Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary, Part 106

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Portland, Me., The author
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Maine > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 106
USA > New Hampshire > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 106

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

MARRIAGES IN SCARBOROUGH.

Reuben and Anna Ringe, Jan. 4, 1789. George and Jemima Libby, Apr. 2, 1790. Ann and William Ringe, Jan. 30, 1792. Margaret and Henry Libby, March, 1794. Mary and Phineas Libby, Oct. 30, 1795. Lydia and Jacob McDaniel, Nov. 5, 1795.

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MILLIKEN FAMILY.

Josiah and Mary Stone, July 24, 1788.

James and Jane Maxfield, Dec. 18, 1790.

Daniel and Sally Burnham, July 31, 1792.

Charles O. and Stella A. Whitten, at Alfred, May 17, 1770. Nathaniel L. and Mary E. Pierce, at Alfred, Mar. 25, 1774.

Roger and Frances Harmon, Oct. 3, 1797. Stephen and Lydia Libby, Oct. 4, 1797. Sarah and John Kelley, Dec. 10, 1797. Joseph and Polly Batt, Feb. 15, 1798. Dorcas and Charles Emery, July 27, 1800.

Jane and Jacob Merrill, Jr., Jan. 25, 1806.

Robert and Esther Libby, June 25, 1809. Esther and Robert Hasty, 3d, Nov. 30, 1814. Robert M. and Mehitable Sawyer. July 20, 1828. Sarah and William Strout, Gorham, Nov. 27, 1834.

Elias and Betsey Shaw, Sept. 14, 1797. William and Mary Boulter, 1797.

Milliken Family.

INTRODUCTORY.

In entering upon the task of compiling a history of the Milliken family a laudable effort has been made to begin with the earliest mention of the name. With this object in view, neither pains nor expense has been spared in mak- ing thorough search for every document that contained the family cognomen. Research has been exhausted in the great libraries of the United States, and among others in Europe the greatest of all libraries the world has known, the National Library of France. The changes in spelling of this surname have given rise to different conclusions among our modern writers on this subject, possibly from its remote origin and by reason of its passing from one country to another and from one language to another ; indeed, it seems to have had almost a double origin.

The name Milliken is of Saxon origin and was first written Millingas, being of date as early as the 13th century. We are left in doubt as to the significa- tion, for there are no reliable authorities on definition of early Saxon surnames. The Saxons, being the most warlike and adventurous of the Teutonic race, planted their names as adopted in their abiding domiciles, in France, England,

NOTE .- The Milliken family at large will ever be indebted to Hon. James Milliken, of New York city (better known as of Bellefonte, Pa.), who has, at a considerable expense, procured the facts relating to the origin and early generations of the race. He has for many years been a diligent searcher for everything that would throw light upon the history of the European branches of the clan, and had assembled a large collection of data relating to the subject which he has kindly contributed to this work. Almost as s on as he learned of an attempt to compile the history of the numerous American branches of the family, he instituted a thorough search, conducted by experts, in the great libraries of Paris, Bordeaux, and Rouen, in France, which resulted in the discovery of documents from which the interesting facts relating to the family in that country were extracted. Mr. Milliken has used every means to verify these statements and pronounces them "perfectly reliable." The whole introductory matter, with the genealogy of his own branch down to the present date, was well arranged and copied in type-writing. We have made a few changes in the classification and composition to adapt it to the arrangement carried out in this book. Mr. Milliken has also put the author in communication with many of the Milliken name, and to him we are grateful for many valuable suggestions.

ARMS OF

MILLIKEN AND NAPIER, Creation March 2, 1627.

SEAT : MILLIKEN HOUSE, RENFREWSHIRE, SCOTLAND.

SANS

TACHE

ARMS. -- Quarterly, 1st and 4th arg., a saltire, engrailed between four roses gu., the roses barbed vert. for Napier of Merchistown ; 2d az., a lion rampant, arg. crowned, or, for MacDowall of Garthland; 3d arg., a fesse az., voided of the field, between three demi-lions rampant gu., holding in his dexter forepaw a dagger, or, for Milliken.

SUPPORTERS. - Two eagles with wings closed, ppr.

