Person:Thomas Miller (123)

Was Killed at the Battle of Stone River

Thomas S. Miller, b May 22, 1842, PA; enlisted in the Union Army on Aug 9, 1862, 20Y; Co B, Ohio 90 Infantry Regiment, Private; was killed on the first day of the Battle of Stone River, Murfreesboro, TN, Dec 31, 1862; 20Y 7M 9D; buried at Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro.

Served in Civil War, Co. B, 90th Div., also Co. B 7th Ohio, Volunteer

Tombstone at Stones River National Battlefield Cemetery reads:

Thomas S Miller
of Co. B
90 Regt O.V.I.
Killed in the Battle at Stone River
Dec. 31, 1892
Aged 20 ys.7m 19d
Long live the memory of all who
For their country's freedom fall
Of him who shared the mortal strife
And gave in youth his precious life

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 Find A Grave.

   Pvt Thomas Seaton Miller