History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 152

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 152

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Mr. Miller invited his neighbors, who then embraced the whole township, to a raising of the first frame barn built in the township. In those days it was customary for the people to turn out for miles around, and assist each other when a cabin or a barn was built. Upon this occasion all the voters of the township happened to be present. It was about the time of the organization of the township, or when the old name-Sycamore -- had been dropped, and the inhabitants were casting about for a new name. Mr. Miller entertained his guests very gener- ously at the feast after the raising. Apple toddy and whiskey flowed freely, and when the company was feeling very fine, the question of naming the township came up, and the party un- animously resolved to name it in honor of their generous host. The honor was conferred as much too in consideration of the high esteem and respect in which Mr. Miller was held by all who knew him. He was a gentleman of education, and was looked up to for counsel and advice by the settlers for many years.

Mr. Miller emigrated from Windham county, Vermont, with his wife and four children in 1814, and was six weeks making the journey. The story of his emigration is but a repetition of that of other pioneers who left the barren hills of New England and turned toward the virgin soil of the great west.

Mrs. Miller's family-the Warners-had proceeded them sev- eral years and settled on the Lieking, near Zanesville. They had written letters glowing with praises of Ohio's rich soil and mild climate. It was a great journey to make and had to be accomplished in wagons over mountains and valleys and across great rivers.

Ohio was then far west, the great unknown, sometimes called the "new world." When Mr. Miller reached the Hudson, near Newbury, a rare vision presented itself. The broad expanse of water at that point, the rock bound shores covered with au- tumnal tinted foliage, excited the wonder of the children. Mad- ison, then a boy of five, exclaimed: "Oh, mother, is this the new world ?"

The route across the Susquehanna and over the Alleghanies to Wheeling presented rare natural attractions. Near Zanes- ville Mrs. Warner, the mother of Mrs. Miller, was on her death bed, awaiting the arrival of her children, praying she might live to see their faces again, but when the emigrants reached Cam- bridge word came to the sorrowing daughter that the mother had expired. Mr. Miller left his family with the Warners dur- ing the winter of 1814-15 until, he had located his land and pre- pared a shelter in Knox county, where he removed them in January, 1815.

What a task presented itself to those early pioneers! A square mile of solid timber to remove before it could be tickled by the plow and made to bring forth fruit ! A man of less en- ergy and will would have quailed at the prospect.

Mr. Miller had purchased of the Government a section of land in the northwest corner of the township at two dollars per aere,

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

and received his deed direct from President Madison, which deed is now preserved by Dana Miller, his youngest son. The land was part of a reservation of Congress lands, as distin- guished from so called military land, which latter embraced most of this part of the State.

Mr. Miller was not fully satisfied with the title of the military tract, hence sought an original grant from the United States. As stated before, this land was covered by a dense forest. Game was abundant. The boys could shoot deer near their cabin any day. The woods were alive with turkeys. Wolves made the night hideous by their howling, and bears were frequently met with, nor had the red man entirely forsaken these hunting grounds, now eneroached upon by fast spreading civilization. One day while the family were at breakfast, with the cabin door open, a powerful savage stepped stealthily in and presented to the af- frighted mother and children a spectacle which was truly new, novel, and apalling. He was armed with rifle and tomahawk, and plumed with feathers and beads. Mr. Miller preserved his coolness and arose from the table, addressing the Indian kindly found by signs he had been hunting in the neighborhood and desired something to eat. He was accordingly accommodated with a morsel at a side table, when he grunted thanks and departed.

Mr. Miller performed a vast amount of labor in clearing his farm, and in a few years his boys rendered valuable assistance. The pioneer boys were given axes at an early age, and soon learned to use them effectively. The land, meanwhile, began to produce eorn and wheat, but there was no market. Mr. Miller often hauled wheat so far as the lake, and aftewards to Zanesville and Newark, and sold it as low as thirty-seven cents ber bushel. For many years produce would not bring money; the merchants only offering store goods. Hides were the only exception; they brought cash. The taxes must be paid in cash, and Mr. Miller considered himself fortunate, in wintering cattle, when enough: died to enable him to pay his taxes.

Mr. Miller was of small stature but possessed of wonderful energy. He arose early and stirred up the whole household before the sun that the work might be executed always in season. His industry lasted until the day of his death. He was at that time finishing the brick house where his son now resides, and, conscious of his approaching end, he was careful to attend to every detail, even to paying the laborers each day all wages due, and giving directions for the coming day. He died of a disease of the tongue, which had affected his speech for several years, and was buried in the family cemetery near his residence.

