The Millers who stayed in Westmoreland County did quite well for themselves. They were hardworking, industrious and they married well.  This no better example than Joseph Miller, Isaac and Susannah Thomas Miller's son, who married Polly Newlon.  Their Granddaughter, (named after her Grandmother) Susanna Thomas Miller, married into another successful Pittsburg family, the Duffs.  The Duff family became one of the pillars of Pittsburg Society and and contributed honorably and generously to their community.

Below is a photo of Susanna Thomas Miller Duff (seated on the far left on the front porch of her home) is now a widow surrounded by her loving family. The occasion of the photo is Thanksgiving 1899 just before the turn of the Century.  She is about 79 years old. Below the photo is a more complete identification of those on the porch.

 

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Pictures of Susannah Thomas Miller Duff and her family(1820- 1909) 

She is the grand daughter of Isaac and Susannah Thomas Miller and therefore the great grand daughter of our mutual ancestor Robert Miller (1725 -1730 to 1755) and his wife Agnes.   Perhaps we today can catch a glimpse of what Robert and Agnes may have looked like by seeing her in a painting created by loving hands and in photos taken so many years gone by.  

◄ Susannah "Susan" on the Duff Farm in front of a very substantial barn. This must have been before 1900 or close to it.  Look at the can she carries.  Planters Peanuts seems to have been in business for a long time. Notice the the size of the rut on the road. Also there is evidence that someone had tried to colorize the photo at one time.

A more formal photo of Susanna Miller is on the right. ► Below ▼is a painting from the photo painted by Bessie (Bess) Bryce Duff, Susannah's granddaughter and the daughter of her son, Dr. John Milton Duff and his wife Eliza Kirk.

On the left side of the porch.
Back row:    Harriet Templeton Duff, age 17 Susanna's granddaughter by her first son Dr. John Milton Duff.
             James Henderson Duff, age 20, named after his grandfather of the same name.
             Eliza "Jennie"Jane Kirk Duff, Wife of Dr. John Milton Duff.
             Dr. John Milton Duff, 1st son of Susanna Thomas Miller Duff and James Henderson Duff.
Middle row
(seated)     Susannah "Susan" Thomas Miller Duff, age 79, widow of James Henderson Duff.          
            Susan "Sue" Templeton Duff, Susanna's youngest and only surviving daughter.
Seated on
Top Step    John Milton Duff, age 16. son of Dr. John Milton Duff and wife, Jennie.
            Joseph Miller Duff, Became an attorney, killed in WWI, 11 Oct 1918, son of Rev. Joseph Miller Duff,
            Susanna's 2nd son and daughter-in-law, Margaret Morgan.
            Alfred Wiilliam Duff, est. 13 years old, son of Dr. Milton Duff and Jennie Kirk.
Seated on  
2nd step     William Boyd Duff, became an attorney and author of the book "The Forefathers and Families of Certain

                   Settlers in Western Pennsylvania", son of Alfred William Duff (3rd son of Susanna Thomas Miller Duff and

           James Henderson Duff) and his wife, Mary Boyd.

   Bessie Bryce Duff, age 10 years, daughter of Dr. John Milton Duff and Jennie Kirk and the artist who

   painted the portraits on this page. She marries Robert Finian Phillips who became the grandparents of

   Robert Rodgers Phillips, the man who penned this narrative. (Interestingly enough, Bessie and her sister,

   Harriet {not  pictured} married brothers.  Harriet "Hattie" married John MacFarland Phillips.) Confused yet?

On the right side of the porch  

Back Row   Louise Duff, b. 6 Nov 1898, Daughter of Alfred William Duff and Mary Boyd.

   Alfred William Duff, 3rd son of Susanna Thomas Miller Duff and James Henderson Duff, was an attorney

   and a Judge.

   George Morgan Duff, became Pastor of Riverdale Presbyterian Church in New York City, son of Rev.

   Joseph Miller Duff and Margaret Morgan.

   Samuel Howard Jackson, man in bowler hat, husband of Susan Templeton Duff.

   James Henderson Duff, son of Rev. Joseph Miller Duff and Margaret Morgan, also named after his

   grandfather, age 16 years, became the Governor and a Senator of Pennsylvania, married Jean Taylor.  

Seated

Adults      Mary Boyd Duff, wife of Alfred William Duff

   Margaret Morgan Duff, wife of Rev. Joseph Miller Duff

   Reverend Joseph Miller Duff, Pastor of 1st Presbyterian Church, Carnegie, PA (SW of Pittsburg)

Girl

Seated      Margaret Duff, daughter of Rev. Joseph Miller Duff and Margaret Morgan

 As you can see, the Duff family reads like the Who's Who of the Pittsburg Community. 

Below is a painting or drawing ( the median is difficult to determine) of the Duff family while the children were were young and perhaps were still living under their parents roof. Otherwise, I am sure we would see some husbands and/or wives portrayed. It is a great period piece and shows the hair styles and dress of the late 1800s.  (Robert Phillips says abt. 1876.)  Children from L-R are: John Milton Duff, Joseph Miller Duff, Sue Templeton Duff, Albert James Duff, Alfred William Duff, and Anna Mary Duff.  Of course, the parents, James Henderson Duff and Susannah Thomas Miller Duff, are seated in front.
Below are two more pictures.  One is a photo of James Henderson Duff which is probably a companion photo   to the portrait photo of in wife, Susannah, near the top of this page.  He appears to have a jagged scar above his left eye.  I wonder what the story is about that?

The other is a another portrait painting by Bessie Brice Duff, Susannah's granddaughter.  Robert Phillips has identified the picture to be of James Henderson Duff.  I am going to dispute this and say that it is more likely a painting of her own father, Dr. John Milton Duff or her uncle, Rev. Joseph Miller Duff.  The reason I say this is the hairstyle of James Henderson Duff.  His hair part is on the right side of his head in comparison with the left parts of all of his sons in the family picture above.  Also, look at the in the front porch photo which shows two of his sons, Dr. John and Rev. Joseph.  Men in those day rarely changed the part of their hair.  My own father, for instance, had the same hair part from high school to death.  Men in those days did not go to hairstylists to change their looks unless they were perhaps "on the lamb".
If you would like more information concerning the Duffs, have questions or comments about the contents of this page please contact me, Marla Hembree at: miller.malcom.ft@gmail.com