 In addition to a career in education, he served as Vicar Apostolic of Kansas from 1851 to 1874.Miège was born in a house called "john the unicorn", in the village of Mercury (close to Albertville), in the Duchy of Savoy as the youngest son of a wealthy and pious family.At a young age he was committed to the care of his brother Urban, who was director of the diocesan seminary of Moûtiers.