Sarah Miller, b. 1803, married George Foster
James Miller, b. 1805, married Mary Finley
Matilda Miller, b. December 12, 1808, married John Redfern
Charles Thomas Miller, b. March 20, 1918, d. 1936
George Robert Miller, b. December 7, 1919, married Suzanne Walech
Mildred Miller, b. June 11, 1922, married Robert Coons
Arabelle Miller, b. June 11, 1922, married Louis Dyson
Dorothy Jean Miller, b. July 28, 1925, d. February 19, 1950
Ruth Miller, b. November 14, 1927, married Robert Edwards
The surname Miller is challenging because it is so common. The text below describes in modest detail some particulars of the Abraham Miller line in America, and in it traces one particular branch of the line to the present. Some of the information is solid, backed by documentation. Some of the information is less solid, based on family history passed down through the years.
Abraham Miller (1761-1833)
Abraham Miller was born on February 21, 1761, and little is known of his childhood. Previous researchers of this line of Millers indicate that Abraham's parents were Jacob Miller & Elizabeth Edwards, however I am not convinced this is correct.
Abraham married his first wife, and mother of most of his children, Elizabeth Mann, circa 1785. It is unclear when Abraham moved his family to Rockingham County, VA. Nevertheless, Abraham Miller and his family joined the westward migration to Kentucky, arriving in Clark County in about 1795. According to Elizabeth Miller, Abraham's daughter:
Oral histories of Elizabeth Miller indicate that Abraham had three wives and nineteen children. It is unlikely that Ms. Miller would have known about her father's fourth marriage. So far, only twelve of his children have been identified.
With 1st wife Elizabeth Mann:
With 2nd wife Mary Hoax or 3rd wife Fannie Hoax (Mary's sister):
Abraham Miller did not have any children with his fourth wife, Lucinda Poats, who was the mother of Lucinda Poats, Abraham's son Jacob's wife.
The 1810 Census for Clark County, Kentucky indicated Abraham had 12 children in the household, along with his wife and one slave. It is certainly possible that one or more older grown children, as well as any children who died very young would not be enumerated.
Abraham Miller followed his son Jacob to Sangamon County, IL, and it was in Sangamon County that Abraham Miller died on August 21, 1833.
Jacob Miller (1789-1862)
Jacob Miller, one of the older sons of Abraham Miller, was born in 1789. He was a soldier, a veteran of the Battle of Tippacanoe in 1811, the War of 1812, and was nearby when Tecumseh died. He married Lucinda Poats (b. 12/10/1793 in Stafford County, VA), whose mother Jacob's father Abraham would later marry, in 1812. Together they had thirteen children:
In the History of Sangamon County, the following statements about Jacob Miller appear in the William Gibson Miller biography:
John H. Miller (1821-1910)
John H. Miller, the oldest son of Jacob Miller to live to adulthood was born December 6, 1821 in Kentucky. He moved to Chatham, Illinois with his parents when he was just a young boy. As a young man, he married Elizabeth Greening on February 14, 1849. Together they had three children:
It was in Chatham that John Miller would spend his life. Elizabeth Miller died on February 27, 1898 in Chatham. John Miller died twelve years later on January 25, 1910. The Illinois State Journal (1/26/1910) states that at his death "he was one of the oldest and most highly respected residents in the county."
John Thomas Miller (1860-1946)
John Thomas Miller was born on April 9, 1860 in Sangamon County, Illinois. While little is known of his childhood, he was living with his sister Elizabeth and her family in 1880.
John T. Miller married first Florence Whisman. They had one child:
Bertha Irene Miller, born February 3, 1883 or 1884
John T. Miller married second Anna Marie Baucom on August 15, 1888. They had three boys, all born in Illinois:
The John T. Miller Family
In 1911, John T. Miller packed up his family and moved to Alberta, Canada. Renting farmland, John T. and Annie scratched out a living near Langdon and Strathmore east of Calgary during the Alberta growing seasons. It is in Alberta that John T. and Annie would remain the balance of their lives, as would son Walter and his family. John T. Miller died in August 1846; Annie March 21, 1854. Both are buried in Alberta.
John Thomas Miller Farm 1913
Annie & John T. Miller circa 1945
JTM Ranch
Thomas Curtis Miller (1890-1981)
Tom Curtis Miller was born on July 16, 1890 in Chatham, Sangamon County, Illinois. He was the oldest of three brothers born to John T, Miller and Annie Baucom. He moved to Alberta, Canada in 1911 with his parents.
from left to right: Mildred & Arabelle, George and Charles Miller, circa 1926
In 1929, Tom and Elinor moved their family back to Sangamon County, and there remained the balance of their lives, renting farms in and around Loami, IL. Tom Miller died March 15, 1981; Elinor died December 29, 1979. Both are buried at Sulphur Springs Cemetery in Loami, IL.
