Person:Thomas Miller (122)

A Standard History of Ross Co.

pg. 738 & 739:

"Thomas Miller, who was born in Pennsylvania January 14, 1809, was three years of age when his father died, and he then lived with an uncle until he was twelve, and after that with another uncle, Jacob Guy, who owned a flouring mill. Here he came into a new and varied experience, and drove a four-horse team transporting flour to Pittsburg and Allegheny City. In 1845 he came to Ohio, locating in Wilkesrville Township of Vinton County, where he purchased and occupied a tract of land until 1849, and then bought another tract of 147 acres in the same township. Here he made a specialty of raising a red navy bean, which found a ready market at Gallipolis, and through raising and selling these beans he paid for his extensive land holdings. In 1866 he sold out and moved to Salem Township, in Meigs County, where he owned and occupied eighty acres until his death, on December 25, 1881.

In Vinton Co., Thomas Miller, made a specialty of raising a red navy bean, which found a ready market at Gallipolis, and through raising and selling these beans he paid for his extensive land holdings. In 1866 he sold out and moved to Salem Twp., Meigs County, where he owned and occupied 80 acres until his death, on December 25, 1881."

Vinton County Ohio, History and Families

page 56, published 1996:

Regarding the Wilkesville Presbyterian Church... "The church was again irregularly supplied [by ministers] until in 1850 when through the effort of Elder Thomas Miller, Rev. Howe was induced to return and remained two years. In 1855 Rev. Thomas Welch took charge and remained nearly eight years. Assisted by Rev. Charles Marvin of Maysville in 1856, a series of revival meetings were held which greatly strengthened the church and added many new members."

"Fourteen of those at that time who were members of the church were later soldiers in the Civil War. They were: Thomas Seaton Miller, killed at the Battle of Stone River on 31 December 1862; Abraham Strausbaugh, died at Memphis, Tennessee on 16 July 1863; Charles E. Hawk; Jacob G. Miller; Cyrus DeVault; Michael Strausbaugh; James B. Miller; William C. Miller; Cyrus C. Miller; John R. Steele; Joseph C. Stewart; James M. Steele; Richard C. Stewart and John Lewis."

"John Miller was superintendent of the Sabbath School then as now, and led the singing then as now. (1896)."

"The first session under Rev. Taylor (1865) consisted of elders, Thomas Miller, Henry Bradley, James Blakely, and Joseph Stewart. Thomas Miller was born in Pennsylvania in 1809. He and his wife,Elizabeth Smith moved to Wilkesville Township in 1845. By his devotion and efforts the church was greatly enriched."

"During the 19th century, the church membership flourished along with the "prosperous Raccoon Valley" with iron furnaces and saw mills, grain mills, and farming. The church sent 14 sons into the Civil War. Two did not return: Thomas Seaton Miller, 1862 at the Battle of Stone River and Abraham Strausbaugh, 1863, in Memphis, Tennessee."

Story of the Presbyterian Church at Wilkesville, Ohio - Excerpt

by Rev. Charles B. Taylor, Ph.D., Pastor

pg. 6
"For a number of years after Mr. Bascom's removal, the church was irregularly supplied. Abraham Blakely, Nathaniel Cobb, John Elliot and Calvin P. Hogshead each supplied the church for a time. Members died and removed until at one period only eleven were left.

In 1850 through the exertions of Elder Thomas Miller, Mr. Howe was induced to return to the field and remained two years and in 1855 Rev. Thomas Welch began his labors here. He remained nearly eight years. In 1856 Mr. Welch assisted by Rev. Chas. Merwin of Amesville conducted a series of meetings which results in a great revival, and though nearly forty years after passed away, the church still feels the effect of that season of refreshing. A considerable number of those who are now office-bearers and faithful members of the church professed their faith in Christ at that time. Another revival blessed the church in 1860.

These revivals strengthened the church and prepared it to pass safely through the trying years of the war. Fourteen of those who were at that time members of the church were soldiers in the war. By the merciful providence of God all but two of them returned.

