The Miller Families of Warren County, Ohio

THOMAS MILLER, farmer; P. O. Springboro; born at Brownsville, Penn., Aug. 12, 1812; is a son of Solomon and Ruth Miller, whose history is given in sketch of Lewis N. Miller. Thomas was in his 4th year when his parents settled at Centerville, Montgomery Co., Ohio, and there he grew to manhood. On April 24, 1834, he was married to Eliza, daughter of Samuel and Susanna (Painter) Curl, natives of Virginia. The paternal grandparents were Joseph and Rebecca Curl, he a native of Wales and she of France; the material were John and Betsy Painter, believed to be natives of England, who emigrated to America and settled in Virginia at a very early day, where they lived and died. The grandfather, Joseph Curl, was living on the Brandywine during the Revolutionary war, and, being a miller by trade, was put in the mill and kept there to supply the army, and was an eye-witness of many terrible things connected with the war. About 1802, they emigrated to Ohio and located in Columbiana County, where they resided till 1809; thence they removed to Logan County and lived till 1829; thence they moved to Greene County, where they lived the balance of their lives. Samuel, whose first wife and family are given in sketch of Lewis N. Miller, married for his second wife Catharine Smith, a native of Virginia, by whom he had one child (deceased); his third wife was Mary Van Dyke, by whom he had one child (deceased). One of the ancestors of Susanna Painter, Benjamin McGuinn, when 8 years of age, was kidnaped from his home in England and brought to America and sold to pay his passage; he served out his time, grew to manhood, and in after years returned to England to visit his kindred, and again sailed to America, where he spent the remainder of his life. An incident in the life of the Curl family in an early day in Logan County may be of interest: John Curl, a cousin to Samuel Curl, when about eight years of age, went out with other of his brothers to get the cows; he stopped to pick berries by the way and became lost from his brothers, and, it seems, took the wrong course and wandered farther and farther from his home; the alarm was given and the whole neighborhood turned out to search for the lost child, and, after a diligent hunt for eight days, he was found twenty miles from his home, having passed through an almost impenetrable wilderness; then were many hearts made to rejoice. Eliza Curl was born in Logan Co., Ohio, June 16, 1810. Mr. Miller and wife have had five children; four now survive: Ruth H., now Mrs. Rogers; Susan M, now Mrs. Isaiah Peelle, residing at Wilmington; Solomon W., and Samuel C., living in Iowa; and Rhoda M., who married David Hare, by whom she had five children; she died May 28, 1881, aged 35 years. Mr. Miller and family resided in Montgomery County till the fall of 1848, when they located on the place where they now live and have since resided; they first moved into a log cabin, but the next year made brick and erected their present large house, and since then have erected other buildings and made improvements, till they have a very pleasant and comfortable home, situated* about one-half mile north of Springboro. Mr. Miller, in his younger years, took careful observations of the ways and progress of the various farmers, and thus prepared himself for the business of life. Soon after starting in life he had to pass through the severe panic of 1837, and experienced all the trials of those times; he saw money of uncertain values, and many persons try to save themselves by investing in land, which, after an excessive fall in value and terrible increase in taxes, etc., they were compelled to give them up, and lost all. They had to work in every way to obtain money to pay their taxes and support their families; went often to market and sold potatoes at 12 J cents per bushel, apples at 5 cents, a barrel of cider for 75 cents; and paid from 33 to 40 cents per yard for calico; gave twelve pounds of home-made sugar for a common glass salt cellar. Such were the times and trials these worthy pioneers had to pass through. The present and future generations may well be thankful for this age of plenty and comfort, and give due honor to the worthy fathers and mothers who have so faithfully labored to bring about these better days. Mr. Miller and wife have now journeyed the pathway of life together for forty-seven years, almost half a century. He and wife are worthy and earnest members of the Society of Friends, to which they have belonged all their lives, and in which Mr. Miller has been a minister for many years, and is one of their most earnest workers in the Christian cause.