Miller Generations 3-5

Generation No. 3

3. SILAS MILLER, ROBERT²,( POSSIBLY ISAAC¹) was born 1752 in New Jersey and was the second child of Robert and Agnes Miller. He died 1831 intestate in Butler County, Pennsylvania. He married JANE ENGLISH, daughter of JOHN ENGLISH and ANNE INSKEEP. She was born Bet. 1755 - 1760 in New Jersey. The English family had a very interesting story to tell. See here. All the information about the English family was provided to me by Jan Pedatella who has spent years researching the roots of our common ancestral Millers. Many, many thanks to Jan.

Notes for SILAS MILLER: Silas Miller was a noteworthy hunter and trapper and a school teacher. He served in the Revolutionary War with a New Jersey militia as a wagon master. In 1787, Silas Miller and his family removed to Westmoreland County, PA from New Jersey and for a time he was employed along with others in protecting the settlements against the Indians. He settled in Middlesex Township, Butler Co. PA in 1794 and followed hunting, trapping and farming to earn his living. He sometimes served as a Cranberry Township school teacher. Up until the 1850s Middlesex Twp. abutted just east of Cranberry Twp. In 1831, he fell from the roof of his neighbor's burning stable and died from the injuries then received. He was 79 and died 28 Apr 1831.

Silas Miller and his family are listed on the 1800, 1810, 1820 and 1830 Federal Census records for Middlesex Twp., Butler County, PA. Here is more historical information about Silas Miller

Children of SILAS MILLER and JANE/JEAN ENGLISH are:

i. SILAS MILLER, Jr., was born Abt. 1788 in Tarentum, Allegheny Co., PA. He married ELIZABETH SEFTON.

Children of SILAS MILLER Jr. and ELIZABETH SEFTON are:

i. MARGARET MILLER.

ii.      ABIGAIL MILLER.

iii.     JOSEPH MILLER.

iv.     WILLIAM MILLER.

v.    SILAS MILLER.

vi.    ROBERT MILLER, b. 1820, on Glade Run, Butler Co. Pa; d. Tarentum, Allegheny Co. PA ;m. MARY A. VANCE, 1849, Tarentum, Allegheny Co.

        ii    ROBERT MILLER, b. Westmoreland Co., PA; m. ELIZABETH BIGGS. Possibly his first cousin, daughter of his         father's sister, Jean/Jane Miller Biggs? See Generation 2 here.

        iii.   JOSEPH MILLER, b. 1789, Westmoreland Co., PA; d. 1877, Adams Twp., Butler Co., PA. Joseph is our         direct line ancestor. See below in Generation 4 for his descendants. ▼

iv JAMES MILLER.

v. Margaret MILLER, m. ANDREW MCCOLLUM.

Known Children of Margaret Miller and Andrew McCollum are:

i. Washington Miller McCollum. Died at Andersonville,a notorious southern prisoner of war camp during the Civil War.

ii. James Miller McCollum, m. Fannie Strabel

vi. MARTHA MILLER, m. UNKNOWN SCOTT.

vii. JANE MILLER, m. JOHN BROWN.

viii. NANCY MILLER, m. WILLIAM CRITCHLOW.

Generation No. 4

4. JOSEPH MILLER,SILAS³, ROBERT², (POSSIBLY ISAAC¹) was born 1789 in Westmoreland Co., PA, and died 1877 in Adams Twp., Butler Co., PA. He married SUSANNAH RICE/REIS, daughter of FREDERICK RICE and Anna Catharina Lauffer. Joseph Miller was a carpenter, farmer and a skilled hunter like his father. He came to Butler Co. in 1794 and later volunteered for the defense of Ft. Erie on May 25, 1813 during the War of 1812. He enlisted as a Pvt. with the 12th US Infantry under Captain Sangster and Colonel Coles. He was described as 5'11½" in height, grey eyes, dark hair, fair complexion, 34 years old and a farmer. He was discharged at Buffalo, NY on Nov 25, 1814. So both he and his father were Patriots who were ready to come to the defense of their country. This last information came from the US Army Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914.

Notes for Joseph Miller: In the year 1794, Joseph's father, Silas, moved his family to Middlesex Twp. in Butler County, PA. Joseph was 4 years old.

In 1860, Joseph is living next door to two of his sons, Silas (named after his grandfather) and James in Adams Twp. in Butler County. Their addresses are listed as in the Breakneck Postal area which is north in Forward Twp. in the area around today's Evans City. Joseph at age 70, is a widower. He is a farmer whose land is valued at $1650 and his personal property is $350.

