James Horton Miller was born on February 13, 1834, in Arcadia, New York, probably to James and Eliza Miller. His father was a farmer who owned $8,520 of real estate and $2,600 of personal property by 1860. He grew up and attended school in Arcadia, and by 1850, he was working as a farmer. By 1860, he owned $800 of real estate.

 

He enlisted in the Union army on September 5, 1862, and he mustered in as a sergeant in Company A of the 160^th New York Infantry. According to his service records, he was 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. The regiment took part in the siege of Port Hudson and the Red River campaign. He was promoted to 2^nd lieutenant in March 1863 and to 1^st lieutenant in April 1864. In February 1865, he rejoiced at news of the Carolinas campaign: “isn’t it glorious? Charleston the nest in which was hatched this damnable rebellion has met with a just retribution. What a pity that the fire didn’t make a clean thing of it.” He mustered out on November 1, 1865.

 

He returned to Arcadia after the war and resumed his work as a farmer. He married a woman named Amelia, and they had at least two children: Gertrude, born around 1870; and Maud, born around 1878. By 1870, they owned $200 of personal property. He died of typhoid fever in Arcadia on June 28, 1880.

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