USA > West Virginia > Summers County > History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 39
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
was taken sick with pneumonia two weeks before his death, which was complicated with inflammatory rheumatism. His sufferings were fearful, but he bore them patiently, and his mind was clear to the last. He had been a consistent member of the M. E. Church South for forty years, and died in the faith of a Christian. His wife preceded him to the grave four years ago, nearly to the day, from the same dreaded disease, pneumonia. Funeral services were conducted at the residence on Sunday afternoon by his pastor, Rev. H. A. Brown, assisted by Rev. J. W. Holt, and the interment was at Hill Top Cemetery, where a large number had assembled to pay the last sad tribute to their departed friend."
He was married to Miss Sarah Barbara McNeer, of Monroe County, who rests by his side at the beautiful Hill Top Cemetery. A handsome shaft has been erected by their children to mark their last resting place.
John Miller and Robert Miller, the seniors and half brothers, had a sister, Mary Miller, who married a Benson, who lived at Salt Sulphur Springs, and her daughter married William Erskine. Olive Benson Miller, Mary Benson Miller, Elizabeth Benson George (nee Miller) were named for this sister.
John Alexander, of Monroe County, married Jane Miller, a daughter of Robert Miller, Sr., and a sister of John and Alexander Miller. John George married Margaret, another sister. Another sister married Thomas Ferry, who early moved to the West. His son, Thomas, went to California in the days of '49 as a gold miner, secured a considerable fortune, and now lives at Green Sulphur Springs. He is a most estimable gentleman. Betsey, another daughter, married Grigsby Lewis.
John Miller, Sr., resided in Bath County, Virginia, until he re- moved to Lick Creek. When he came his only means of transpor- tation was in a "Yankee jumper," a kind of sled made with the shaft and runner all of one pole. He came across the Patterson Mountain, down and over the Sugar Knob and onto Slater's Creek, and down that creek, where he located, bringing with him his wife and one child, then born, Henry Patrick. The first thing he did was to go to the Alderson's place a mile above and borrow a mattock to begin operations with, dig out a foundation for his cabin, and "grub" a corn patch -and locate his claim. He was an accomplished carpenter and cabinet maker.
Thomas Miller, a son of Henry Patrick Miller, went to Cali- fornia during the golden era of '49 in search of the yellow metal, but never returned, and was lost sight of entirely.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
Robert Miller, who married Anky Alderson, a daughter of James Alderson, and emigrated to Indiana and settled in Morgan County, left Robert, Alexander, Oliver and John, sons, and Martha, who married Newton Sandey, of Paragon, Morgan County, Indiana. Other children of Robert and Anky Miller were Robert, Oliver, John and Alexander, now residing in that State, except Robert and Oliver, who are dead.
The wife of the infamous Judge Harrison who reigned so viciously over the courts and the people of this section directly after the war, was a daughter of William Erskine, the founder of the Salt Sulphur Springs. After her separation from him she lived .in New Orleans, where their daughter, "Skippy" Harrison, mar- ried and now resides.
JOHN MILLER'S WILL.
I, John Miller, of the county of Greenbrier and State of Vir- ginia, do make this my last will and testament in the manner and form following, that is to say :
Second. I wish my funeral expenses and all my just debts to be paid out of my personal property after my decease.
Third. I gave to my son, Henry Miller, a tract of one hundred acres, joining to my home place, that I bought back from him again, that my son, Ervin B. Miller, now lives on, which I intend for his part of my estate.
Fourth. I leave to my son, James H. Miller, one hundred dol- lars, to be paid by my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller, two years after my decease.
Fifth. I leave to my son, Robert Miller, one hundred dollars, to be paid to him at my decease by my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller.
Sixth. The hundred acres of land I bought from my son, Henry P. Miller, which the write- was made to my son, Ervin B. Miller, lives on, and I intend for his part of my estate.
Seventh. I leave to my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller, my plantation on which I now live, to be as equally divided according to quantity and quality between my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller, and if they can't agree about the divide, it is to be divided by disinterested persons, and I further leave all my personal estate of whatsoever kind I may have at my decease to the above-named A. A. Miller and W. E. Miller, to be equally divided between them, with the exception of what will be
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
hereafter named, and after the above-named partition is divided and property my son, A. A. Miller, is to have choice.