MOTTOES. - Sans Tache and Regarde Bien.

957

MILLIKEN FAMILY.

Scotland, and Ireland. From the intermingling of this people with the Nor- mans we find the name " Millingas" produced in Norman French as Millan- ges, and among early mentions of the name we have the following to record :

Simon Millanges was born at Vert, in the province of Limousin, about 1540, and died in Bordeaux, 1623. He was a professor of belle-lettres in the col- lege of Guyenne, an expert among the grammarians of the realm in the Latin language, and was thoroughly versed in Greek. He founded in Bordeaux, in 1572, a printing establishment of the first order, and soon obtained great celebrity. The jurists of the realm assisted him financially; he had bestowed upon him " lettres de Bourjeoisie," and he and his descendants were exempted from all duties of impositions which burdened the people of Bordeaux at that period. He was named printer to the kingdom in 1620, and his name was given to a street in the city. His sons, James and William, continued the printing business long after the death of their father.

The Saxon name Millingas, produced in French as Millanges, was the cause of much humor, for in consequence of a similar pronunciation it was made to mean Mille-anges, a thousand angels, and the distinguished and honored citizen of Bordeaux had produced for him coats of arms abounding in angels carry- ing palms, with absurd mottoes to heighten the humor.

In the department of MSS., of the National Library of France, we have found reference made to a coat of arms of John de Milligen and Cæsar de Milligen, of a notable assembly from a district of foreign country, but the name is not dis- tinctly legible. These were no doubt of the clan valiant vagabonds (rovers) of the time of William 1, and a part of the reference seems to be in ridicule of the pretentious title of Cæsar.

There is also record of Mr. Christophe and Petre Milanges, court lawyers, and Master John Milanges who were plaintiffs in two suits at law for the recovery of a portion of their mother's estates, one suit of date April 13, 1669, and the other of date January 27, 1672, and with these were associated in later proceedings, their sisters Frances and Anabel, both suits having for basis transactions in 1643.

The name appears in different parts of France of later dates, together clearly establishing the Norman-French feature from which many have assumed that the present names of Milliken and Milligan were of that origin. It has also been claimed that the name in France had been spelled " Millegants"; but there is no record of such orthography. The Scotch name " Myligant " signi- fies a myth or a false person.

The name has been traced from its original source, and from its Norman- French adoption, directly into England and the southern counties of Scotland and Ireland bordering on the Irish sea, whence families have scattered into other sections of those lands. The name in Scotland is spelled " Milliken"; in Ireland, "Milligan," and in England, "Millikin" and "Millican." In the north of Scotland it is sometimes found as " Mulliken." In the United States the surname in various branches of the family has been spelled Mulliken, Milliken, Millikin, Millican, and Millikan.

MILLIKENS IN SCOTLAND.

Renfrewshire, Scotland, retains lasting record of the name Milliken. The manor made historic by JAMES MILLIKEN, EsQ., is still known by his name, and a railway station near by commemorates it in the title of "Milliken Park."

958

MILLIKEN FAMILY.

Unfortunately nearly all records of this branch of the family were destroyed with Milliken house, by fire, in the last century, a fact confirmed by the late Sir Robert John Milliken Napier, of "Milliken."

James Milliken was a gentleman of distinction and remarkable enterprise. In his ventures he possessed a large estate on the island of St. Kitts, in the West Indies, which still bears his name.

From an old history of Renfrewshire, by Crawford, we have found mention of the family and estate, from which we have adapted the following: It ap- pears that one George Houston, son of Ludovic Houston, alienated the house and lands of Johnstone to Major James Milliken, in the year 1733, and he changed the name, assuming the title of James Milliken, of Milliken, Esq. He married a widow, Mary Stevens,* who was a lady of wealth in St. Kitts, where she had a large estate which came to the Milliken family. He died in 1741, aged 72 years; his widow died in 1746, aged 80 years. These were succeeded by their son, JAMES MILLIKEN, of Milliken, Esq., whose dignity of mind and grace of manners made him an attractive person. He married Jean, daughter of Alexander MacDowall, of Garthland, Esq., by whom he had two sons, (1) JAMES, who died in Venice, in Italy; (2) ALEXANDER, who died at Paris in France. These sons were both unmarried. There were also two daughters, (1) JEAN, married Col. William Napier, of Culcruch, parish of Fintry, Stirlingshire, by whom she had a son Robert and a daughter Janet ; (2) MARY, married Nathaniel Spense, physician in Edinburgh, and had issue. She died March 3, 1774; her daughter Janet died April 16, 1777.