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LEWIS N. MILLER, retired, Springboro; born in Pennsylvania, June 29, 1814; is a son of Solomon and Ruth (Neal) Miller, natives of Virginia. The paternal grandparents were Robert and Casandrea (Wood) Miller, who lived and died in Pennsylvania Solomon, the father, was raised and grew to manhood in Virginia, and married and subsequently moved into Pennsylvania, where they resided till in December, 1815, when he with his family emigrated to Ohio and located near Centerville, Montgomery Co., arriving there Jan. 1, 1816, where they resided till the spring of 1840, when they moved to near Springboro, Warren Co., and died at their son Thomas’ place, one-half mile north of Springboro. He and his wife were both bora July 21, 1780; were married Nov. 9. 1804; he died Aug. 24, 1864; his wife died July 24, 1863. They were parents of nine children, six sons and three daughters; seven now survive — Ann. now Mrs. Lupton; Thomas; Lewis N.; David H.; Joseph H; Mary now Mrs. Jones; and John T. Mr. Miller, when young, learned the tanning business, but followed it only for a short time; thence entered upon farming, which, in connection with the running of a saw-mill, a grist and oil mill, he followed through life; was a very active business man, a man of great integrity of character, an earnest member of the Society of Friends, and a great opponent of slavery, and in that day rendered great assistance and took an active part in befriending and transporting slaves to a land of safety and freedom. Lewis N., the subject of this sketch, was but an infant of 18 months when brought to Ohio, and here was raised and grew to manhood. On April 25, 1836, was united in marriage with Rebecca, daughter of Samuel and Susanna Curl, natives of Virginia, Samuel was a son of Joseph Curl, a native of Virginia, but who died in Greene Co., Ohio. Samuel came to Ohio, and was thrice married; first to Susanna Painter, by whom he had five children, four now survive —Eliza, now Mrs. Miller; Anna, now Mrs. Harvey; David and Rebecca. His wife died March 17, 1819; he died Oct. 15, 1823. Rebecca, the youngest daughter now living, was born in Logan County Jan. 23, 1817. Mr. Miller and wife by their marriage have had eight children. Seven grew to maturity — Elias F., bora April 20, 1837; Ruth N., Dec. 3, 1840, now Mrs. Somers; Hannah F., Oct. 12. 1842, now Mrs. Cleavenger; Mary K., Feb. 18, 1844, now Mrs. Rogers; Joseph. Dec. 25, 1845; Thomas, April 21, 1848; and Eliza, bora Nov. 7, 1854, now Mrs. Bradstreet. Mr. Miller when young, learned the trade of a blacksmith, which business, in connection with farming, he followed many years, till, from failing health, he gave up his trade and gave all his attention to farming. Subsequently in spring of 1853, he purchased a farm with a grist and saw mill located one-half mile west of Springboro, where he resided till the spring of 1869, when he removed to Springboro, where he has since lived, retired from all active business. Mr. Miller has been a very industrious, hard-working man: has sustained an unblemished integrity in all his dealings and business transactions in life, and has accumulated a good competency; has given his children a good start in life and has an ample sufficiency reserved for his own comfort and necessities for the balance of their lives.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CONRAD MILLER, farmer; P. O. Harveysburg; was born in Pennsylvania, 1799; is a son of Isaac and Rachel Miller, he a native of Maryland and she of Virginia, but who emigrated to Ohio, and located in Warren Co., about 1818; he was a soldier in the Revolutionary war; was a very large man and possessed of great strength, far in excess of men in general; they lived and died in Massie Township. The subject of this sketch was about 18 years of age when he came to Ohio with his parents; here he arrived to manhood, married and became the father of eight children, five sons and three daughters, five now living — William, Benjamin, James, Sarah (now Mrs. Allen) and George W. Mr. Miller married Lydia Baxter, born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of William and Rachel Baxter, natives of Pennsylvania; he was killed by a tree falling on him when he was comparatively young; they had two children — Lydia and Sarah. Mrs. Baxter married, for her second husband, Thomas Evans, by whom she had four children, all deceased. Mr. Evans and wife came to Ohio about 1812, and located in Warren Co., where they lived till his death. Mrs. Evans married, for her third husband, Henry Fletcher; they removed to Illinois, where he died; after which she returned to Warren Co., and here lived till her death. Mr. Miller commenced in life a poor man; has always followed farming, and by his own labor and industry has accumulated a good competencey; now owns 257 acres of good land and considerable other property. But notwithstanding the vast amount of hard labor he has performed, he has lived to the advanced age of 82 years, and his wife is 77 years of age; they have traveled the journey of life together, bearing its trials and hardships with its joys and comforts, more than half a century, and now, in the evening of their life, they can rest from their iabora tm their Magfcer caUg „ Come up higher „

