Miller (surname)

I have spent the several days trying to sort through the Jacob Miller families. Unfortunately, I can find no solid documentation to go back another generation. I do know the following:

1830 US Census: Jacob Miller is a resident of Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH

1840 US Census: Jacob Miller is a resident of Perry Twp, Wayne County, OH

1850 US Census: Jacob Miller is a resident of Perry Twp, Ashland County, OH [Ashland County was formed in February 1846. Perry Twp, Wayne County, OH became Perry Twp, Ashland County, OH.]

1860 US Census: Jacob Miller is a resident of Perry Twp, Ashland County, OH

Since Jacob and Catherine Miller were residents in Perry Twp, Ashland County, OH in the 1850 US Census and Jacob continued to reside there in the 1860 US Census, I would guess that Catherine Miller dies in Perry Twp,Ashland County, OH. There are no burial records that indicate this. I looked through the index to the Ashland County, OH Probate Court Records vol. 1-2 (1852-1865) and did not find Catherine Miller listed. Also, death records did not begin until 1867 in Ohio. There were a couple exceptions. In recent years, the Wayne County, OH Vital Records (births, marriages, deaths) for the years 1856-1857 surfaces from years of hiding. I did look in Plain Twp for the death of Catherine Miller and did not find her listed. However, I did find a Catharine Miller, wife of Jacob, buried in the Reedsburg Cemetery in Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH. It indicates she died on 10 August 1857 at the age of 63 years, 7 months, 10 days. I believe this is your Catherine. (Interesting enough, the other Jacob and Catherine Miller of Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH mentioned in the next paragraph are buried in the same cemetery. Jacob died 27 January 1871 at the age of 77 years and 6 months. Catharine died 5 March 1875 at the age of 71 years, 9 months, 28 days.) This information is found on page 563 of the Wayne County, OH Burial Records.

Between 1827 and 1864, there were more than 19 land deed involving a Jacob Miller of Ashland County; Perry Twp, Ashland County, OH; Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH; and Chester Twp, Wayne County, OH. On those transactions where land is sold, it involves Jacob and his wife Catherine Miller. The earlier transactions indicate they are from Wayne Co, OH. The later deeds indicate Jacob and his wife Catherine Miller are from Ashland County, OH. Here is one of the major problems I have encountered. In the US Census for Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH there are two Jacob Millers with a wife Catherine. All are from Pennsylvania. One Jacob Miller is 57 with his wife Catharine who is 49 years. The other Jacob Miller is 56 with his wife Catharine who is also 56. Since you provided the birth dates on your Jacob and Catharine, I ruled them out as being residents in Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH in 1850. In Ashland County, OH in the 1850 US Census, there are two Jacob Millers with a wife Catharine, also all born in Pennsylvania. The Jacob Miller in Perry Twp, Ashland County, OH is 60 with his wife Catherine who is age 56. (This is your Jacob and Catherine.) The other is in Mifflin Twp, Ashland Co, OH. Jacob is 56 and Catharine is 51. So, when the land deed indicates Jacob and his wife Catherine of Ashland County, OH I am uncertain which couple is being referred to – the couple in Perry Twp or the couple in Mifflin Twp. Seldom does a land deed indicate the township of residence unless the land is in that township. We do not have the land deeds for Ashland County, OH in our collection at this time.

Clinton Wilson may be the son of Thomas Wilson. Once again, there is no direct documentation to prove this connection. There were two Thomas Wilson families residing in Wayne County, OH. One is in Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH and the other is a resident of Wooster, OH. The Thomas who resided in Wooster probably died late 1833. His estate was probated 7 January 1834. Given the names in the estate, I do not believe this to be the correct one. I believe the Thomas Wilson of Plain Twp is a more likely suspect. Following this lead, using the census records and land deeds, there is a possibility that Thomas Wilson was married to Nancy McBride Wilson. In the Wayne County, OH Burial Records on page 542, Thomas and Nancy are listed in the Blachleysville Cemetery in Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH. Thomas Wilson died 18 June 1843 at the age of 82 years (born about 1761). Nancy McBride Wilson died 13 April 1851. The burial records indicate she was 66 years but this in incorrect based on the census records. In the 1850 US Census for Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH, she is age 84, born in Virginia and residing with Elzy and Mary Wilson. Nancy may have been 86 at the time of her death, which would place her birth year about 1765. Two other possible sons of Thomas and Nancy are Amariah and Elzy Wilson. In the 1830 US Census for Plain Twp, Wayne County, OH Amariah Wilson, Thomas Wilson, Jacob Miller and Elzy Wilson are neighbors. Also, there are several land transactions between the Wilson and Miller families.