Children of JOSEPH MILLER and SUSANNAH RICE/REIS are:

i. JESSE E. MILLER, b. 1813, Middlesex County, Butler Co. PA; died Thursday, 02 Dec 1897,Forward Twp., Butler Co., PA. Our direct line ancestor.(See his children below in Generation 5)

ii. JACOB R. MILLER.

iii. MARY ANN MILLER was born 1816. She married WILLIAM BAYLESS. He was born 1809, and died 12 Jan 1873 in Sandy Creek, Allegheny Co. PA. See here a photo of Mary Ann and learn more about her.

Children of MARY MILLER and WILLIAM BAYLESS are:

i. SARA JANE BAYLESS, b. 28 Mar 1836, Washington Co., PA; d. 07 Feb 1908, Oakmont, Allegheny Co, PA; m. JOHN KING, JR., 1863; b. 22 Apr 1839, PA; d. 03 Jul 1914, Oakmont, Allegheny Co, PA.

ii.    SUSANNAH BAYLESS, b. 1838.

iii.    RICHARD DUOHURST BAYLESS, b. 1842; m. SUSAN PYLE.

iv.    ELIZABETH BAYLESS, b. 1844.

v.    JULIA "JULEY" ANN BAYLESS, b. 1847; d. 20 Oct 1863, Sandy Creek, Allegheny Co. PA. vi.    WILLIAM BAYLESS, b. 1852.

vii.   JOSEPH BAYLESS, b. 1856.

iv. SARAH J. MILLER, b. 1815.

v. NANCY MILLER.

vi. MARGARET MILLER, b. 1819

vii. SILAS MILLER (named after his grandfather), was born 1820. He married SARAH KIRK. She was born 1815. Silas Miller was a school teacher. The following (including a spelling error) is from the 1883 History of Butler County Pennsylvania, Chapter XX, Adams Township, page196: "He had been engaged in the business of teaching since 1839, up to that date, in various parts of the county. He was regarded as a good teacher, and was skilled not only in the common branches, but was thoroughly conversant with the dead languages, history and music. His wife is a sister of Elias W. KIRK, of Butler Borough. Mr. MILLER is now sixty-three years old, and though his physical strength is meager, yet his mental abilities are still good."

Child of SILAS MILLER and SARAH is:

i. JACOB A. MILLER, b. 1846.

viii. JOSEPH MILLER, JR., b. 1822.

ix. ELIZA MILLER.

x. JOHN R. MILLER, b. 1825.

xi. JAMES F. MILLER, b. 1827; m. Mary- last name unknown.b.1837. On the 1860 census he is listed as a bricklayer and lives next door to his father and brother, Silas. In 1870 James still lives next to his father but is now listed as a brick mason. and has property assets worth $1300.

Children of James and Mary Miller

i. Elizabeth Miller, b.1859

ii. Sarah Miller , b.1861

iii. George Miller, b.1863

iv. Ulissus Miller, b.1865

v. Agnes Miller, b.1867

vi. Julia Miller . b.1869

xii. ADAM MILLER, m. MARGARET HENDRICKSON.

xii. EZEKIAL D. MILLER, b. 1831.

Generation No. 5

5. JESSE E. MILLER, JOSEPH⁴, SILAS³, ROBERT², (POSSIBLY ISAAC¹) was born 1813 in Middlesex County, Butler Co. PA, and died 02 Dec 1897 in Forward Twp., Butler Co., PA. He married JANE Johnston. She was the daughter of BENJAMIN JOHNSTON, a native of Down county, Ireland, who came to America about 1794. He afterwards settled in Jackson township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, where he purchased 150 acres of land, which he cleared and improved. He resided upon this farm until his death, which occurred about 1858. Mr. JOHNSTON was an elder in the United Presbyterian church for many years, and was a stanch adherent of the Democratic party. Jane was born 1815. When Jesse dies in 1897, Jane goes to live with her daughter, Cynthia, and son-in-law, Robert Brown as is shown on the 1900 US census record. this census reports that Jane and Jesse had 15 children. I found names for only 14. Perhaps one died in childbirth or very early in life.

See here an 1858 map showing Jesse's land.

10 Children of JESSE E. MILLER and JANE are:

i. MARY ANNE MILLER, b. Abt. 1832, Pennsylvania, m. Jasper H. Hamilton, b. Abt. 1832, after 1870 because Jasper at age 39 is still a bachelor and is shown to be living with a Birkle Family in Ellsworth, Pierce Co., Wisconsin on the 1870 census. I could not find Mary on the 1870 census anywhere but then "Mary Ann Miller" is a very common name. On the 1880 Census they are married and living with their daughter Arretta, age 8, in Ellsworth, Pierce Co., Wisconsin. As far as I can tell Arretta is their only child. A James Miller, who matches the age of her brother, James A. Miller, age 29, is living with them. The next available census was taken in 1900. At that time Jasper is identified as "widowed" and still lives in Ellsworth, Pierce Co., Wisconsin so Mary Ann is presumed dead before age 67.

ii. SUSANNAH MILLER, b. 1834, Pennsylvania, m. Abraham Rice abt. 1855. He is born July 1832 in

     Pennsylvania.

