Azarian D. Miller
Hon. Azarian D. Miller, one of Allen County's prominent public men, probate judge, educator and successful attorney-at-law, was born June 18, 1853, on the homestead farm in Amanda township, and is a son of Joseph and Minerva J. (Shock) Miller.
Azarian D. Miller was liberally educated, completing first the common-school course, and later taking advantage of the educational institutions of Lima and the National Normal School at Lebanon, Warren County, Ohio. From the age of 16 until he was 34 years of age, he taught school more or less continuously, the greater portion of this period in his native township, and it is safe to say that few men have more personal friends in this locality.
Suring 1871 and 1872 he was employed as bookkeeper in the freight and express office of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway at Elida, Ohio, and as this did not require all of his time he served also as clerk in the mercantile establishments of Rice & Leist and G. W. Moore. During all this time he was quietly reading law, as opportunity afforded. In 1877 he was elected assessor of Amanda township, on the Democratic ticket, and in the following year was chosen justice of the peace an office he satisfactorily held for the following five years. In 1885, having been admitted to the bar, he became a member of the law firm of Remigton & Miller and began the practice of the profession in which he has met with deserved success. Fire destroying his law library in 1887, he relinquished his practice and retired to his farm. After engaging in farming pursuits and the contacting business until February 9, 1894, he was called from his seclusion to accept the duties of clerk of the Probate Court. He was elected to his present position in 1899. In 1876 Judge Miller was married to Darthula Place, who is a daughter of James and Susan Place, and they have these children: Lehr E., Fredia G., Susan J., James J., and Mabel. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Judge Miller has always been prominent in Democratic politics, has been a member of the Democratic County Central Committee, and was sent as a delegate to the St. Louis National convention from the Fourh Congressional District. He is fraternally connected with the Elks, in which order he has held many positions; is a charter member of the Spencerville Lodge of Knights of Pythias and of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Home Guards of America. His residence at Lima is at No. 937 West High street.
A. D. Miller, farmer and teacher, P. O. Allentown, Ohio, was born in Amanda Township, this county, June 18, 1853, son of Joseph and Minerva J. (Shock) Miller, the former a native of Ross County, Ohio, and the latter of Allegheny County, Penn. They were early settlers of Allen County, Ohio, and are now residents of Amanda township. Our subject, the eldest of their nine children, received a commercial and miscellaneous education at the National Normal School of Lebanon, and entered upon his career in life as a teacher, finishing his first term as such during his fifteenth year, and has followed that profession more or less till the present time. He was for two years engaged in railroad offices at Elida, and during the summer seasons for the last two years has engaged in farming. Mr. Miller was married March 5, 1876, to Miss Darthula Place, born August 21, 1854, by whom he has three children: Lehr E., Freeda G. and Minerva S. Mrs. Miller is a daughter of James Place, who was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, March 25, 1818, came to this county in 1836 and in 1841 married Susan Culver of Delaware County, ohio, born July 4, 1818. Both are still living. Mr. Miller has served the people of the township in several of its offices of trust, and was elected justice of the peace in 1883, since when he has done quite an extensive business in his official capacity. Politically he is considered a leader of the Democratic party in this vicinity, destined to become one of the substantial men of the township.
From "History of Allen County, Ohio," Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885