#52 Ancestors 52 Weeks – Challenge Week 49, A Winter Babe

#52 Ancestors 52 Weeks – Challenge Week 49
Prompt: Winter

A Winter Babe

by

The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Forde

Winter brings about its own harsh beauty.  Frost-covered trees, with chandeliers of ice hanging from branches, frame iron-gray skies. Thick fogs with whispering winds are luminous passageways to an icy winter paradise. The birth cry of John Miller pierces this silent paradise on Christmas day, 25 December 1803.

The winter babe was born to James Miller in the 16^thstate of the Union, Tennessee (Indian name: Tenase).  Nothing is known of his mother, nor where he was born in Tennessee.  There is little doubt the winter birth was in the most primitive of cabins and most certainly near a river.  Our imagination is whetted by knowledge of a winter birth, a Christmas date, and the state of Tennessee, which became a state in 1796.  By 1800, a small settlement was located on the Natchez Trace.  Most early settlers came from Virginia because the early boundary line between North Carolina and Virginia was not resolved for several years.  But, early East Tennessee records are sadly lacking,  destroyed by the War Between the States.

A biography about John Miller’s grandson, Sheriff of Polk County, Arkansas, provides more details.  John Miller’s father, James, was born in South Carolina, an Irishman by descent and a Staunch Presbyterian.  John Miller was “a county and probate judge as well as a substantial farmer,” according to George R. Miller’s biography - Polk County, Arkansas. Early records show they were “Presbyterian Denomination who later embraced the Methodist Episcopal Church.” It would help a lot if only George asked more questions.  

Dorothy Ellison Miller and I formed a good research team in the 1970s.  Dorothy, being the more learned of the two of us, provided much information.  In 1826, John Miller married Nancy Mary, daughter of Joseph Wilson, a farmer, and a trader, of Tennessee.   Nancy, Mary, and John are enumerated in the 1830 Federal Census of Monroe County, Tennessee.  In 1835, the Millers and their children purchased $3000.00 worth of land in Dade County, Georgia., District  No. 21, near Rising Fawn. The land was purchased and not won by lottery or given as a bounty, according to Dade County land records (Source: Sue Forrester – genealogist, Dade County).

Five of John Miller’s sons served the Confederacy; James died in a prison camp.  A daughter, Elizabeth, died, giving birth to her first daughter, Nancy Tatum.  She is the only Miller buried in the beautiful Miller Cemetery located on the plantation.  Elizabeth was married to Casper Tatum.  Nancy was raised by the Tatum’s initially, but she is buried in Arkansas near her Miller grandparents (Source: Randy Lewis).  Four sons married women from Dade County:  George R. Miller married Martha Davis; Joseph married her sister, Sarah Davis.  James married Elizabeth Killian; John Thornton Miller married Sara L Russell.

Timeline John Miller

25 December 1803 – Birth - John Miller, probably Tennessee to James Miller

6 July 1806 - Birth, Nancy Mary Wilson Tennessee to Joseph Wilson

1826 - Marriage, John Miller and Nancy Mary Wilson - Monroe County, Tennessee

1830 U.S. Federal Census - Monroe Tennessee 98Th Regiment

John Miller

1835-John Miller (Georgia Abstract Records Office) purchased 420 Acres of land in District # 21 near Rising Fawn, Georgia, for $3000.00.

1835-1859 - Land acquisitions and land sales

1840 U.S. Federal Census - Dade Georgia Rising Fawn

Ancestry.com - roll 40 p. 81

John Miller 211-1-------/11--11

Two males under five

1 male under 10

1 male under 15

1 male 20-30

One female under five

One female under ten

One female 20-30

One female 30-40

1850 U.S. Federal Census  Dade County, Georgia; p. 13 A- District No. 21 p. 125, TN599343463

August 25, 1850, by Stephen L. Pace

169-169  John Miller, 46, m. farmer, the value of real estate owned: $3000.00 born:  Tennessee

Married within the year (this must be an error... or it refers to one of the children)

Mary, 44, f, b. Tennessee - cannot read or write

Mary, 13, f, b. Georgia

John, 10, m. b: Georgia

William, 8, m, b: Georgia

Columbus, 5, m b: Georgia

Hiram, 3, m. b: Georgia

James, 22, m. Farmer, b: Tennessee

Joseph 20, m. Farmer, b. Tennessee

George, 16, m, Farmer, b: Tennessee

John Miller reports his birth in Tennessee in 1850 and in 1870.  The 1860 census informant was George Miller’s wife, reporting that her own father was born in Kentucky, making it appear that John Miller was the informant as to his birth state.  John was born in Tennessee.

1860 U.S. Federal Census Polk County, Arkansas -Center Township - Dallas Post Office  p. 7

Line 40 39-37 4 June 1860

John Miller 57 male farmer $2000. b. Ky

Nancy 54 b. Tennessee

Nicey

W.A. (William Anderson) 18 farmer

H.A. 13

C.C. 15

Mary Jane 6

Nancy 4

Wm G. 2

31 Aug. 1866, Nancy Mary (Wilson) Miller died in Mena, Polk County, Arkansas. She is buried in Board Camp, on land donated for a chapel and a cemetery donated by William Anderson Miller.

1870 U.S. Federal Census  Polk county, Arkansas - Fulton Township District  No. 21 p. 22 A, September 21, 1870

Miller, John 64, born in Tennessee

Hiram Douglas, 22, Georgia

1878, John Miller died in Polk County, Arkansas.  He is buried next to his wife, Nancy Mary Miller in Board Camp, on land donated to the chapel and a cemetery by their son William Anderson Miller. 

John Miller, my second great grandfather, born in the beauty of a Tennessee winter, died in the sweltering heat of an Arkansas summer 6 August 1878.

DEEDS

Submitter: The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Vold Forde

Copied by Sue Parham Forrester

HC-65-Box 715

Cloudland, Georgia 30731

17 May 1990

Clerk of Superior Court Office

Book ‘D’ p. 375

Dade County, Georgia

LOT #193 (Dist. 10 – 4th Section) 160 Acres

Sale: John H. Patrick to John Miller

2 April 1857

Georgia, Walker County

This indenture made this Second day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred, and fifty-seven between John H. Patrick of Franklin County of said State of the one part and John Miller of Walker County of said State of the other part.

Witneseth that the said John H. Patrick for and in consideration of the sum of Eighty Dollars to him in hand paid at and before the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged both granted bargained sale and conveyed and doth by these presents grant bargain sell and convey unto the said John Miller his heirs and asignes all that tract or parcel of land situate lying and being in the County aforesaid in the tenth district  and fourth section of said county containing one hundred sixty acres more or less being lot number 193 originally granted to William Boughu (sic?) said grant is dated the first day of July eighteen hundred and forty-three to heirs and to hold said tract or parcel of land unto him all the rights members and appurtenances belonging to have and to hold the above described lot of land unto him the said John  Miller his heirs and asignes together with all the rights members and appurtenances thereof to the same in any manner belonging to his and their own proper use benefit in behalf forever in fee simple and the said John H. Patrick for himself his heirs executors and administrators the said John H. Patrick hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal the day and year above written. Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of:

J.J. Morgan

R.H. Tatum, Notary Public

John H. Patrick (Seal)

Registered April 9th, H. L. W. Allison, Clerk