"Portrait and Biographical Record of Portland and Vicinity, Oregon." Authors: "a
compilation of this work....by a number of writers".  Chapman Publishing Co;
Chicago, 1903. p. 610.
 
SAMUEL A. MILES

     No more honored name adorns the pages of the history of Columbia county
than that of Hon. S. A. Miles, who has not only known how to avail himself of
apparent opportunities, but has penetrated into grooves of activity discernable
only to those of far-sighted and more than ordinary penetration. Arriving in
this state with available assets amounting to less than a dollar, Mr. Miles is
to-day rated as the wealthiest man in Columbia county, and his rise from
comparative obscurity to a place of personal and business eminence is
interestingly interwoven with the most substantial development of one of the
garden spots of Oregon.
     In Pulaski county, Ky., where he was born on a farm near the present site
of Somerset, the county seat of Pulaski county, September 17, 1830, Mr. Miles
lived with his parents until nine years of age, when they removed to a farm near
Macon City, Macon county, Mo. Extremely pioneer conditions prevailed in Missouri
abort this time, and the most palatial residences of the settler were not far
removed from puncheon-floored and clapboard-roofed log cabins. It was with a
feeling of opening up chances that the youth started away with a caravan bound
for the land of the western sea and future orange groves, but instead of
locating in California as the party had intended, they veered off at Pacific
Springs in the Rocky Mountains, and headed for Oregon. This change of plans was
due to adverse reports from the gold fields, and the travelers had more faith in
the prospects mapped out by Lewis and Clark and the Hudson Bay Company in
Oregon. From Oregon City Mr. Miles came down the river to Portland, which at
that immature time consisted of seventeen box houses located among logs and
stumps along what was intended to be a street. September 23, 1850, the
boarding-house of F. Perry, at Milton, one and one-half miles south of St.
Helens, had a stranger guest at its festive board, who, had he been asked for a
dollar, the usual price of meals served at Perry's, must needs have departed
with a full stomach, hut an empty pocket. It is supposed that Mr. Miles in time
paid for this layout, for he continued to live in the vicinity for eight years,
and during that time worked for many people, among them being this same Francis
Perry and H. M. Knighton, the first proprietor of the town site. An attempt on
the part of Mr. Miles to reap a fortune during the mining excitement of the
Rogue river in 1852 was frustrated, owing to the hostility of the Indians, in
consequence of which himself and partner, William Kane, were obliged to beat a
hasty and undignified retreat through the waters of the Jumpoff Joe creek. He
then returned by foot to St. Helens, and went to hewing timber for the San
Francisco market and driving oxen.
     Conscious of a deficiency in his education, Mr. Miles started in to attend
school in 1854 under Professor Condon, but after three weeks he decided to go to
Port Offord on the Rogue river, which he reached March 28. His arrival in the
town was characterized by considerable dampness and discouragement, for the
small boat which was to convey them ashore from the steamer was overloaded and
he was washed overboard and was obliged to swim nearly three-fourths of a mile.
After working in a saw-mill in Port Offord for some time Mr. Miles returned to
St. Helens, and the following year, in 1855, participated in a battle with the
Indians just across the river, in which contest eight Indians were taken
prisoners and three killed. Mr. Miles was variously employed at St. Helens until
1860, in which year he became the owner of half of the Daniel Wilson donation
claim on Deer Island. This property was utilized for a stock ranch, and he
conducted his enterprise on an extensive and profitable scale. The stock
business may be said to be the foundation of the large fortune of this intrepid
pioneer, the gaining of which has been intercepted by many setbacks,
discouraging indeed to one less stout of heart. On the night of December 14,
1885, fire destroyed the Miles home, the savings of twenty years, including
$1,000 in county warrants, and treasures upon which no intrinsic value could be
placed. Nothing daunted, this was not allowed to dampen the ardor or deter the
progress of Mr. Miles' accumulation, for other opportunities came his way, and
were seized with avidity and consummate understanding. His knowledge of human
nature has been gained at somewhat of a loss, as most money loaners can testify.
On several occasions his only interest on capital loaned has been experience, a
considerable amount of principal also being swallowed up in this same invaluable
commodity. Nevertheless, Mr. Miles has a fine faith in the general integrity of
his fellow-men, and a happy and inspiring optimism seems to emanate from his
genial and always helpful personality. Thinking, striving, saving and working
have made up the guiding elements of his life, and thus his wife and himself
have an abundance, and his children have been started upon their various ways
with splendid fundamental training, the blessings of fond parents, and
substantial aid from a generous and successful father.
     The home life of Mr. Miles has been a particularly harmonious one, due
largely to the fact that the head of the house has always conceded the important
part taken by his wife in fashioning his career and assisting him in the uphill
road. The marriage occurred February 2, 1862, between Mr. Miles and Elizabeth
Peacher, with whom he commenced housekeeping in St. Helens. Of this union there
have been born eleven children : Mary E. is the wife of Marion E. Butler, of
Portland; Francis lives in Portland; Rebecca J. is the wife of Guy W. Cole;
William A. lives in Portland; Cora is the wife of A. J. Rupert, of Seattle; Lucy
is the wife of Elmer B. Wharton, of Spokane, Wash.; Samuel A., Jr., died
November 24, 1877; the next child died in infancy; Bertha L., deceased, April
21, 1877; Grace H. is living at home, as is also Eugene.  Mr. Miles has been
associated with the Democratic party ever since casting his first vote, and he
has always strenuously maintained the principles and best tenets of his party.
He was elected sheriff of Columbia county in June, 1862, and during his eight
years of service in this capacity was also tax-collector. For eight years he
promoted the cause of education as a member of the school board, and during a
part of that time was chairman of the board. Four times since living in the
great northwest, Mr. Miles has journeyed across the mountains to his old home in
Missouri, returning always with renewed enthusiasm for the great northwest in
which he has suffered much, lost much, but gained infinitely more.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2009 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.