"Miles Back is a member of one of the old and prominent families of Eastern Kentucky, has spent his active life as a farmer, and some years ago he bought and still owns the land on which is located the industrial Village of Quicksand, the site of lumber mills and homes of about 2,000 people.

"Mr. Back was born on Meat Scaffold Creek May 19, 1953, his birthplace being a little log house where his parents, John and Elizabeth (Cope) Back, began their simple housekeeping. John Back was born in Wise County, Virginia, being a son of John Back. The first John Back was a pioneer of Breathitt County, and introduced here, it is said, the first wagon made entirely of wood. The family settled on Quicksand, and owned all the tributary land except a farm owned by Jack Hayes and another by James Cope, the latter being the grandfather of Miles Back. John Back, father of Miles, owned 3,000 acres on Meat Scaffold Creek. This property he traded to a brother for land on Quicksand, three miles above its mouth. This included some fine bottom land. He was not a strenuous worker, but a good manager, and raised liberal quantities of corn that was sold throughout Eastern Kentucky. He died at the age of seventy-four and his wife at eighty-one. Three of their sons were Confederate soldiers:  William, Henry, and Alfred. Alfred lost his life when a comrade shot him in the back, mistaking him for a Yankee. John and Elizabeth Back were devout Baptists, their membership being in the church at the mouth of Quicksand, the oldest church in the county, members of the Back family for years supplying most of the congregation. The old church records are still preserved by Miles Back.

"Miles Back is one of three living children. His sister Sarah is the wife of D. J. Lindon and lives at Morrison, Noble County, Oklahoma. His younger brother, James, occupies his father's old homestead.

"Miles Back had no opportunity to attend school until after the close of the Civil War. In fact he was twelve when he went to his first school, walking five miles, and the sole garment in which he was clad was a tow shirt. He made good use of his advantages, limited though they were, since as a young man in 1875 he taught school on Kentucky River below the mouth of Quicksand, and for years has been regarded as one of the well informed and able business men of the community. From 1896 to 1900 he served as county assesor. Mr. Back rented the place that he now owns for a period of thirteen years, and finally purchased it in 1905 for $6,000. It contained 352 acres, and, as noted above, is the site of the industrial Village of Quicksand. His own home overlooks the great lumber milling plant of the Mowbray & Robinson Company. The first house in which he lived on the farm was built of logs, but later he improved a commodious and modern residence and has planted innumerable trees on the grounds.

"In 1874 Mr. Back married Clementine Spurlock, who was born on an adjoining farm on Quicksand. She died in 1885, the mother of five children, of whom three now live:  William E., a coal operator at Lexington; James, at Quicksand; and Sarah, widow of Peter Hays, living at Quicksand. In 1888 Mr. Miles Back married Siller Keith, who was born on the Kentucky River. She died in 1905, and there are six children by this marriage:  Barnum, at home; Julia, wife of George Back; Mettie, wife of Bruce Smith; Minerva, Troy and Wilgus. In 1908 Dr. Back married Nora Watson, daughter of John Watson, of Estill County. They have five children, Roy, Jasper, Herbert, Catherine and Myrtis. The family are members of the Baptist Church, and Mr. Back is a Master Mason and a democrat."