Eighth. I leave to my grandson, James R. Hill, one horse worth fifty or sixty dollars, and saddle and bridal, to be payed by my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller, at my decease, which is to be his part of my estate.
Ninth. I leave to my daughter, Mary Ann McNeer, my black man, Abram, and my black woman, Sarah, if they outlive myself, and I intend them to be her part of my estate.
Tenth. I leave to my daughter, Margaret Elizabeth McNeer, my black woman, Minty, if she should outlive myself, and I intend that to be her part of my estate.
And lastly, I wish no administration of my estate further than what I have left it to take possession of what I have left them, hereby revoking all former wills or testaments by me made.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this third day of July, 1846.
JOHN MILLER.
A codicil to the last will and testament of John Miller, bearing date the third day of July, 1846; that is to say, I now will and be- queath to my son, William E. Miller, all my house and kitchen fur- niture, farming utensils and stock of sheep, and also my watch, given under my hand the twenty-fifth day of September, 1854.
(This will seems to have been written by John Miller himself in his own hand.)
Charles Lewis Miller is the oldest of the sons of William Ers- kine Miller. He was born on Lick Creek on the 13th day of May, 1852. He was educated in the public schools and at Oberlin Col- lege, Ohio; taught school a number of years, learned telegraphy, and became a proficient operator, but never followed the business. He afterwards became agent for the C. & O. Railroad Company at Gauley Bridge, which position he held for ten years. Later, he located at the mouth of the Greenbrier River, where he has been engaged in farming, merchandising and other enterprises. He was never married. He was the projector, and constructed the steel bridge over the Greenbrier River at Foss. He built the first silo ever built in Summers County, which was a successful experiment. He is an up-to-date, modern farmer, and is connected with a num- ber of the business enterprises of the country. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Raleigh, New River Milling Company, Hinton Hard- ware Company and other local corporations. He was at one time
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
deputy clerk of the County Court of Summers County, which po- sition he held until his resignation. He has been repeatedly re- quested to run for public office, including that of county clerk, sheriff and other positions, but has always firmly declined.
Anderson Embury Miller was the third son of W. E. Miller; was born on the 1st day of October, 1859. He was raised on the farm and educated in the public schools, and has engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years. He was one of the pro- moters and founders of the New River Grocery Company, of which he has been general manager since its organization several years ago; is one of the principal stockholders in the Foss Bridge Com- pany, and he and C. L. Miller own together that valuable property at Foss, part of the old Willian Pack plantation and ferry. He has never sought political preferment or been a candidate for any office. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Gauley ; was one of the founders of the Bank of Raleigh, of which he was the first cashier, and with which he was connected for several years, until his resig- nation on account of his health. He is a large stockholder in The Lilly Lumber Company, and numerous other local business enter- prises. His children are Owen E., Harry L., Faye, Josephine and Barbara Hutchinson. He was married to Jennie Irene Hutchinson June 22, 1887.
The Oscar L. Morris mentioned in these pages, who married Annie Miller, is a direct descendant of the ancient settler, who was associated with Daniel Boone in the early settlement of the Kana- wha Valley for twelve years, and the name was then spelled "Mor- riss," as seen in the pioneer prints.