Children of Susannah and Abraham Rice are:

I.    Erastus Rice, b. abt. 1856, Ohio

ii.    Luretta Rice, b. abt. 1858, Ohio

iii.   Jessie L. Rice, b. abt. 1860, Indiana

iv.   Juliette "Julia" Rice, b. abt. 1863, Pennsylvania

v.    Emma D. Rice, b. abt. 1865, Pennsylvania

vi.   George Rice, b. abt. 1869, Wisconsin

Notes for Susannah (Susan) and Abraham (Abram): On the 1900 Federal Census taken in Pierce Co., Wisconsin, Abraham is listed as a Widower. Sometime between 1880 and 1900 Susannah has died and the children are grown and gone. Living with him, listed as a boarder, is Martha Grubb(s), his sister-in-law. She , too, is a widow, age 67. See more below under Martha Jane Miller. ▼

iii.   WILLIAM BENJAMIN MILLER is my Great Grandfather. He was born in July 1837, Butler County, Pennsylvania; He died in 1927, Hartington, Nebraska and is buried at Hartington City Cemetery. Click here to see Jesse Miller's will where he names William B. Miller, of Nebraska as his son. Click here to see the descendants of William B. Miller.

iv.   MARTHA JANE MILLER, b. June 1840, Pennsylvania. m. Lewis Grubb

Notes for Martha Jane Miller Grubbs: Martha Grubbs is found on 1900 Census (taken in Pierce Co., Wisconsin) living as a boarder with her brother-in-law, Abraham Rice, a widower (age 67). She is listed as a widow, age 59. This is probably an arrangement of convenience and necessity. What happened to her husband and their 9 children is also a mystery as they were all alive just 10 years before on 1880 census taken in Pennsylvania. Her youngest daughter would have been just 20 years old in 1900.

On the 1910 and 1920 Census Records of Gregory Co., South Dakota, Martha, is listed living with her daughter, Anna (or "Anne") M. Ayers, born about 1864, and granddaughter Nathole, born 1904. On the 1910 census Martha is listed as the "head" of the household and the address is "Young's Addition to Bonesteel". In 1920, Martha's brother William Benjamin Miller, age 82, lives with them. There is one thing wrong here and that is Martha never had a daughter named "Anna M." unless she has changed her name for some reason. Her daughter, Margaret would be the right age to fit this bill as she was born in 1864. Or, she may be living with a widowed or divorced daughter-in- law. If any out there reading this can explain this discrepancy please gmail me at miller.malcom.ft@gmail.com In 1930 Martha is still alive at age 90 and living with Ann Ayres (age 66) who owns a garden truck farm in Schierver Twp, Gregory Co., So. Dakota.

Children of Martha J. Miller and Lewis Grubbs are:

i.     John G. Grubs. b.1859, PA

ii.    Sarah A. Grubbs, b.1862, PA

iii.    Margaret B. Grubbs, b. 1864., PA

iv.    Mary L. Grubbs, b.1868, PA.

v.    Agnes E. Grubbs, b. 1871, PA

vi.    Ida A. Grubbs, b.1874, PA.

vii.   James F. Grubbs, b. 1875. PA.

viii.   Edith B. Grubbs, b.1878, PA.

ix.    Ada V. Grubbs, b.1880, PA.

v. Cynthia F. Miller, b. Feb.1841. m. Robert H. Brown, b. 12 Sep 1824, Middlesex Co. PA. He is 16 years her senior and he is a widower. Cynthia Miller married quite well as Robert's family were well established and wealthy. The following are excerpts from the 1883 History of Butler County Pennsylvania, Chapter XXIV, Forward Township, page 234 "The BROWNS have always been prominent citizens of the township. In 1804, Adam BROWN (Robert's paternal grandfather) bought a "settler's right" to a tract of 400 acres, and moved to it with his family from Cumberland County, Penn. Adam BROWN, Sr., died about 1815, when a young man. Both he and his son John were in the war of 1812. Adam Brown Sr.'s children were John, Adam Jr. (who was Robert Brown's father, who married Sarah Brown, probably a distant cousin), Joseph, Thomas Ray, Elizabeth (MCCANDLESS), Margaret (WHITE), Matilda (WHITE), and another daughter, who died young. Until mills were established, long journeys on horseback were necessary when the settler wished to procure meal or flour. To avoid these journeys as much as possible, there were frequent resorts to handmills, mortars, and sometimes wheat was boiled whole, a palatable and wholesome food. Mush was ever a staple article of food in the pioneer's household."

