Biographical Sketch of

Miles Mix, M. D.

Transcribed by Joan Benner for the Marquette Co WI Pages


Surnames: Collier, Evans, Farmer, Gardner, Mix, Otterburn, Page, Radke, Ring, Risdon, Sales, Skillens, Wheeler

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin, 
published 1890 by Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, Pages 383 - 384

Miles Mix, M. D., the oldest practitioner of Berlin Township, Green Lake 
County, now residing in section 14, was born in Chautauqua County, New 
York October 17, 1819, and is one of a family of twelve children born to 
Stephen and Patience (Risdon) Mix. His grandfather, Joel Mix, was of 
German descent, and married a Mrs. Sales. He was a manufacturer of edged 
tools and was a most excellent workman. The maternal grandfather of our 
subject, Josiah Ridson, was born on Scotch parentage, and followed 
blacksmithing for a livelihood. He married a lady who came to this 
country from the North of Ireland. Both died in the Empire State. Mr. 
Risdon served his country in the War of 1812, and lived to the ripe 
old age of eighty-six years.

Stephen Mix was also a native of the Empire State, and in his youth 
learned his father's trade, though he worked at it but a short time. 
After his marriage he removed to Chautauqua County, being among the 
early settlers of that section. During the early days of his residence 
in that community, he carried upon his back a sack of corn to Erie, Pa., 
a distance of twenty-two miles, and after it was ground, brought the 
meal home in the same way. He cleared and developed a farm of 120 acres 
in that heavily timbered country, and acquired a comfortable competence. 
Both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church, and were held 
in high regard by all who knew them. The mother died when Miles was 
about thirteen years old, and the father departed this life in La Porte, 
Ind., several years later. Of their fmaily of twelve children, ten lived 
to mature years, but only four yet survive. With the exception of our 
subject, they are residents of Minnesota. David is engaged in farming; 
Melissa is now Mrs. Evans; and Sarah A. is Mrs. Ring.

Our subject was reared to farm life, and in the district schools acquired 
his primary education , which was supplemented by a perusal of certain 
studies in a select school after his emigration to the West. In 1836, 
in company with his father and other members of the family, he left home 
and settled in La Porte, Indiana, where he learned the carpenter's trade,
which he followed after his removal to Wisconsin in 1842, engaging in 
that business in Beloit and Whitewater. Subsequently he was employed in 
a threshing machine factory of Racine, and when the river was dredged 
at that place to make a harbor, he was appointed superintendent of a 
gang of thirty men, obtaining the position under the influence of Warren 
Cole. The Doctor, who was an expert with tools, during that time was 
frequently called upon to execute some work in drafting or constructing 
that the parties to whom it was entrusted could not perform. About that 
time, he bagan devoting his leisure hours to the reading of medical 
works, and in 1845, having determined to follow that profession, he 
entered the office of Dr. O. W. Blanchard of Racine, with whom he 
continued his studies for two and a half years. He assisted the Doctor 
in his practice during the latter part of that time, and then returned 
to La Porte, Indiana, where he studied with Prof. Meeker, Dean of the 
Indiana Medical College of La Porte, from which he was graduate din the 
class of 1850.

In that city, on the 13th of January, 1848, Dr. Mix led to the marriage 
altar Miss Louisa E., daughter of Preserved and Jane (Farmer) Wheeler. 
She was born in Vermont, June 12, 1828, and in childhood removed with 
her parents to Indiana. After his graduation in 1850, the Doctor came 
to Green Lake County, locating in Berlin, where he was successfully 
engaged in practice until 1882, when he removed to his farm in section 
14 in the town of Berlin. As much as possible, he has retired from active 
life, but many of his old patrons do not wish to employ another physician,
and still solicit his services. When he entered upon his professional 
career, he would walk through the rain and storm to see his patients, 
but finally became able to purchase a horse and buggy which made his 
labors much lighter. Step by step he worked his way upward, until he 
occupied a foremost place in the ranks of his professional brethren. 
His financial resources also increased, and he is now the owner of a 
fine farm of 227 acres. He is one of the prominent and influential 
citizens of the county, and for two or three terms served as alderman 
of Berlin. He was also a member of the Board of Health and City 
Physician of Berlin, and for several years has been employed in the same 
capacity in Berlin Township. He affiliated with the Whig party until 
the formation of the Republican party, with which he has since cast his 
ballot. His first vote was for William Henry Harrison. He is now in 
hearty sympathy with the temperance movement and does all in his power 
to advance the cause. For thirty-nine years he has been a resident of 
this county, and is one of its most highly respected citizens.

In 1877, Dr. Mix was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who 
died on the 4th of March. She was a member of the Baptist church, to 
which he also belongs. Their family numbered seven children -- Edwin S., 
who married Martha A. Gardner, and has four children; Jane A., wife of 
Almon Otterburn, by whom she has three children; Sarah J., deceased wife 
of Clark Page and the mother of three children; Miles T., who married 
Millie C. Radke; Horace P. who wedded Lena M. Collier and has one child; 
and Wheeler W. (A portrait of Dr. Mix is found with this biography)






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