The fourteen were Thomas Seaton Miller, killed at the battle of Stone River, December 31st, 1862. Abraham Strasbaugh, died at Memphis, Tenn., July 26th, 1868.

pg. 7
Charles E. Hawk,
Jacob G. Miller,
Cyrus duvault,
Michael Strasbaugh,
James B. Miller,
William Cavit Miller,
Cyrus C. Miller,
John R. Steel,
Joseph C. Stewart,
James M. Steel,
Richard C. Stewart,
John Lewis.

Rev. Warren Taylor came to the pastorate of the church just as the war was closing, in March, 1865.

My own personal acquaintance with the church and neighborhood began shortly after. I was mustered out of the U.S. Service the last day of July and arrived in Wilkesville on the 2d day of August 1865.

I recall the next Sabbath as though it were yesterday. The old church on the hill, the gathering of the neighbors from the country, the Sabbath school, and the earnest heartiness of the services moved me strangely. The old church is gone, the old session are gone, and the old pastor is gone.

John Miller was Superintendent of the Sabbath School then as now and led the singing then as now.

pg. 10
THOMAS MILLER
Was born in the state of Pennsylvania, January 14th, 1809. The death of his father in early life left him to encounter the battle of life hampered by great difficulties and with limited knowledge of books. He and Elizabeth Smith who afterwards became his wife and who still survives him, became members of the Mentours
pg. 11 - Presbyterian Church about September 1st, 1831, under the ministry of the Rev. John Cunningham.

They were married February 16th, 1832, and removed to Wilkesville township in 1845 bringing a letter from the Westfield Presbyterian church where their residence had been for some years. Mrs. Miller still has the following document:

    "Westfield, Pa., Sept. 27th, 1845
    This may certify that Mr. Thomas Miller and his wife Elizabeth Miller are members in full communion and in regular standing with the Westfield Presbyterian Church and that their children, John, Jacob Guy, Philip, Elizabeth Jane, Isaac Whitman, and Thomas Seaton are baptized members of the church and that the family are at their own request dismissed to any church within whose bounds they may reside.
    Algernon Sidney McMaster, Pastor.
    September 18th, 1845. Cyrus Cunningham Miller baptized this day by me.
    Algernon Sidney McMaster, Pastor."

pg. 12
In one respect this is a model Presbyterian document and deserves notice. It includes the name of every baptized child and then states that the "family are at their own request dismissed."

That is in accordance with Presbyterian belief and practice. We believe in God's covenant with families.

We hold fast to his promise to be a God to us and to our children. We reverently rejoice as we read in his word: "As for me, this is my covenant with them saith the Lord; my Spirit that is upon me, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of they seed, nor out of the mouth of they seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever." Isaiah 59:21

At the time when Mr. Miller became a member of the Wilkesville church the membership had been reduced by death and emigration to eleven. He was made an elder and set about earnestly to revive the waning interest of the discouraged church. His venerable widow tells me that at one time, when canvassing the congregation to secure funds so as to procure the services of Father Howe, he told her that as he passed the old church on the hill the tears gushed unbidden from his eyes as he thought of the desolation of Zion. He attended the meetings of the Presbytery, procured temporary supplies, and finally secured the return of Mr. Howe. He lived to see the church grow strong and to see his place in the session occupied by his son.

He was a trifle more than ordinary height and very straight. I remember with interest his prayers in the church. Like most men he was apt to repeat certain forms of expression in his prayers and I recall still some
pg. 13 - sentences whose faulty construction showed the limited opportunities of his laborious youth. There was a reverent solemnity and a tender, quiet earnestness in his prayers, which showed they were not meant for the ears of men but were indeed addressed in faith to him who heareth his children when they cry.

Mr. Miller died December 20th, 1881."

THE THOMAS MILLER FAMILY - presented at the Miller Barton Reunion in 1950

written by Mrs. Dale (Verna) Gleason (a granddaughter of Philip Miller, great granddaughter of Thomas & Elizabeth Smith Miller) Aug. 1950 (Read at Miller-Barton Reunion)

Thomas Miller was born Jan. 11, 1809. Died Dec. 20, 1881. Almost 73. His wife, Elizabeth, was born Aug. 5, 1813, died Aug. 21, 1896. Age 83 years. They are buried in the Wilkesville Cemetery, Vinton County.