JAMES HENRY MILLER,
The second son of William E. Miller and the fourth of the genera- tion of James H. Miller, was raised on the farm, and attended school with the neighborhood boys and girls in the old Gum School- house on Lick Creek, a celebrated place of learning in the early times. He was a student of James Huston Miller at Green Sulphur Springs in 1876; graduated in the class of '79 at Concord Normal. taking the two prizes contested for, one adjudged to him for the best original oration, "The Wrecks of Time"; the other for the best essay delivered at the commencement of that term. "The Ideals of a True Life." He taught school for thirty months; four terms in Hinton, at Green Sulphur, on top of Hump Mountain, at New Richmond and White Sulphur Springs. He began the study of
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
law with Hon. William Withers Adams at Hinton, writing in the clerk's office to pay expenses, and rooming in the jury room at the court house; took a law course at the University of Virginia ; was admitted to the practice at the February Term, 1881. Soon after he formed a co-partnership with the late Elbert Fowler, which ter- minated with his death two and one-half years afterward, where- upon he formed a co-partnership with his old preceptor, W. W. Adams, which continued until his death in 1894, after which the partnership of Miller & Read was formed, which continued until the 1st of December, 1904. During the time from 1881 to 1905 he practiced his profession in Summers County, occasionally taking business in the adjoining counties of Monroe and Greenbrier. In 1884 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Summers County, which office he held for sixteen years in succession, when he de- clined to again be a candidate for that position, but was nominated in 1900 for the office of State Auditor on the Democratic ticket, and was defeated. with the rest of his party ticket, by Hon. Arnold Scherr, the present accomplished Auditor, of West Virginia. In 1904 he was nominated without opposition to the office of judge of the Circuit Court of the Ninth West Virginia Circuit, composed of Summers, Raleigh and Wyoming, and was elected by about 1,200 majority in a Republican circuit over his opponent, Hon. Frank Lively, of Summers County, which position he now holds. He was unanimously selected as a delegate to the Chicago Convention of 1896, which nominated William J. Bryan for President and Arthur Sewall for Vice-President. He was not an original Bryan man, for Bryan was then practically unknown as a statesman, orator and patriot ; but voted on two ballots for J. C. S. Blackburn, of Ken- tucky, and then for Bland. Up until his election as judge, when he retired from politics, he was a delegate to each State convention of his party for the last twenty-five years, as well as to the Sena- torial and Congressional conventions of his district, the Third West Virginia, and was Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Com- mittee for the Third West Virginia District for some sixteen years; resigning in 1900, when he became a candidate for auditor, and in the campaign of that year he was selected unanimously as Chair- man of the State Democratic Committee for West Virginia, and conducted that campaign, with headquarters at Charleston, his assistants being Hon. W. E. R. Burns, John T. McGraw. Hon. Thomas B. Davis, Wm. E. Chilton and others. This was in the cam- paign of 1900, and which position he held until 1904, his term in that office being resigned upon his nomination for the judgeship.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
Others associated with him at headquarters were W. H. Garnett, C. C. Campbell and Frank A. Manning, of Summers County. He was Chairman for the Senatorial convention which nominated Hon. William Haynes for the State Senate, also which nominated John W. Arbuckle.
On February 1, 1882, he was married to Jane Tompkins Miller, a daughter of James H. Miller. Jr., of Gauley Bridge. They have four children, James H., Jr., now a student at Randolph-Macon Academy ; Grace Chapman, Jean and Daisy Corinne. He has been connected with a number of business enterprises in this section. He is president of the Greenbrier Springs Company, a director of the National Bank of Summers from its organization, president of The Hinton Hardware Company, stockholder in the Ewart-Miller Com- pany, and others.
It was he and R. R. Flanagan who first projected a bridge across New River at Hinton, on the site afterwards occupied by the Hin- ton Toll Bridge Company. It was some ten years prior to the erection of the bridge, and they determined that the patronage at that time and population was not sufficient to justify the business investment, and it was abandoned for the time, and afterwards taken up by enterprising citizens and carried to a successful ter- mination.
He first adopted the profession of medicine and studied for that profession for some time under the celebrated Dr. Samuel Wil- liams, at New Richmond, but abandoned it for the law by reason of being unable financially to take the medical course required in that profession before entering the practice of the medical pro- fession.
GEORGE A. MILLER.
The second son of Captain A. A. Miller is George Andrew, born on the 10th day of January, 1857, on Lick Creek, on the old Miller plantation, within fifty feet of where the Indians hid the night after they killed Griffith on Griffith's Creek, the last Indian incursion into this region of the country. (Griffith's Creek bore that name in 1777 at the date of the formation of Greenbrier County, and is named in the act of the General Assembly of Virginia, cre- ating that county, therefore the Griffiths must have settled in that region some time before that date.) George A. Miller was reared on the farm, attended the free schools at the Old Gum Schoolhouse, where so many of the youths of that day received their education ; also Lyle's Academy on Second Creek in Monroe County. At his majority he entered the mercantile business at Alderson with L. E.
