Nathaniel Miles was born around 1796 in Pennsylvania. He married Sarah Phillips, and they had at least five children: Edwin, born on December 21, 1818; Martha, born around 1825; Catharine, born around 1830; Owen, born around 1833; and George, born on February 3, 1836. They lived in West Vincent, Pennsylvania, and he worked as a book agent. His wife probably died in the 1850s. By 1860, he was working as a farmer in Salem, Illinois, and he owned $300 of personal property. He died sometime after November 1863.