#52 Ancestor Challenge 2019, Week 12, William Miller Twelve

#52 Ancestor Challenge 2019,  Week 12  William Miller Twelve!

12, Twelve, T.W.E.L.V.E.

The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Forde

On this, the 12^thday of March, in the 12^thweek of 2019, this week’s essay prompt is ‘Twelve.’ Hmm!  My eyes fell on an address, Post Office Box 12, Polk County Genealogical Society, Hatfield. Arkansas, 71945.  Serendipity!  I was staring at a recently received envelope of old, yellowed letters and research from cousin Connie Harris. Her mother, Bobbie Lou Ringgold Long, and cousin Dorothy Ellison Miller shared a passion for genealogy.  It was a delight to read their correspondence!  Both ladies are deceased.  Dorothy and Bobbie Lou must be nudging me from heaven to write about the Millers.  This is for you two ladies:

In December of 1988, the front page of the Polk County Genealogy Society was an article about my great grandfather, Willam “Bill” Anderson Miller, whose grandson, Aaron Miller, placed a Confederate Army Veteran grave marker at Cherry Hill Cemetery.  

The article was first published in the Mena Star, Mena, Arkansas on Thursday, 8 September 1988, thanks to the hard work of Dorothy and Aaron Miller in obtaining the grave marker.

“One hundred and twenty-four years after he was mustered out of the service and 73 years after his death, Confederate Army Veteran William Anderson Miller will finally get his grave marker testifying that he did indeed serve in the Confederate States of America during the civil war.

Anderson’s grave at Cherry Hill has been without a marker since his death in 1915 at the age of 73.

It all came about through the efforts of his grandson, Aaron Miller of 17 Meadowbrook Lane in Mena, while he and his wife were researching their family histories.  

A letter to the National Archives and Record Services in Washington, D. C., brought them William Anderson Miller’s service record and the necessary forms to fill out for the grave marker.  

The record shows that Miller, who was living in Polk County, apparently joined the Eighth Field Artillery of Arkansas on June 1, 1863, at the age of 21.  He later served with a company of the Tennessee Light Artillery commanded by a Capt. Scott.  He was discharged as a sergeant on September 18, 1864, because of physical disability. 

Born in 1842 in Georgia, Miller moved to the Cherry Hill area with his family when he was 16.  Following his discharge from the Confederate army, he came back to Cherry Hill and lived there, and at Board Camp, until his death.

Miller was not the only member of his family to serve with the confederates.  He had four brothers in the service.  One of them was captured and apparently killed while being held prisoner at the Johnson Island prisoner of war camp in Ohio.  Aaron Miller said he has been unable to find out more exact details of the death.”

William Anderson Miller was born 25 Feb. 1842, Dade County, GA, and his first wife, Manerva Bell Fleming (1846-1884), daughter of Alfred Fleming and Nancy Hitchcock had 10 children.  Their son, Roland Douglas Miller, born 2 December 1875, died 26 June 1939, Polk County, Arkansas, married 1897 to Mae Atrice Spears (1883-1955), daughter of Thomas P. Spears and Millie F. Russell;  They had twelve children!  All twelve children were born at Board Camp,  Polk Polk County, Arkansas from 1898 to 1926, including Aaron Russell Miller whose photo appears on the cover of the Polk County Genealogical Society, PO Box 12.  Serendipity.

Thank you, Connie, Bobbie Lou Ringgold Long, and Dorothy Ellison Miller!  Bobbie and Dorothy did indeed nudge me to write about the Millers.  In heaven,  they are getting all of their genealogy questions answered.  Rest in Peace, ladies!

Aaron Miller with Grave Marker 

Dorothy Ellison Miller, wife of Aaron Miller