One of Thomas Miller's sons, Philip, who was my grandfather, was nine years old when three Miller brothers came to Ohio. My grandfather was born Aug. 2, 1835, so they came to Ohio in the year 1845.

There were nine children in Thomas Miller's family. Seven boys and two girls. Of the nine children, six of them were school teachers. Philip, my grandfather, taught for 24 years. Both girls taught and three more of the boys.

Thomas Miller's children were as follows (Bible names): John, Jacob, Isaac, Cyrus, Thomas Seaton, Philip, Henderson, and two girls, Elizabeth and Katherine. Elizabeth married a Stewart, but had no children. Katherine married Benton Strong. Their son Harry went to Tennessee.

Two of Thomas Miller's sons, Jacob and Thomas Seaton, fought in the Civil War. Thomas Seaton was killed at the battle of Stones River, or it is often called the Battle of Murfreesboro, in Tenn. He was killed Dec. 31, 1862. Age 20 years and a month 7 days.

Jacob and his brother fought side by side in this battle. Along in the day Jacob missed his brother. He remembered almost where he had missed him. So that night he and some other soldiers went back to the place to search for him. They found his body. He had been stripped of all his clothing except his underthings. They then buried him, but fixed a mark of some kind so they could identify him later. Later he was buried in the Union Cemetery near Murfreesboro. (6,000 Union soldiers are buried there, 1/3 unknown). The family put up a nice marker to his grave. My aunt visited his grave 11 years ago and read the inscription on his marker. "Love live the memory of all, who for their country's freedom fall, of him who shared the mortal strife, and gave in youth precious life."

This Stones River National Military Park has 345 acres in it. It was established by Act of Congress in 1927 to preserve the battlefield of Stones River, or Murfreesboro. This Cemetery and park is not so far from Nashville.

Jacob Miller was in the Libby Prison and the Andersonville Prison for 18 months. He was in the prison where they had no good water to drink. They got it from a stream which flowed from a Confederate Camp above them. They prayed for water. Then one day, like a miracle, a spring of fresh water broke out among the rocks. They fixed some old pipes from it some way, so they had plenty of good drinking water. He was released by exchanging prisoners toward the end of the war.

Henderson Miller, son of Thomas Miller, had a prominent part in the establishing fo the Presbyterian Church in Wellston. I have been in it lots of times, but never knew until recently that one of my ancestors helped to build it. My aunt who lives in Wellston, and is a Presbyterian, told me that all the Thomas Miller family were strict Presbyterians. Then she jokingly said that later one of them somehow or other wandered astray and became a Methodist. (I'm a Methodist. V. G.)

Henderson Miller went to Florida to live and became quite wealthy. He lost his life trying to save the life of his little boy who was drowning. He was a good swimmer, but Dr. said his heart had caused his death. Both drowned.

I also found in the Wilkesville Cemetery a marker for Beatty Miller and his wife Margaret. By the side of his marker was one with the name of Mary Miller on it, but it did not say who she was. I guessed it to be my great, great grandmother, as she was born in 1778. She died in 1846 at the age of 68 years.

I also found a marker for Nettie A. wife of J. A. Miller. She died in 1879 at the age of 23. I wondered who she was.

I really did get quite interested in looking up these little facts. I hope they have not been too tiresome.

Thank you for inviting me here.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Evans, Lyle S. A Standard History of Ross County. (Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, 1917)
   Vol. 2 / 447 pg.

   eBook Available on Google Play
   
   (http://books.google.com/books/about/A_standard_history_of_Ross_County_Ohio.html?id=jDgVAAAAYAAJ)

2.   Family Heritage (Compiler). Vinton County Ohio History and Families. (Turner Publishing Co., Paducah, KY, 1996)
   152 pg.

   Compiled by Family Heritage;
   
   ISBN: 1563112957

3. ↑ Find A Grave.

   Thomas Miller