By: Mark Holtsberry
Dr. John Charles Miller was born February 8, 1866 in Lagrange, Indiana. The son of Christian Henry born March 10, 1825 in Ohio and Julie Ann (Sowers) Miller born October 16, 1827 in Pennsylvania.
This couple was married April 13, 1848 in Ohio. By 1870, living in Lagrange, Indiana, they became the proud parents of Ella Catherine born October 5, 1855, Andrew Henry January 10 1862, Sarah Ann January 21, 1864, and John Charles February 8, 1866. Christian was a farmer.
By 1880, Ella had married and moved on with her husband. Christian still farming and the rest of the children were in school. By 1900, still living in Lagrange, Christian and Julie Ann found themselves in an empty nest. The children had grown and moved on. John had become a physician.
On October 18, 1898 in Toledo, Ohio, John married a gal named Sarah Francis Evans, born in 1858 in Lucas County. They were living in Maumee, Ohio. By 1910, John and Sarah were living in Henry County, he was a physician and surgeon.
Between 1910 and 1915, this couple had moved to Payne, Ohio. In between that timeframe, John’s parents both passed away. Christian passed away February 18, 1912 and Julie passed away April 13, 1914. They both were buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Lagrange, Indiana.
When World One broke out, John volunteered to serve as a doctor. Serving in the Officer’s Reserve Corp.
On January 8, 1918, John was given the rank of Captain of the Medical Corp. He served at MacArthur, Texas, Kelly, Texas and Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. By direction of the President, and under the provisions of Section 9, Act of Congress, May 18, 1918 and Circular No. 75, War Department, 1918, Dr. John Charles Miller of the Medical Corp. was honorably discharged December 5, 1918, from the service of the United States, for convenience of the government, to take effect this date, their service is no longer required.
After the war, John and Sarah moved to Union City, Michigan. At the age of 53, he became a farmer as well as a practicing physician. By 1930, this couple was still living in Union City, Michigan.
John’s brother, Andrew passed away in 1937. By 1940, this couple was still living in Union City, Michigan at 202 Charlotte Street. In 1941, John’s sister Sarah, passed away. On January 20, 1944, Sarah Francis Evans Miller passed away. She was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Union City, Michigan.
John’s sister Ella passed away in 1945. In June of 1947, John was dealing with heart issues. He went to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Fort Custer, Michigan. where on June 11, 1947, Dr. John Charles Miller passed away. He was buried alongside his wife in Riverside Cemetery, Union City, Michigan. They had no children. In 1950, John’s sister Mary Catherine, passed away.