James Milliken, Esq., of Milliken, died June 7, 1776, and was succeeded by his grandson, Robert Napier, son of his eldest daughter, Jean, before-men- tioned. He succeeded his father as heir of Culcruch, April 11, 1773, and was an officer in the army.

It will be thus seen that this branch of the Milliken family became extinct in the male line with the decease of James Milliken, Esq., the second, of Milli- ken, and passed to the Napiers, who were subsequently designated, "of Mil- liken." The family crest adopted by Major James Milliken was "a demi-lion, rampant gu." with the motto "Regarde bien"; and his crest was designated "of that Ilk."

THE MILLIKEN ESTATE.

Maj. James Milliken dismantled the old mansion which he found on the lands acquired by him, and erected an elegant large house of more modern style. This has been described in quaint language and great fullness of detail in the old book alluded to. It was three stories in height, rustic covered, pavilion roofed, having a platform covered with lead on the top, with ten steps of a stone stair in front up to the main door, which was built after the Ionic order, with a portico. The front overlooked toward the east, with office-houses in form of a court, and a long circular colonnade passage extending from one end to the other. There were "four nitches at each wing, where was a terrace green."

James Milliken, Esq., the second of Milliken, made extensive and costly

*COL. WILLIAM MACDOWALL had command of a regiment in the island of St. Kitts, and it seems that Major James Milliken was an officer in the same body. Col. MacDowall married a danghter of the widow Mary Stevens who became the wife of James Milliken, and a grandson was named Milliken MacDowall. This family had a large estate in Scotland known as Castle Semple.

MILLIKEN HOUSE, SCOTLAND.

-W

959

MILLIKEN FAMILY.

improvements on his estate. He made a pleasant bowling-green adjoining the west side of the manor, having rows of tall lime trees upon the south and and north ends. The orchards and gardens upon the south side consisted of eight acres of ground through which the Kilbarchan stream meandered, fall- ing down in four cascades. In the middle was a large circular pond surrounded by lime trees. The green and pigeon houses stood in a parallel line.

In the year 1745, he acquired from Mr. Cunningham, of Craigsend, the ex- tensive lands called the Auchinsloishe and Auchinsales; also the lands of Mansuarie, Bankend, Lintwhite, Hallhill, Locher-mill, Wester and Easter Kaim- hills, Boakshill, and others. On these lands coal and limestone were found.

About the year 1762, James Milliken purchased the lands of Easter White- lands from the heirs of James Young, and afterwards the lands of Branscroft from Robert Allison who removed to North Carolina with his family. In the year 1767-8, Mr. Milliken enclosed the lands of Kaimhills, Boakshill, and others in that barony, and made a new road at his own charges through the lands of Branscroft and Whitelands into the town of Kilbarchan. He was said to have expended more money on public roads than any gentleman in Scotland. The roads leading from the bridge of Johnstone to Kilbarchan, on both sides of Milliken mansion, were mostly made at his expense. In 1761 he built a stone bridge having two arches over the river Black Cart near the ruins of Cochran tower, where was a corn-mill in Milliken barony; and was a generous contributor toward building the bridge of Johnstone in 1770, on the great road between Kilbarchan and Paisley. He planted a number of firs and other trees at a precipice called Barbrae in 1767-8, and built a dyke on the summit; also opened a path from the mansion to the spot. On the estate was a valuable freestone quarry.

MILLIKENS OF KISHACOQUILLAS VALLEY, PA.

Robert John Milliken,1 an uncle of James Milliken, Esq., first of Milliken, in Scotland, when a young man, removed to the north of Ireland, where he married and had two sons. This is based on tradition well confirmed and from imperfect church records. From letters of the sons, JAMES and HUGH, the name of the father was found. His family crest differed slightly from that of James Milliken, Esq., and is described as "A demi-lion royally crowned gu. holding in his dexter paw a sword, ppr.," with the motto, "Regard bien."