James Miller was educated at Williams college, and during the War of 1812 was a member of the company of Captain Hayes, the father of President Hayes. He was married near Wordsborough, Vermont, in March, 1806, to Sarah Warner, who was born in Newfane, Vermont, April 1, 1788, the eldest daughter of Daniel Warner, jr., of Newfane, son of Daniel Warner, sr., supposed to have been from Shrewsbury, Massa- chusetts, and whose ancestors emigrated from England at an early day. Both the Warners emigrated to Ohio about the year 1807. Sarah Warner's mother was the daughter of the Hon. Luke Knowlton, a distinguished citizen of Vermont dur- ing the Revolution, and was a descendant of Thomas Knowl- ton, of Ipswitch, who lived about 1660 to 1700. Sarah Warner, at the time of her marriage, was an accomplished and educated young lady of rare personal beauty, and seemingly too tender to endure the hardships of pioneer life, but she lived to see the primeval forest on her husband's land replaced by smiling and

fruitful fields. Besides, she reared a family of eleven children, all grown to manhood and womanhood. She died November 26, 1858, lamented by all who knew her, and leaving memories of a character for sweetness and gentleness that will stand as a shining example for all time. A brother and sister of Mrs. Mil- ler survive her, and now reside at Newark, Ohio, vız: Luke K . Warner and Mrs. E. S. Woods.

The descendants of James and Sarah Miller numbered eighty. of which seventy are now living. They had eleven children: James Warner, the eldest, born in Vermont, July 8, 1807, mar- ried Mary G. Bryant, and had ten children and twenty-nine grandchildren. He was a prominent merchant in Mt. Vernon for forty years, and now resides in Newark, Ohio.

Madison, born in Vermont September 12, 1809, died Febru- ary 25, 1868; married, first, Sarah M. Hill, second, Mrs. Kate Bliss, and third, Mrs. Mary Daily. He had four children- two died young, and two are now living.

Volney, born in Vermont October 13, 1811, married Phebe Beebe, and had two children and two grandchildren. They live in Missouri.

Henry H., born in Vermont October 1, 1813, died in Mt. Vernon October 6, 1862.

Mary M., born in Miller township, November 18, 1816, died November 30, 1846. She married Platt G. Beardslee, and had four children. One died young, Charles was killed in the battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864, Emily and Mary married and had six children.

Rosanna W., born in Miller township, January 1, 1819, mar- ried Charles Sanford, and now resides in Belmont, Illinois.

John F., born in Miller township, May 22, 1821, married Mary C. Sherwood, and had two sons. They now reside in Newark.

Harriet M., born in Miller township, May 5, 1824, married James H. Knox, and had four children, two now living. They reside in Indianola, Iowa.

Sarah Warner, born November ro, 1830, in Miller township, married Samuel Sanderson, and had two children. They now reside in Mt. Vernon.

Dana, born in Miller township, April 5, 1833, married Belle A. Ewalt, and had six children. They reside at the old home- stead in Miller township.

Lucinda A., born in Miller township, May 12, 1838, and died in Bement, Illinois, May 17, 1872. She married, first, Willlam Ellis, and had one daughter; second, to Robert Fisher.

The genealogy of James Miller's family is thus narrated: His family has ancient and honorable lineage, dating back over two hundred years in America, and ante-dating from its emigra- tion to America into traditional genealogy another century in Scotland.

The Millers, of Scotland, were of Saxon origin, and followed the leadership of Edwin, who conquered the Picts and founded Edinburgh, A. D. 449. The history of the family is rather ob- scure, until about the year 1600, when the country was dis- tracted by civil war, assuming a religious character between Catholicism and Protestantism. The Millers took sides with the Protestants, and later with the Presbyterians or Covenan- ters, when persecuted by James the First, in his efforts to es- tablish Episcopacy. The laws against I'resbyterianism were so arbitrary that it led to great disorder and opposition by the in- habitants, and many personal encounters passed between the liberty-loving Scots and the minions of the king, in the enforce- ment of obnoxious laws. The name of James Miller is found

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

twice recorded in a list of those who paid fines for transgress- ing the laws in the city of Edinburgh, and is recorded in this quaint style:

"The compt of mony resauit in fra sick persones as hes trans- grest aganest the statutis and ordenances of the guid toun; the namis of the persones that pay it, and the soun that evrie man pay it, and the occatione whair foir they pay it, begining at Mychelmas, 1608 yiers, till Mychelmas the yier of God, 1609 yiers, the time of thair offices of baill yiers, as follows: James Miller, for being found be the gaird, at twelve hours at even, with one sword drawin at James Harvie, £4. James Miller, for the bluid wyte of Patryk Chalmers, £9 18d.

