Jacob K. Miller was born on the 5th of February, 1840, in Wayne County, Ohio, and was a pioneer citizen of Beaver township in Guthrie County, Iowa. He moved to Parke County, Indiana, in 1842, where his father passed away. Joseph Miller, his uncle, then took him to raise and in 1852, they came to Des Moines. J.K., as he was called. later came to Beaver Township and settled on Section 34. He was married on April 4, 1861, to Miss Catherine Jane Branson. They bought 170 acres of land about five miles northwest from Menlo. This union was blessed by eight children: Nancy A., John J., Martha J., Franklin H., George W., Mary A., Etta May, and Lillie F. Nancy and Mary passed away in infancy. They were a very religious family attending the United Brethren Country Church in that vicinity. In August 1862, J. K. enlisted in Company I, 29th Iowa Infantry in Panora. He took part in battles at Helena, Little Rock, Camden, Salina River, Mobile, and a number of skirmishes of the Civil War. He was discharged in August of 1865 and was a member of William Hill Post No. 41 G.A.R. and was quarter master. The remainder of his life was spent on his farm until he retired and moved to the town of Menlo where he passed away December 29, 1921 and his wife, Catherine, passed away January 25, 1922. The children married and all settled on farms around or near Menlo until retirement. All are deceased with the exception of Etta May Bassett, who was 90 years old on December 6 and resides in Guthrie Center, Iowa.