T. MILLER> farmer; P. O. Harveysburg; born in Massie Township,

?n' 1 18 a 80n 9onrad a Lydia Miller, whose history appears in sketch

0 onra Hiller. Our subject remained with his father, making that his home till 44 chel I

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ketch till44 years of age; was married Aug. 31, 1876, to Mrs. Anna Edwards, daughter of William and Mary. J. Anderson, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Vermont. Mrs. Miller was born on Grand Isle, Vt., Dec. 11, 1845. She has been thrice married, first to George Simons, by whom she had one child — Mana, now Mrs. John Morgan; her second husband was Harlan Edwards, by whom she had four children, two now living —Emma H. and Bertha May. By her last husband, Mr. Miller, she has two children

Lydia Leah and William Conrad. Mrs. Miller is a woman of good education, and high moral and Christian character, and was for a time engaged in a missionary work. Mr. Miller, after his marriage, located upon the farm where he now lives, and has since resided.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM MILLER, farmer; P. O. Harveysburg; born in Massie Township, Jan. 10, 1832; is a son of Conrad and Lydia Miller, whose history appears in sketch of Conrad Miller. Our subject remained with his father, making that his home till 44

Google years of age; was married Aug. 31, 1876, to Mrs. Anna Edwards, daughter of William and Mary. J. Anderson, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Vermont. Mrs. Miller was born on Grand Isle, Vt., Dec. 11, 1845. She has been thrice married, first to George Simons, by whom she had one child — Mana, now Mrs. John Morgan; her second husband was Harlan Edwards, by whom she had four children, two now living — Emma H. and Bertha May. By her last husband, Mr. Miller, she has two children — Lydia Leah and William Conrad. Mrs. Miller is a woman of good education, and high moral and Christian character, and was for a time engaged in a missionary work. Mr. Miller, after his marriage, located upon the farm where he now lives, and has since resided.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ALONZO MILLER, reaper expert, Mason; was born in Deerfield Townt x year and is a son of Wiliam and Ann (Cline) Miller He

(William) was born at Columbia, Ohio, in the year 1811, and is a son of William and Hannah (Phillips) Miller, who were born in Greene Co., Penn., she in the year 1774, and he some few years previous. In the year 1807. they came down the Ohio River in a keel-boat and located in Hamilton Co., Ohio, where he burnt one of the first brick kilns in Southern Ohio. He served a term of one year m the war of 1812, and died of “ Cold Plague ” in 1814. They were the parents of eight children, three of whom are living, viz., William, Rebecca and Joseph. The deceased are Bainbridge, John, Rebecca, Sarah and Mary.

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Alonzo, Bainbridge, Melvina, and Louisa; the deceased are ylaj lelissa, William and Laura.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CASPER MILLER, retired hotel-keeper, Franklin, son of Francis Hannah Miller, was born in Baden Baden, Germany, in 1814. In Octoly 1828, his parents came to this country and settled in Dearborn Co., Ind., wh they purchased a farm of 80 acres, and his father died in 1865. He first gaged two years with Robert Mearl to learn the baker’s trade. In June, 18, lie came to Franklin and opened a bakery, and at that time supplied Franl t and Lebanon with fresh bread and pastry. The country being new at that etJ day, the roads were very bad, and it took him generally a whole day to go fi jbi one place to the other. In 1842, he built a hotel on corner of Sixth street on Canal, which he kept till 1848, when he sold, and purchased his present he property, corner Front and Fourth streets, which he has remodeled and put in good shape. He kept it himself till 1875, when he leased it, and has si been leading a retired life. He was married, in Green Tree, Oct. 14, 1835 I Catherine, daughter of Christian Korh, born in Franklin Township Oct.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

PETER MILLER, farmer and stone-cutter; P. O. Lebanon; was born in the Province of Bavaria, Germany, March 10, 1826, and, in July, 1850, emigrated to America. He was the third child of a family of three boys and four girls, bora to John and Christina (Rider) Miller, and the first of his family to emigrate to America. His parents are now both deceased, having both died in the old country. On the 29th of September, 1852, our subject was married, in Cincinnati, to Margaret Elizabeth Koeger, daughter of Conrad and Elizabeth (Hofman) Koeger. By this union four children were born, viz., Maggie, bora Dec. 20, 1853, now the wife of David Thompson; Kate, bora Dec. 27, 1855; Peter, bora Jan. 5, 1858, and Charles, bora April 27, 1860. Since his 16th year, Mr. Miller has been working at the trade of stonemason, and latterly as a farmer. In May, 1848, he was drafted and served six months in the royal army, after which he enlisted with the Liberty party and fought against the King. He is a hard-working, intelligent citizen, who has gained his present standing by honesty, industry and sobriety.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.