.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
Johnson, now president of the Greenbrier Valley Bank, and George K. Gwinn, a son of Augustus Gwinn, now engaged in the hardware business in that town. The firm name was Johnson, Gwinn & Co., in which he retained an interest for some years. Later he traveled for a number of years for the old shoe house of Wingo, Ellett & Crump, retaining, however, his citizenship through all these years on Lick Creek. He married, in 1906, Miss Minnie Gwinn, a daugh- ter of J. Clark Gwinn and a granddaughter of Augustus Gwinn, heretofore referred to. He is largely identified with many of the principal business enterprises in this section; engaged as a coal operator, president of the New River Grocery Co., director in the Greenbrier Valley Bank, engaged in the drug business at Ron- ceverte with his nephew, P. A. George, under the firm name of P. A. George & Co., and is one of the capitalists of this section. He is also a large stockholder in the National Bank of Waxahachie, Texas, of which his brother, James Houston Miller, is president. His mother was a Hinchman, a descendant of the old English set- tlers near Lowell. He is an astute and honorable business man, energetic, skillful and reliable. His wife is an accomplished sten- ographer, and has rendered material aid in the preparation of this work.
So far as I am able to state, Robert Miller was the emigrant who founded the generation of Millers of which we have undertaken to give some history. Then came Patrick Miller; then John and Rob- , ert, who settled on Lick Creek, half brothers. John married Jane Hodge, of Highland County, Virginia, and his oldest son, Henry, was born before emigrating to Lick Creek. The others of his children were born on that creek. James Hodge Miller was named for his mother. Robert, the son of John, was named for his half- uncle, Robert, who settled at the Thomas A. George place. Andrew Alexander was named after John Alexander, who married Robert Miller's daughter. Irvin Benson was named after Washington Ir- ving, and Benson, a collateral ancestor. William Erskine Miller was named for a collateral ancestor, William Erskine, who founded the Salt Sulphur Springs. James William, the son of Irvin, was named for his uncle William and his uncle James. John Alexander, the son of Irvin, was named for his grandfather, John and his uncle, A. A. Olen Benson was named for his father, Irvin Benson. Charles Lewis was named after General Charles Lewis. A. E. Miller was named for Major Anderson A. McNeer and Bishop Em- berry, of the Methodist Church. Mary Benson Miller was named for her Aunt Mary and the old ancestral name, Benson. James Henry was named for his uncle and cousin at Gauley Bridge.
A. E. MILLER,
Founder and General Manager New River Grocery Company.
A. E. MILLER AND JENNIE IRENE, HIS WIFE.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONb.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
George A. was named for the ancient Georges and his father, Cap- tain A. A. Miler. James Houston Miller was named for his Uncle James at Gauley Bridge and General Sam Houston, the Texas patriot. Elizabeth Benson Miller, who married John George, was named for the Benson family. Fenton Hodge after his great-great maternal grandfather and Fenton Morris. Robert Hamilton after has great-uncle, Robert, of Indiana, and Hamilton, one of the col- lateral ancestral names, of which Jacob Hamilton, of Blue Sulphur Springs was a descendant. William Alexander was named after his uncle, William Erskine Miller, and Captain A. A. Miller. Jean Miller is a family name from the foundation from the paternal side.
Among the old papers of James Hodge Miller, the ancient post- master at Gauley Bridge, the following relic was found :
5832 Pounds 12-9.
No. 1369. August 11, 1777.
Three years after date pay to the order of James Hodge the above mentioned pounds, good and lawful money of Virginia, for value received, issued by order of the Governor.
GEORGE BLUNT.
This note seems never to have been collected. We also insert a copy of an ancient fee-bill as follows :
James H. Miller.
To the Commissioner of the Revenue, Fayette County, entering transfer from William Morris, 75c.
W. C. CAMPBELL, C. R. F. C.
Mr. James H. Miller.
To the Clerk of Fayette County, Debtor.
1834, November. Fees in suit against James River Company, $1.76.
Teste: H. HILL, C. F. C.
