Miles W. Mathers was as born on the farm which is now his home, his natal day being March 8, 1832. This land, located in Brown township, Miami county, was entered from the government by his grandfather, John A. Mathers, in 1819, and the old patent, signed by James Monroe, then president of the United States, is still in possession of our subject. In 1826 David and James Mathers, brothers, came to the county. The latter afterward settled in Shelby county, where his father had also entered land, and there he married and made his home for some time. Subsequently, however, he went to Hamilton county, where his last days were passed. The other brother, David Mathers, was the father of our subject. He was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1797, his parents being John and Jane (McNight) Mathers. Both the Mathers and the McNight families were of Scotch-Irish lineage and resided in the northern part of the Emerald Isle, whence John Mathers, the grandfather, came to America. Reared in Hamilton county, David Mathers became familiar with the experiences of pioneer life in the Buckeye state, and upon coming to Miami county he made the first clearing upon the land which his father had previously entered. He also built a log cabin and continued his work after the primitive style of the times, owning two horses, a plow and wagon. He was not only a good farmer but possessed considerable mechanical genius, did creditable work as a blacksmith and cabinetmaker, in fact could do almost anything with tools. He manufactured many of the coffins used by the pioneers. His death occurred September 11, 1850, when he was fifty-two years of age. His wife afterward went to Illinois, where she died when more than seventy years of age. In their family were seven children, one of whom died at the age of fourteen. Two others have also departed this life: Elizabeth, who became the wife of Dr. Joe Brelsford, died in La Porte, Indiana, at the age of thirty-four years, and Abigail, who became the wife of Isaac Dukemineer, died in Indianapolis when more than fifty years of age. The four who still survive are: John H., a resident of Mason City, Illinois; Jane, wife of John Van Horn, also of Mason City; Mary Ann, who is living near Denver, Colorado; and Miles Williams, the subject of this review.

The last named was reared under the parental roof and was eighteen years of age at the time of his father's death. The management and operation of the farm then devolved upon him. At that time about sixty acres of the land had been placed under cultivation, but he now has nearly the entire tract of one hundred and sixty acres cleared and improved. About twenty years ago he erected a substantial residence and the barn was built by his father just a short time before his death. However, it has been enlarged and remodeled by the present owner. The farm is well drained, and some swampy, flat land has thus become very valuable, in fact is the most productive portion of the farm. In addition to this property Mr. Mathers has another eighty-acre farm adjoining the homestead and supplied with good improvements. He has made a specialty of both grain and stock farming and annually sells considerable stock, thus materially increasing his income. He became the owner of the old homestead by purchasing the interest of the other heirs, and throughout his entire life he has resided upon this place, which is therefore endeared to him by the associations of his boyhood, as well as those of his mature years.

On the 6th of January, 1859, Mr. Mathers was united in marriage to Catherine A. Moore, a daughter of William and Cinderella (Brooks) Moore, of Brown township. She was born in Champaign county and came to Miami county when eight years of age. Their union has been blessed with the following children: Frank Jerome, the eldest, died in childhood; Luella is the wife of William B. Moon, who operates one of the farms and is serving as township trustee, and they have three children, Joel Oscar, Albert Foster and Elsie H.; William C., who operates the home farm with his father, married Clara, daughter of George W. White, and they have two children, Lloyd and Velma; and John H., who graduated at the Ohio State University with the class of 1897, was a teacher in Brown county, Ohio, and is now residing in Kankakee, Illinois.

In his political views Mr. Mathers was a Democrat and has served as township trustee. He was also school director for eighteen years, and the cause of education has found in him a warm friend. The cause of temperance has ever found in him a stanch advocate, and of recent years he has voted the Prohibition ticket. Both be and his wife have been members of the Charity Chapel Christian church for twenty years, are very prominent in its work and are leading citizens of the community, whose well spent lives have gained for them the high regard of all with whom they have been brought in contact.