Tom Miller 1980
Descendants of Tom and Elinor can boast a rich heritage of Americana, not only through the Miller line but through Elinor's line as well. Elinor’s distant grandfather Robert Hodgen founded Hodgen's Mill, which would later become Hodgenville, KY in that part of Hardin County, which would later be named Larue County, after many of her Larue ancestors. In addition, distant first cousins were present at Abraham Lincoln's birth. Furthermore, Elinor's mother was Emma Harrison, descendant of the Rockingham Harrisons. Distant grandfather Thomas Harrison founded Harrisonburg, VA and along with his four brothers pioneered the Shenandoah Valley. Thomas's sister was Abigail Harrison, Abraham Lincoln's great grandmother, which makes all descendants of Emma Harrison, third cousins of the 16th President of the United States.
With any questions or comments, contact Paul Dierks using the contact link above.
Parmelia Miller, died in infancy, birthdate unknown
Robert Miller, died in infancy, birthdate unknown
Jasper D. Miller, died in infancy, birthdate unknown
Eliza Miller, b. June 1, 1815, married John Greenwood
Eunice Miller, b. May 28, 1819, married John D. Foster
John H. Miller, b. December 6, 1821, married Elizabeth Greening
Emily Miller, b. January 13, 1824, married John Greenwood after Eliza's death
Sally Miller, b. March 20, 1826
Matilda Miller, b. September 25, 1828, married David Erving McGinnis
James F. Miller, b. August 7, 1831, married Melinda Schutt
Edmund T. Miller, b. Feb 15, 1834, m. 1st Elizabeth Stubbs, 2nd Elizabeth Trimble
Francis Marion Miller, b. February 11, 1836, married Eliza J. Trimble
William Gibson Miller, b. February 3, 1838, married 1st Sarah Hall, 2nd Nancy Baker
I was born in Virginia in March 1792 as the family records show. Father [Abraham Miller] moved to Kentucky when I was an infant and lived sometime in the Boonesborough Station to protect themselves from Indians and afterward bought lands on the waters of the Lulbegrud Creek not far from the Baptist church which I joined when I was about 16 years old. My father's name was Abraham Miller and my mother's name was Elizabeth Mann. My grandfather's name on my mother's side was Charles Mann and my grandmother's name was Mary Trumbo.
The Abraham Miller Line in America
the surname Miller name to Sandy Miller
Aaron Miller, b. 1786, married Rebecca Finlay
Charles Miller, b. 1787, married Lydia
Jacob Miller, b. 1789, married Lucinda Poats
John Miller, b. circa 1790, married Margaret Fowler
Elizabeth Miller, b. March 24, 1792, married Thomas Rader
Catherine Miller, b. circa 1797, married Elijah Davis
Henry Miller, b. circa 1798, married Elizabeth "Betsy" Oliver
Isaac Miller, b. circa 1800, married Rebecca Shephard
Margaret Miller, b. circa 1800, married John Oliver
Tommy Miller returned briefly to Illinois to marry Elinor Hodgen on August 11, 1915 at Springfield, Illinois. Ella "Elinor" Hodgen was born February 21, 1888, presumably on her parent's farm in Pleasant plains, Illinois. She was the second youngest of nine children born to Philip Oscar Hodgen and Emma E. Harrison. The young couple returned to Alberta and it was there that they began raising a family. All six children were born in Alberta:
Caroline Miller, married William H. Schumate
Eliza Miller, married George W. Stubbs
John T. Miller, married Ann Maria Baucom
Thomas Curtis Miller, b. July 16, 1890, married Elinor Hodgen
Raymond Miller, b. July 14, 1892, married Merle
Walter Miller, b. June 25, 1897, married Pearle Mortimer
Jacob Miller was born in Kentucky [actually he was born in Virginia], married in that State, and came to Illinois in 1824, locating in what is now Chatham Township. At the outbreak of the Black Hawk War, he enlisted to defend the homes of white settlers against the ravages of the Indians and did valiant service. After the war he returned to his home, where he resumed farming and stockraising and became one of the leading men of his community. Jacob Miller had left his native State on account of slavery, and there is little doubt that he would have enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War had not his age prevented. He always taught his sons to abhor even the thought of slavery, and instilled in them the love of country that they always evidenced in their after lives. Mr. Miller was a stanch Whig in early days, and later became a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, in whose office he became acquainted with the Great Martyr. Mr. Miller passed to his final rest July 27, 1862, his wife following him to the grave on November 2, 1877, both dying in the faith of the Hard Shell Baptist Church.