Thomas Ferry, whose mother was a daughter of Robert Miller, the settler, in 1850 went to California in search of gold. He ac- quired lands in the Sacramento regions and mined and prospected for gold in the mountains, spending a large part of his life in the fascinating life of a gold miner. He was a bachelor and never married, and the only child and heir of his parents who settled in Missouri, and was therefore one of the heirs to the large estate of his uncles, John and Alex. Miller, who were bachelors and never married. Nothing was heard of Ferry for many years. The estates had been settled through the courts at Lewisburg, and all the funds distributed, except the interest, which fell to Ferry, and all efforts
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
made to find him had failed. Finally, some fifteen years ago, before distributing his part to the other heirs, Hon. M. Gwinn, who was settling up the estates, determined to make one further effort, and inserted a last advertisement in a California newspaper. Ferry was in the Rocky Mountains prospecting, with a party of miners, and one of the party went to the settlement for supplies, which he secured and had wrapped up in newspapers. These papers Ferry preserved to read, and in doing so, ran across Gwinn's little adver- tisement wanting information of Thomas Ferry. At once he be- lieved himself to be the man. He wrote Gwinn; they got into communication, and he came on to Green Sulphur Springs; had no trouble in proving his identity and in claiming and receiving his own, which was a considerable sum. He has remained on Lick Creek since, and is now an old man.
Thomas Miller, a bachelor, a son of Henry P. Miller, went to California as a forty-niner, and was heard of for some time as a successful miner for gold, but was finally lost sight of, and dis- appeared.
Robert Miller, the third son of John, the settler, long before the war removed to Hancock County, Indiana, returned to Virginia and again removed to Morgan County, Indiana, and settled on a farm near Martinsville, where he raised a family and died at an old age. His sons, John, Robert, Oliver and Alex., resided in that country. Robert was a soldier in the Federal Army and died from the ex- posure of a soldier. One of his daughters married Newton Sandey, who is a prosperous farmer near Greenfield.
JOHN B. GARBEY.
John B. Garbey was born on the 6th of November, 1837, in Frederick County, Maryland. His father, Bartholomew B. Garbey, and his mother, Helen Ferriter, were both natives of Ireland, and emigrated to America from Kerry County. He was engaged in the public works in different parts of the country-in Massachu- setts, Vermont, and finally located at Staunton, Virginia, and from thence removed to Pocahontas County, West Virginia. John B. came to Summers County in 1877. He has been prominent in the affairs of the county ; was a soldier in the United States Army dur- ing the Civil War; was a courier for General Scammon, and was captured in Greenbrier County by McCausland's men under Colonel Edgar; carried to the Pickaway Plains; thence confined to Belle Isle, Andersonville, Savannah, and other Southern prisons, for
JAMES H. MILLER. 1900.
A
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fifteen months in all, and was finally exchanged. He is a devout Catholic in his religious beliefs and a Republican in his politics. He was one of the first notaries public commissioned in the county ; has been frequently the nominee of his party for local office, and is now the Secretary of the Board of Education of Talcott District, elected to that position for the third term by a Democratic board, which goes to prove his efficiency and fidelity as an officer. His sons are B. B., John E., Dan G., who was killed by the C. & O. Railroad, and Michael A. His daughters are Mary G., who mar- ried Captain Meredith, of the C. & O. Railroad; Maggie J., Rosa F., Rebecca F. and Elizabeth.
He settled on and owns lands at the Pence Springs. He is one of the intelligent and enterprising Irish citizens of his section.
MEADOWS.
This is one of the largest families in the county, and the con- nection is scattered throughout Raleigh, Mercer and adjoining counties. The original name was "Meadows," but many of the descendants are now "Meador," but the original ancestor of all the Meadows and Meadors are the same: Josiah and Jacob Mead- ows, two of a family who came to this region after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. They came about 1780 -between that date and 1785. Jacob came from Rockingham County from the same settlement as John and Christian Peters, who came in 1782. Judge Johnston, in his "New River Settlements," says he filed a claim for a pension in the County Court of Giles County in 1832, and that he therein states that his first enlistment was for three months under Captain Coker, in Colonel Wall's Regi- ment. During his three months' service he skirmished with the British around Norfolk and Portsmouth. The last three months he served as a substitute for Adam Hansberger, and served in the Battle of Yorktown, in LaFayette's Corps. John Peters swears that he saw him at Yorktown serving as a soldier. He settled on Lower East River. The other was Josiah Meadows, and he came from the county of Bedford. He was also a soldier in the Conti- nental armies for two or more periods, a part of the time against the Indians and in the American Army against the British. He enlisted in 1778, under Captain Joseph Henfoe. He marched with him to Jarrett's Fort, in Wolf Creek, now Monroe County, and from there to Keeney's Fort, on the Greenbrier River below Alder- son. After the expiration of this enlistment he again enlisted with
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