SECOND GENERATION.

I. JAMES,2 son of preceding, was born near Dromore, County Down, Ire- land, and married Elizabeth Davis. He was brought to America with his family, in 1772, by his son Samuel, and settled on the Conewago, near Harrisburg, Pa., then in Lancaster county. He died soon after coming to America and was buried in Lancaster county, Pa. He had issue, one son and four daughters, whose names will follow.

2. HUGH,2 second son of Robert John, a farmer near Dromore, did not come to America. He was ancestor of a numerous race, some of whom remained in their fatherland while others followed their kindred to Pennsylvania, where, and in Ohio, their posterity, a people of respect- ability, culture, and prominence, now reside.

960

MILLIKEN FAMILY.

THIRD GENERATION.

I. SAMUEL,3 son of James2 (2), was born near Dromore, Ireland, 1746, and became the head of one branch of the Milliken family in Pennsyl- vania. He preceded his father and came to America, as shown by his certificate of church membership, in 1763. (In this document his name was spelled Mulligan.) He was a linen manufacturer and merchant, and located on the Schuylkill river, near Philadelphia. He made five voyages to Ireland, and, on one of his return trips, brought his father to his then residence on the Conewago. Soon after the death of his father he joined emigrants, who had been friends and acquaintances in Ireland, and located a colony in the beautiful and richly fertile Kishaco- quillas valley, of now Mifflin county, Pa., not distant from the Juniata river, which territory was then comprised in Cumberland county. He made location of a large tract of land, parts of which are still owned by his descendants. Here he became a farmer. This settlement deter- mined the religious character of the whole valley, for many years, as rigid Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The district was then an Indian frontier, and many harvests were made by this sterling yeomanry with their rifles on their backs. One of the conspicuous peaks of the moun- tain range, which encloses the valley on the north, perpetuates the name in its designation of " Milliken's knob " and "Milliken's high top." In the same range, but beyond the limits of the present county, there is further recognition of the name in "Milligen's Cove." A letter read at a recent centennial of the first Presbyterian church of Kishacoquillas valley, written by Mr. Milliken's wife, was addressed to him in Wash- ington's army at Valley Forge. Samuel Milliken, with certain neigh- bors, learning of the suffering and distress of the army, collected vol- untary contributions of food and clothing, and with their teams delivered the same to the soldiers at Valley Forge, a distance of 150 miles. He m., in 1775, Miss Margaret Foster, who was born in Lancaster county, Pa., in 1753, and had issue, six sons and three daughters, of whom hereafter, born in the Kishacoquillas valley. He d. Oct. 28, 1804.

2. JANE,3 dau. of James 2 (2), was the wife of Robert Patterson, in Ireland.

3. NANCY,3 dau. of James 2 (2), was m., in Pennsylvania, to Robert Garner.

4. ISABELLA,8 dau. of James2 (2), was the wife of John Harbinson.

5. SARAH,4 dau. of James 2 (2), m. John Holt.

FOURTH GENERATION.

I. JAMES,4 son of Samuel 3 ( 1), b. Jan. 19, 1776; m. Miss Ann Cunning- ham, of Chester county, Pa., and had issue, two sons and three daugh- ters, as will appear. He was a distinguished merchant and banker, at Lewiston, Pa .; served in the Legislature of his state, and was prominent in advocating the making of roads and other early improvements.

2. SAMUEL,4 second son of Samuel 8 (1), died without issue.

3. DAVID,4 third son of Samuel 3 (1), m. a Miss Steely. He was a merchant and farmer, and with military tastes was a volunteer with General Scott at the battle of Lundy's Lane; he died issueless.

4. ROBERT,4 fourth son of Samuel3 (1), b. March 14, 1793; was m. three times; first to Ann McNitt (she was b. Nov. 21, 1796, and d. Oct. 19,

961

MILLIKEN FAMILY.

