Samuel Miles
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samuel Miles (March 11, 1740 – December 29, 1805) was an American military officer and politician, active in the state of Pennsylvania before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War.
Born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Miles was the son of James Miles and Hannah Pugh. Miles enlisted in Isaac Wayne's company, part of the Pennsylvania militia during the French and Indian War. He was discharged and then reenlisted in Thomas Lloyd's company as a sergeant and was promoted to captain-lieutenant for the expedition to Fort Duquesne and was wounded at Fort Ligonier. He accepted a commission as captain in 1760 and commanded troops on Presque Isle. After the war ended, he went into business as a wine merchant and married Catharine Wister. He also entered politics, and was elected to the house of assembly in 1772. He was an early advocate for American independence.
He joined the Continental Army upon its formation in 1776. He was made colonel of the Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment. He was taken prisoner by the British at the Battle of Long Island. Miles was released as part of an exchange in April 1778 and assumed the rank of brigadier general, a promotion he had received in absentia.
After the war, Miles had a distinguished career as a politician and public servant. He was made judge of the Appeals Court, served as an alderman and mayor of Philadelphia from 1790 to 1791. He was reelected as mayor but declined. He was elected trustee for the University of Pennsylvania, resigning in 1793. The town of Milesburg, Pennsylvania, was laid out by him and is named after him.
Miles is also noted as being the first faithless elector, when he was pledged to vote for Federalist presidential candidate John Adams, but voted for Republican candidate Thomas Jefferson. He cast his other presidential vote as pledged for Thomas Pinckney.
His portrait, painted by noted American artist Gilbert Stuart, is housed in the Washington DC Corcoran Gallery of Art.
The portrait of his wife, Catherine Wister Miles, also painted by Gilbert Stuart, is in the private collection of an Akron, Ohio relative.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Samuel Powel |
Mayor of Philadelphia 1790–1791 |
Succeeded by John Barclay |
