, Sarah Weir, was a native of Ireland. Aaron Smith and wife reared a family of five children: Samuel Jefferson, now living retired at Amsterdam, Ohio; Mrs. Flora Miller; John Charles Fremont, district superintendent for the Methodist Episcopal Church at Norwalk, Ohio; William E., at Alliance, Ohio; and Margaret, wife of Frank Knox, a farmer of Jefferson County, Ohio.
Andrew B. Miller and wife are the parents of vie children. Rev. Charles D., who is a graduate of Grove City College of Pennsylvania and Mount Airy Seminary at Philadelphia, now pastor of the First English Lutheran Church at Cleveland; M. LeRoy, now farming a place adjoining his father's in Harrison County; Wilbert S.; Laura B., wife of Fred W. Miller, of Jefferson County, Ohio; Harry C., a partner in the Wheeling Realty Company.
Harry C. Miller was born in Harrison County June 24, 1888, attended high school at New Jefferson, Ohio, and the Elliott Commercial School of Wheeling, and for a time was employed by the American Sheet & Tim Plate Company of Avenmore, Pennsylvania. In 1911 he removed to Wheeling, where he has since been associated with his brother in the real estate business, being secretary and treasurer of The Wheeling Realty Company. He is one of the active members of the Kiwanis Club, is an ex-service man, having joined the colors in August, 1917, and towards the close of the same year went overseas, serving with the Transportation Department in the Operative Engineers Corps. He became a sergeant, first class engineers, and was on duty in France for nineteen months, receiving his honorable discharge July 5, 1919. He has been post commander of Wheeling Post No. 1, The American Legion, at Wheeling.
Wilbert S. Miller, who was born in Harrison County November 17, 1883, was educated in the public schools of New Jefferson, graduating from high school there in 1900, and attended Scio College, at Scio, Ohio. He became interested in a mercantile concern in Ohio, and in 1909 located at Wheeling, being one of the organizers of The Wheeling Realty Company, of which he is president. This company does a business all over the Tri State District of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, handling city property, subdivisions and farms, and coal and timber lands. Its officers are in the Wheeling Steel Corporation Building.
On June 18, 1919, Wilbert S. Miller married Miss Ruth L. Snyder, daughter of Casper S. and Margaretta Snyder. Her parents live on their farm in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Miller studied music in Philadelphia and finished her musical education in the Dana Institute at Warren, Ohio, and she and Mr. Miller were married in the latter city. They have two children, Frank R., born April 13, 1920, and Flora Margaretta, born September 18, 1921.