WILLIAM G. MILLER.
The first of the name of Miller, so far as the records go, was Daniel Miller. He was a native of Lancaster, Pa.- and moved to the Mossy creek section of Augusta county about 1730. He built the first iron foundry in the Valley of Virginia, and died in 1796, one of the wealthiest men in the county. He was an uncle of Daniel Boone, and Boone was named for him and apprenticed to him to learn the trade of iron founder. He was of German descent and an elder of Augusta county in 1790. His wife was originally Mary Craig, and was married three times. Her first husband was John Groves, by whom she had three children: John, Martha and Elizabeth. Her second husband was Daniel Miller, by whom she also had three children: William, James and Margaret. Her third husband was Robert Martin, by whom she had four children: Robert, Samuel, Polly and Susan. Robert Martin, who came with his family from Augusta county, Virginia, settled on Camp creek, Nicholas county (?) near T. Bails'. He cleaned off a piece of land and built a mill, about the year i805. He remained here for some years, then went away and was never heard from again. His wife was an industrious woman and a good manager and successfully reared her family and accu-mulated some means, eventually buying a farm. After her children all married and left home she kept a boarding house, where the circuit judge and lawyers all stopped during court times until accommodations were prepared at Summersyille.
The will of Daniel Miller is given in full in Chockley's [sic, s/b "Chalkley's] Annals of Augusta, also a complete list of his children. After bequeathing practically all of his estate to his wife, who was Mary Craig, and their three children, William, James and Margaret, he later in the will leaves five shillings each to "My sons, Michael, Jacob, Daniel, and Samuel Miller," and "To my daughter, Catherine Miller," all "in lieu of" birthright. These five children were
probably by a former wife.
William Miller, son of Daniel Miller, died in 1877, aged 86 years. His wife, Susan, died in 1871. He had one brother, James, in Augusta, and one sister, Margaret Foster, in Nicholas. He bought land from Joseph McNutt and in all owned over 300 acres. He married Susanna Fitzwater, and three sons were born of their union: Isaac,
William G. and James, and three daughters, Elizabeth, Judah and Susan.
In 1807, Thomas Fitzwater, who was reared in Buckingham county, Virginia, came to Nicholas county from Greenbrier county with his family of nine children. He bought land of Captain George Fitzwater, cleared out a large farm and made a comfortable living. His wife was Mary Cuhan, of Irish descent, her mother being of English descent.
Thomas and Mary Fitzwater were the grandparents of William G. Miller on his mother's side, and Daniel and Mary Miller on his father's side. He was born April 20, 1827, and was married twice, his first wife being Isabel McVeigh (1831-1866). were born to this union: Alex. McVeigh, who married Mrs. Mittie (Point) Davis, who developed a decided literary talent and has written seventy-five novels. She lives in Alderson, but spends most of her winters in Washington, D.C.; Dr. Charles W.; Mollie, who married George T. Argabrite, and Nancy. He moved to Greenbrier in 1870, after his marriage to Mrs. Malinda (Patton) Alderson, and remained there until his death, October 10, 1908. One child, Nora (widow of Rev. C. H. Peck), was given them. He lived a quiet, contented, unostentatious life on the farm, where the latch-string always hung on the outside, where the stranger was always welcomed to share the generous and unstinted hos-pitality of a well ordered, happy home.
Greenbrier had no better citizen than William G. Miller. In-dependent, pronounced in his views, with well formed opinions on all questions touching the welfare of State, county, community, be was at the same time modest, unassuming, was respected and honored by all as a man of high character and sterling integrity in all his dealings. He had a kind heart, a willing hand; the poor of his community know his goodness and charity were sure and unfailing. His wife, Mrs. Malinda Miller, died November 14, 1911, at the old home where she had lived for nearly fifty-five years. She united with the Sinks Grove Baptist church when she was seventeen years old. She transferred her membership to the Greenbrier Baptist church when she was first married and came to Alderson to live. For sixty years she walked with the Lord with
unswerving fidelity. She was a woman of the clearest con-victions, of strongest faith, and of great firmness of character. Her devotion to the church of Christ was most marked, and the old records of Greenbrier Baptist church, in which she spent more than half a century of service, hear their testimony to her great worth.