See here for more detailed information about the Browns

Children of Cynthia and Robert Brown are:

i.       DIED in early childhood BROWN

ii.     Stella E. BROWN, b. Oct.1876

iii.    MARY L. BROWN, b. Aug. 1878

iv.    ROBERT L. BROWN, b. Nov. 1880.

v.     NORA B. BROWN. b. July 1881

vi.    Charles H. BROWN, b. Feb 1893

vi. JACOB MILLER, b. 1843.

vii. SARAH E. MILLER, b. 1845. m. ? Moore

vii. SAMANTHA MILLER, b. 1846.

ix. JOHN R. MILLER, b. Sep 1848. John attended his brother William's funeral in 1927 and the newspaper obituary reported that he lived in Redwing, Minnesota. I found him on the 1930 census (recorded 2 Apr 1930) living at 613 Plum Street in Red Wing City, Goodhue Co., Minnesota. His wife's name is Margaret "Maggie" Huddleston, b. March 1854. He is 79 and she is 76 and was born in Indiana. Going back in time, I found them on the 1880 census. John and Maggie are living with her parents A. and Susanna Huddleston and three of their daughters, Jane (age 8), Belva (age 8) and Florence (age 1). Jane and Belva may be twins. There may be more children but I was unable to locate their family on any in-between census records. In 1900, John, Margaret and Jesse E. (age 8), their 4th and last daughter are living back in Forward Twp., Butler Co., PA. Perhaps they have moved back to the area where he was reared because his father died in 1897 and John may have been called back home to help his mother, Jane, settle her affairs. The 1910 census shows them living with their daughter, Jesse, now age 17, back in Ellsworth, Pierce Co., Wisconsin. John is a carpenter.

x. JAMES A. MILLER, b. Abt. 1851, Butler County, Pennsylvania. James also located to Ellsworth, Pierce Co., and at age 29 is still single in 1880, and is living with his oldest sister, Mary Ann and her husband, Jasper Hamilton. He is mentioned as a surviving brother (on his older brother William's obituary in 1927) as living in Itasca, Wisconsin. Indeed I did find him there, just south of the very small town of Itasca in Parkland Twp., Douglas Co., WI. He is described as an inmate at a small "Work Farm" holding only 7 inmates both male and female. He is said to be divorced. James is again listed in 1830 although the institution has grown to house 41 male "prisoners", 6 female inmates. and 78 male inmates. Its official name has become the Parkland Health Facility. I am not sure what the difference is between a prisoner and an inmate. James A. Miller is listed at age 79. Later. I also found a transcribed list of inmates who died at that facility on the internet and those who were buried mostly in unmarked pauper's graves in the cemetery situated behind the now unused buildings. James, listed as "John A.", is among those buried on the property. He died on March 3, 1940. How sad this is. I really think the spelling is a careless mistake because James A. is twice recorded on two different census records as a inmate at that facility and no other male has a name anywhere close to it.

Miller, John A. 03/04/1940 Superior, WI

Here is a brief description of that former facility and is purposes written in 1983

● Transcribe: Twin Ports Genealogical Society: Donna Anderson, Stanley Anderson, and Jean Hulter.

● Recorded: Burial permits.

● Address: Wentworth, Wisconsin

● Directions: Five miles south of Itasca on County Trunk E. Turn right on County Trunk Z for approximately one mile. There will be a sign saying this is the "Parkland Health Facility" which is no longer there. The cemetery itself is far behind the former building locations in a field. There are only a few wooden markers as many of the graves are un-marked.

● History: The cemetery, located at the Parkland Health Facility, has been called many names; Poor Farm Cemetery, Douglas County Cemetery, Parkland Cemetery, Potter’s Field and the Asylum Cemetery are among the names found. The facility itself was listed in the 1941 City of Superior Directory as the Home for the Aged and Infirm and the Asylum for the Chronically Insane.

xi. ESTHER S. MILLER, b. 1853, Butler County, Pennsylvania. m. H.F. Burtt. No further information found.

xii. LUCY C. MILLER, b. 1854, Butler County, Pennsylvania; m. Frank Levanduske, born abt.1860 in Wisconsin, a Taylor. She was married to him for 26 years according to the 1910 Census taken in Cripple Creek, Teller Co., Colorado and reported that she had 3 children still living and is age 46. On the 1930 Census, she is a widow, age 70, still living in Cripple Creek. Her home is worth $75. Also, both of these census records show discrepancies with the 1854 birth year that I have here for Lucy. (The problem here is that if it is true that Lucy was born in 1864, her Mother, Jane would have been 49 years old????) On both records her name is spelled "Lulu".

xiii. ROBERT MILLER, b. Abt. 1856, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

xiv. HUGH MILLER, b. 1860, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

To view the next five generations of Millers, Click here.

If you have any corrections or additions to make to these pages please contact me at:

miller.malcom.ft@gmail.com