1835), Dec. 21, 1813, by whom eleven children ; second, Aug. 22, 1837, to Sarah B. Johnston, of Kishacoquillas valley, by whom two children ; third, to Mrs. Rebecca Long, by whom no issue.

5 FOSTER, 4 fifth son of Samuel3 (1), b. Apr. 24, 1794; m. Nancy Thomp- son, of Mifflin county, Pa., June, 1819; d. Mar. 31, 1851. He was a general merchant; one of the early sheriffs of Mifflin county, and for some time an iron master. He had three sons and one dau., of whom more hereafter.

6. JOSEPH,4 sixth son of Samuel8 (1), mn. Elizabeth Paton, 1822, and had issue, four sons and seven daughters, of whom hereafter. He was a distinguished merchant and banker of Lewiston, Pa. His descendants now (1893) number eighty-six.

7. BARBARA,+ dau. of Samuel8 (1), b. Feb. 22, 1780; was m. Jan. 6, 1800, near Bellefonte, Centre county, Pa., to James Whitehill, b. Mar. 1, 1771, d. Aug. 15, 1844; for about ten years these resided at Bellefonte, but removed to Clarion county, and settled near Edinburgh where they re- mained. She d. April 13, 1850. Three sons and four daughters.

8. JANE,4 dau. of Samuel3 (1), m. John Cooper.

9. ELIZABETH,4 dau. of Samuel 3 (1), d. young.

FIFTH GENERATION.

CHILDREN OF JAMES AND ANN:

I. SAMUEL,5 m. Mary E., dau. of John Potter, of Alexandria, Pa., and had issue, two sons and two daughters, of whom hereafter. He is now a resident of Hallidaysburg, Pa.

2. ALLAN C.,5 was a graduate of Princeton College, 1846; now deceased.

3. MARY,5 now of Lewiston, Pa.

4. MARGARET,5 deceased.

5. ANNA,5 the wife of Judge Amory D. Potter, Toledo, Ohio.

CHILDREN OF ROBERT AND ANN :

I. MARGARET J.,5 b. Oct. 11, 1814; m. Robert M. Campbell, of Kishaco- quillas valley; d. May 20, 1845.

2. SAMUEL,5 b. Nov. 16, 1816; m. first, Mary M. Thompson, of Milroy, Pa., Dec. 19. 1843, by whom five sons; second, Maria C. Goheen, of Centre county, Pa., Oct. 29, 1861, by whom six sons and one daughter. He was a farmer; elder in Presbyterian church ; deceased.

3. ROBERT M.,5 b. Nov. 25, 1818 : m. Mary J. Barr, Nov. 18, 1847, and had one son; deceased.

4. MARY,5 b. Oct. 22, 1820; m. Rev. John E. Alexander, Nov. 22, 1843 ; d. Dec. 9, 1855.

5. ANN,5 b. Dec. 1, 1822 ; deceased.

6. CATHERINE,5 b. Nov. 21, 1824; deceased.

7. BARBARA,5 b. Dec. 30, 1826 ; deceased.

S. MATILDA,5 b. Dec. 10, 1828; m. R. H. Alexander, Nov. 27, 1849 ; d. Jan. 26, 1854.

9. DAVID F.,5 b. Feb. 9, 1831 ; m. Dec. 29, 1853, Sarah J. Carver, of

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MILLIKEN FAMILY.

Kishacoquillas valley ; died Jan. 18, 1879, at the Milliken homestead, where the widow now resides. The seven children were all born there.

IO. ELIZABETH A.,5 b. July 21, 1833 ; m. Joseph N. Sprout, Oct. 9, 1855 ; now living at Lore City, Ohio.

II. SARAH W.,5 b. Oct. 19, 1835; m. William S. Wilson; deceased.

CHILDREN OF ROBERT AND SARAH:

I. JAMES J.,5 b. Jan. 25, 1839 ; m. and now living at Walker, Yarpari Co., Arizona.

2. MARGARET J ,5 b. Jan. 10, 1843; d. May 20, 1845.

CHILDREN OF FOSTER AND NANCY:

I. SAMUEL,5 m. Miss Fullerton, of Philadelphia, and had two sons and a daughter. He was for many years an iron merchant in New York; now a resident of Plainfield, N. J.