The oppression of the covenanters led many to seek the shores of America, where they could worship God without re- straint, and one senior Miller and his son James (who are the direct progenitors of this family in America), emigrated from Edinburgh about the year 1660. They settled in Charlestown near Boston, and joined the established Presbyterian church at that place.

We find recorded in the Genealogical dictionary of the first- settlers of NewEngland: "James Miller, the Scotsman, Charles- town, admitted to First church, December 17, 1676, and made freeman May 23, 1677, and died July 14, 1690. His wife Mary joined church August 5, 1677, being baptized that day with her eight children: James, Mary, Robert, Job, Abraham, Isaac, Mercy and Jane. The record of his father's death August I, 1688, calls him 'Sen,' an aged Scotsman above seventy."

Isaac Miller, the son of James, removed to Concord, Massa- chusetts, and afterwards to Worcester about the year 1718. His son Isaac, born in Concord May 7, 1708, married in Wor- cester, one Sarah Crosby, and reared a large family. In 1770, the year of the Boston massacre, he removed to Dummerston, Vermont, which town he surveyed and settled. John, the son of Isaac, jr., was born in Worcester December 20, 1756, and lived and died a farmer in Dummerston. His son Janies who was born in Dummerston December 16, 1783, emigrated to Ohio in 1814, and settled in Knox county, in what is now Miller township, named in his honor.

The genealogical order of the six generations as far as au- thenticated will then stand as follows: First, Sen. Miller, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, about 1613; second, James Miller, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, about 1640; third, Isaac Miller, born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, about 1670; fourth, Isaac Miller, jr., born in Concord, Massachusetts, 1708; Fifth, John Miller, born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1756; sixth, James Miller, born in Dummerston, Vermont, in 1783.

In order to present the history of this family more in detail we must return to the Scotch ancestors.

Many of the Scotch Millers attained eminence in literature and in science. The ancestors of Hugh Miller, the great geol- ogist, were a seafaring race. Among the great writers were John Miller, of Lanarkshire, professor of law in the university of Glasow; James Miller of Ayr, physician and chemist, and editor of the fourth edition of the Encyclopedia Britianca ; James Miller, professor of surgery in the university of Edin- burgh ; Thomas Miller, of Glenlee, baron and lord justice clerk of court sessions.

The ancient coat of arms of this family, adopted by the vari- ous Scotch branches, bears a similarity in the chief points of the field ; the only variations appearing in minor objects in the divisions according to the fancy of the bearer, or as conferred by heraldic law. The chief points, as borne by all the scotch

families, are : first, the color of the shield (white); second, the Moline cross, which represents the figure of the iron that sup- ports the upper mill stone; third, the wavy bar in the base, and last, the mullet, or rowel of a spur. A description of the arms borne by the American branch of the family, as near as can be authenticated, and as expressed in heraldic terms, is as follows : Argent, a cross moline, azure. In chief, second, bor- dure of three cinquefoils, gules, lozenge between two mullets ; sinister chief lozenge between two mullets. In fessee, hand with first and second fingers extended, two arms with hands clasped, moline cross, sable, between four hearts ; in base wavy band of vert : crest, lion rampant with moline cross, sable, between paws ; motto, Optima Celo, Unione Augetur.

***

OPTIMA COELO

UNION AUGETUA

A very complete record has been preserved of the family of Isaac Miller, jr., the grandson and great-grandson of the Scottish emi- grants. He was a staunch Republican in the troublesome times preceding the outbreak of the Revolution. Being a surveyor by profession, he became useful in the settlement of the then new country north of Massachusetts, but his enterprise met with disaster through the machinations of the tools of the king, who had set a mark on all Republicans.

In 1763, he, with others, were granted a township of land in New Hampshire, which they settled and paid for, but by a sub- terfuge, the British court then in session in Worcester, re-grant- ed it to General Bellows, a Tory. He moved his family in 1770 to Dummerston, Vermont, which town he surveyed and set- tled. Isaac Miller, jr., had twelve children. Vespatian was a soldier in the old French war, and afterwards followed the sea. Hosea was a farmer. Rosanna married Major Joseph Negus, of Petersham. Among her descendants are Mrs. General R. B. Marcy, Mrs. General George B. McClellan, and Mrs. Major W. B. Russell, of the United States army. Sarah married Silas Wheeler, of Petersham. Joseph was a soldier of the war of the Revolution, and served seven years with distinction, being pro- moted to the rank of major, and merited the friendship and con- fidence of General Washington. Isaac was a captain in the Revolution, and was badly wounded early in the war near Bos- ton. Marshall was a farmer and left many descendants.

John, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a Revolu- tionary soldier, and subsequently became very prominent as a citizen of Vermont. Catharine married a Mr. Knapp and reared a large family. William, the youngest, was a soldier in the latter part of the Revolution and rose to the rank of Major. John Miller, who was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, De-

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

cember 20, 1756, had eight children: Lewis, James, Levi, Sally, Polly, Rosanna, Susan, and John B. Rosanna and Susan are still living in Vermont, the former eighty-six and the latter eighty-four years of age.

MILLER, MARGARET Mrs., post office, Howard, was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, November 29, 1793. She moved to Somerset county, Pennsylvania, in 1795, and remained there fourteen years. She came to Howard town- ship in 18ro, and lived with her father until 1814, when she was married to Andrew Miller, and settled on her present farm. Mr. Miller was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1783. He was one of the old veterans of 1812, and was in the Second platoon. He was one of the twelve who were detailed to kill James Burde. Mr. Miller belonged to Captain Sander- son's company, Twenty-seventh regiment United States in- fantry, and received an honorable discharge. He was enrolled on the pension roll of the Columbus agency. Mr. Miller lived on the farm until his death.

MILLER, JAMES, deceased. He was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and was married to Martha Zerick, who was born in Maryland in 1793. They had one daughter, Zarada, who was born in Knox eounty and married in 186r to Adam Kime, who was born in Stark county.

Daniel Zerick located in Clinton township in 1806, when there was one house in Mt. Vernon (so says Mrs. Miller). Mr. Daniel Zerick died in this county in 1851; his wife Martha died in 1836, Mr. James Miller died in Indiana about 1845.

MILLER, JOHN W., Jefferson township, farmer and me- chanic; born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, May 14, 1815; was brought to Ohio by his parents when a child, his father locating in Columbiana county; where he was reared and received a common school education. At the age of sev- enteen years he contracted with his brother to learn him the carpenter trade, and served apprenticship of three years. He worked at his trade about eighteen years, he then worked one season for Christian Pherenbaugh at the plastering business, and since that time has conducted said business on his own responsibility, making it his principal vocation. In the winter of 1838 he came to Knox county, locating in Jefferson town- ship near Greersville, and there commenced to work at his trades. May 13, 1847, he married Miss Sarah Burtnett, daugh- ter of John Burtnett, born in Coshocton county May 14, 1826. After his marriage he purchased eighty acres of land in Jeffer- erson township northwest of Greersville two and a half miles, where he then moved and now resides: Mr. Miller has held the offices of trustee and assessor. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are the parents of five children, viz: Cinderella L., born June 27, 1850; John B., August 18, 1855; Effie A., April 13, 1861; Mira J .. April 28, 1866. Four are living and one died in infancy.

MILLER, ISAAC (deceased), Wayne township, born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1817, and was married in 1868 to Sarah Fuller, who was born in Knox county, Ohio, in 1838. They have two children: William Eugene, born in 1870, and Daniel Oscar, in 1871. Mr. Miller died in 1872, in Green Valley, Wayne township, this county. Mrs. Sarah Miller, with the family, is still residing here, and is educating her children liberally.

MILLER, MRS. MARY J., Miller township, was born in Miller township in 1822. She is the daughter of Emer Harris, a pioneer of Miller township, and a native of Providence,

Rhode Island. She was twice married. Her first husband was Dorton Daily. They had four children, viz: Sarah H., mar- ried to William R. Rowland, of Mt. Liberty; Carrie A., de- ceased, who was married to John Hayes; Wildmina, died when about a year old, and Dorton L. Mr. Daily died, and she then married Madison Miller, son of James Miller, a pioneer. They had a son named Charles. Mr. Miller has deceased.

MILLER, JOSEPH M., farmer, Middlebury township, post office, Fredericktown, was born in Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1826, came to Ohio in 1830, and was married in 1848 to Terry Cecill, who was born in Harrison county, Ohio, in December, 1827. They have the following family: Ann Maria, born February 1, 1849; John Benjamin, October 31, 1850; Mar- garet Jane, February 27, 1853; Jacob, July 8, 1855; George, January 21, 1859; Francis, January 31, 1861, and David, July 16, 1864. The following have deceased: Jacob died Septem- ber 13, 1856, and Ann Maria March 14, 1860.

