WILLIS F. MILES. Petty difficulties of Young Township, Boone County, Arkansas, wend their way to the office of our subject and find in him an arbiter that as a rule sends the respective parties away in better humor with themselves and with the world in general than on coming to him, for he is a gentleman who, although having an extended knowledge of the prosaic aspects of life, is prone to see the humorous side, and gild the baser metal with the brightness of wit.
Willis F. Miles was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, in 1831, and is a son of Hosea and Nancy (Mayfield) Miles, natives of the Palmetto State, the former born in 1802 and the latter in 1801. Previous to her union with Mr. Miles, the mother married a Mr. Cownover, and after his death she came to Tennessee, where she was subsequently married to Mr. Miles and passed the remainder of her days, dying in Giles County in 1849. Mr. Miles died in Lawrence County, Tennessee, about 1868. Both were members of the Christian Church. Mr. Miles was engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life.
The grandfather, Isaac Miles, was born in South Carolina, and there passed his entire life, dying when our subject was a boy. He was but a small boy during the Revolutionary War and his father, Thomas Miles, was a soldier in the same. The latter’s house was used as a hospital for some time, as there was a battle fought near by. He was born in Virginia, but was of English parents, who came to America in Colonial days. William Mayfield, the maternal grandfather, died in South Carolina, where he had probably spent all his life. The parents of our subject had born to their union six children, the first two of whom died in infancy. The first child died before named. The second was Elvira; Willis F., our subject; Francis Marion, a physician, of Boone County, was in the Confederate Army during the war; Newton, also a Confederate soldier, was killed at Chickamauga; and Isaac, was in the Federal Army, Company H, First Arkansas Cavalry, and served as orderly sergeant all through the war. He now resides in Grand View, Tex.
Our subject passed his boyhood on a farm, received a limited education, and in 1850 was married to Miss Martha Estes, a native of Lawrence County, Tennessee, and the daughter of John and Sarah Estes. Mr. and Mrs. Estes were born in Tennessee, but both were of Irish origin. Five children were born to our subject and wife, viz.: William, of Carroll County; James, of Boone County; Hosea died when about twenty years of age; Fannie, wife of Lawson Munley, of Carrollton, and Isaac. Mr. Miles resided in his native State until 1860, when he came by wagon to Searcy County, Arkansas, and remained there until 1864, when he moved to Greene County, Missouri There he remained three years and then moved to Carroll County, Arkansas, and settled on Long Creek. In 1886 he settled on his present farm on the bluffs of Long Creek, in the woods, and has already cleared about seventy acres of the 200 acres he owns. He was justice of the peace for some years while residing in Carroll County, and he has served in that capacity nearly all the time since residing in Boone County. He is a well-known, industrious and well-respected citizen. In politics he is an ardent supporter of Republican principles.