Born in 1836, Edwin C. Miles grew up in St. Clair, Michigan and learned the dry goods trade in Detroit. At the beginning of the Civil War, Miles enlisted as a private in the 5th Michigan Infantry, subsequently attained a captaincy in the 11th Michigan Cavalry. His farmer, Marcus H. Miles, also serving as Quartermaster of the 11th Michigan Cavalry, as a member of the Michigan State Legislature, and the State Constitutional Convention of 1867. An ardent Republican, he obtained an appointment as Customs Inspector at Toronto in 1870, where he remained for five year, and where many of the letters to his family where written. A brother of Mrs. M.H. Miles, Timothy L. Partridge, was engaged in the dry goods business, first at Detroit, and following the war for several years at Chicago.
A brother of Mrs. M.H. Miles, Timothy L. Partridge, was engaged in the dry goods business, first at Detroit, and following the war for several years at Chicago. A considerable fraction of the correspondence is between Partridge and his sister, brother-in-law, and other members of the family.
From the description of Edwin C. Miles papers, 1840-1898. (Detroit Public Library). WorldCat record id: 325107169