2. MOSES T.,5 b. Feb. 20, 1822; m. Caroline Valentine, of Bellefonte, Pa., and had two daughters.

3. HON. JAMES,5 b. July 23, 1824, of whom we make extract from the "History of Centre County, Pa.," to wit :

Before Mr. Milliken was of age he was entrusted by Messrs. Valentine with the agency for the sale of their iron in the state of New York, and was located for that purpose at Elmira, N. Y., for several years. When this agency closed, his uncles, who were leading commercial men of Mifflin county, persuaded him to join them in business at Lewiston, Pa. Not satisfied with the limited sphere of business at Lewiston, Mr. Milliken removed to Philadelphia in 1851, and engaged in the flour and grain commission business, in the firm of Richardson & Milliken; but after a few years he engaged in a business more suited to his tastes, the manufacture of iron. He was associated for a number of years with the firm of Reeves, Buck & Co., which became, and is at present, the Phoenix Iron Company, of Philadelphia and Phoenixville, Chester Co., Pa.

While he resided in Philadelphia Mr. Milliken took an active part in public affairs, and by his perseverance, intelligence, and high character took a promi- nent position among the leading men of that city. At the outbreak of the war of 1861 he was especially prominent. He was a member of the Board of Trade, director of several railroad companies, and was one of the originators of the great Union League that did so much in behalf of the country in suppressing the Rebellion. He was made a member of the committee, of which the mayor was chairman, which distributed a bounty of several millions to the volunteers. On the occasion of the great city meeting to take action upon the firing upon Fort Sumter, when masses of excited men surged through the streets, Mr. Milliken mounted a temporary platform in front of the old National Hall and made a remarkably able speech, commencing: "Fellow-citizens, -With this calamity upon us we have ceased to be Republicans, we have ceased to be Democrats; we have ceased knowing party lines or recognizing party ties, for in this trying hour, as patriots and citizens, we should rise above them all, and stand firm for our country and for a government for ourselves." In this vein he dwelt at length upon the issues forced upon us by the Rebellion, and when he closed a mass of men that blocked Market street as far as the eye could reach made response to his patriotism in cheers that resounded far and wide upon the midnight air through the city.

Mr. Milliken's excessive labor in business and in public affairs told upon his health, and by the time the war closed he had to retire altogether. He then devoted several years to study and travel, extending his excursions several times over most of the countries of Europe, spent two winters in the tropics, one in Spain and Italy, and one in Egypt. He crossed the great Arabian desert, scaled Mount Sinai, and visited the ancient city of Petra. He subsequently traveled through the Holy Land, Greece, and Turkey, and afterwards passed a winter in Mexico.

963

MILLIKEN FAMILY.

The straitened circumstances of the family deprived Mr. Milliken of even a common-school education and, of course, classical training. Nevertheless, he acquired several foreign languages. His present fluency of style and force of diction are on that account surprising, and indicate him to be a man of genius and brain power. His address in the State Convention, May 10, 1882, in nom- inating Gen. James A. Beaver as the Republican candidate for governor, has been described by the public press of the day as "a model, and one of the most eloquent ever delivered in a political body of that character." Mr. Milli- ken is the author of several brochures, to be found in the public libraries of New York and Philadelphia, notably, "A Tour of Travel in Lower Egypt and the Desert of Sinai," "A Voyager's Letters from Mexico," etc., etc.

His characteristic as a business man was never to enter upon any work his head and heart did not approve, consequently he never relinquished anything he set out to do. An example of this was his resuscitation of a prominent railway and coal company of Philadelphia, whose fortunes seemed to be aban- doned by nearly all deeply interested in it. Resisted even by many whose interests he was serving, he fought its officers in court and out of court, and made the corporation one entitled to the confidence of the people. At the close of the controversy the stockholders presented Mr. Milliken, as a testi- monial, stock of the company and a service of silver, of value altogether of ten thousand dollars. He declined the stock, but accepted the silver service as a souvenir of their regard.

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Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary, Part 106

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Portland, Me., The author Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Portland, Me., The author
Number of Pages: 1424