John Benjamin was married to Elmyra Denman, now of Chesterville, Ohio. Mr. Joseph Miller located in Middlebury township in 1869. He owns a well improved farm with good buildings.

MILLER, DANA, Miller township, farmer, was born in Mil- ler township, April 5, 1833, and is the son of James Miller, a pioneer of this township.

The subject of this notice (Dana Miller) was reared on the old homestead, and attended the common schools and two terms at an academy. He was a member of company C, One Hundred and Forty-second regiment Ohio National guard. Mr. Miller is a close and thoughtful observer, and is well and favorably known in the community in which he lives for his integrity, gen- erosity, intelligence and kindness of heart.

He was married to Miss Isabella A. Ewalt, daughter of Sam- uel Ewalt, of Clinton township, December 29, 1858. They had six children, viz: Mary Warner, born December 27, 1866; Liz- zie E., born March 24, 1870; Frank K., born November 16, 1871; Clara, born January 27, 1377; Fannie G., born Novem- ber 28, 1878. The oldest (a son) died in infancy.

MILLER, WILLIAM A., Middlebury township, laborer, post office, Fredericktown, born in Missouri, August 3, 1844, and was married January 2, 1866, to Eliza Stoughteagle, who was born in Knox county, in April, 1836. They had the fol- lowing children. Charles R., born May 7, 1869; Mary Alice, November 16, r870; and Sadie Della, July 12, 1876. Four o their children died.

William A. Miller enlisted in the war December 3, 1863, in the One Hundred and Second regiment Ohio volunteer infantry. After the regiment was discharged he was transferred to the One Hundred and Eighty-ninth regiment Ohio volunteer in- fantry. He was engaged in the service till the war closed.

He resided in Morrow county nine years, then came to Mid- dlebury township, and has since remained there.

MILLER, THOMAS, Fredericktown, barber, was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in 1852; came to Ohio in 1866, and located in Fredericktown April 10, 1877. He was married in 1875 to Elsie Swartz who was born in Licking county, Ohio. They have two children, viz .: Myrtie May, born October 27, 1877; Robert Lee, born January 1, 1880.

Mr. Miller is the leading barber of Fredericktown. He is an energetic man, and a good mechanic.

MINTEER, MILTON P., Fredericktown, travelling agent

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

was born in Knox county, June 26, 1836, and was married May 18, 1860, to Eliza Rankin, who was born in Licking coun- ty. July 5, 1834. The have two sons. James I., was born in Illinois, February 18, 1862; John Gay, born in Fredericktown, December 22, 1868.

Mr. Minteer is engaged in travelling for a large Cincinnati carriage and buggy manufactory.

MISER, PETER, who was born in the province of Ham- berg, Holland, came to New Netherlands, now New York, in 1623 with Cornelius J. May, afterwards lieutenant governor of New Netherlands. He returned to Holland in 1634, and in [637 again came to New Netherlands, where he remained until the French and Indian war commenced, when he removed to the province of Pennsylvania. There his son, John Conrad Miser, was born.

John Conrad settled on Tulpahocken creek, now in Lebanon county, who also had a son born there November 2, 1696, who was named Conrad.

At the urgent solichation of Quagnant, a chief of the Mo- hawk nation, he went with him to his country to acquire a knowledge of the Mohawk language. Having mastered the language he returned home, and was occasionally employed as an interpreter. In 1729 he married and settled in Tulpahocken valley, and located a half mile east of the present site of Wolmes- dorf, Berks county, Pennsylvania.

Conrad Miser, as occasion demanded, acted in various ca- pacities, both public and private. Governor Gordon, in 1731, appointed him interpreter. Soon afterwards Governor Thomas . appointed him justice of the peace. Governor Morris commis- sioned him as colonel of a regiment of volunteers for Berks county. He spent more than a quarter of a century in the service of his country. He closed his eventful life July 13, 1760.

Conrad Miser had a son, Henry, born November 6, 1758, on Tulpahocken creek, who was grandfather of Dr. Thomas B. Miser, of Martinsburgh, Knox county, Ohio. At the age of six months his father removed to Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, and settled on Mahantango creek, where he was reared. He was married to Margaret Drucker Miller in 1794, but came to Ohio before his marriage to see the country. He returned to Pennsylvania and afterwards removed to Ohio in 1802 and settled on sections thirty-two and thirty-three, township three and range ten of the Northwest Territory, now Jefferson county. He laid out Salem or Annapolis in Jefferson county. He had six sons and three daughters, viz .: John, Henry, Mary, Samuel, Barbara, David, George, Margaret, and William.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 152

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096