Amariah Wilson married Elizabeth Moyers on 17 January 1822 in Wayne County, OH (v. 2 p. 32). Elza Wilson married Mary McIntosh on 21 January 1823 in Wayne County, OH (v. 2 p. 43). Clinton Wilson married Mary Ann Miller 12 Aug 1830 in Wayne County, OH (v. 3 p. 177).

Also buried in the Blachleysville Cemetery are three of the fourteen children of Thomas and Nancy. This is a notation made by the individual who read the cemetery in the early 1970s. These three children were John, Hamilton, and Enos. No readable stones exist for these children. Other family members are buried in this cemetery, too. The information on Blachleysville Cemetery was compiled by Mrs. Robert Ungerer and Mrs. Verne Chamberlain. I believe both ladies are deceased, now.

• Children of Elzy and Mary McIntosh Wilson Mary died 16 May 1842 at the age of 13 years, 11 months, 16 days Lucinda died 18 June 1842 at the age of 8 years, 3 months, 14 days

• Children of Amariah and Elizabeth Moyer Wilson Sharlotte E., Native of California, died 5 May 1851 at the age of 2 months, 5 days

• Children of Clinton and Mary Ann Miller Wilson Catharine died 28 April 1832 at the age of 7 months, 14 days

Shannon died 22 February 1863 at the age of 23 years, 1 month, 12 days (enlisted 15 August 1862 for 3 years as Corporal in the Civil War, Co. E, 120th OVI; died of disease at Young’s Point, LA -- source is the Roster of Ohio Soldiers 1861-66, vol. 8, p. 254)

Jacob died 15 February 1863 at the age of 28 years, 5 days (enlisted 15 August 1862 for 3 years as Corporal in the Civil War, Co. E, 120th OVI; died 16 March 1863 on hospital boat in Nashville, TN – source is the Roster of Ohio Soldiers 1861-66, vol. 8 p. 254 [note discrepancy in death date])

• Sarah Wilson, wife of Robert died 8 April 1845 at the age of 25 years, 6 months. I am not sure if Robert is another son of Thomas Wilson.

Looking through some of the land deeds, one of the most interesting was found in volume 23, page 228 of the Wayne County, OH Land Deeds. This land deed involved “Jacob Miller as guardian of the minor heirs of John Smith decd late of the County & State aforesaid [Wayne Co, OH]…” selling land to Clinton Wilson. (Clinton Wilson was the trustee of Plain Twp, Wayne Co, OH in 1834 and 1835. He was treasurer of the township in 1835 and 1836.) In 1841, Jacob is petitioning for the sale of real estate that was part of the dower of Susannah Harpster, widow of John Smith, deceased. This dower estate involved Jacob Harpster and his wife Susannah; Samuel Harpster and his wife Siley [Alicy]; Peter Smith, Jacob Smith, John Smith, Susannah Smith, and Catharine Smith (born 1832). The valuation of the property was done by Michael Speck, John Adams, and William Adams. When John Smith died, the administrator of his estate was John Ihrig; the bondsman was Jacob Miller; and the appraisers were John Mowrer, William Adams, and Jacob Miller (estate #S-92; $400; probated 17 Jun 1834). Other notations of interest include the following:

• John Smith married Susanna Lightfoot on 14 December 1820 in Wayne County, OH (vol. 2 p. 19)
• Jacob Harpster married Susan Smith on 22 May 1836 in Wayne County, OH (vol. 4A p. 211)
• Samuel Harpster married Alicy Smith on 30 March 1841 in Wayne County, OH (vol. 4C p. 40)
• In the 1850 US Census for Chester Twp, Wayne County, OH:
• Jacob Harpster, age 72, born in PA
• Susanna Harpster, age 51, born in Maryland [former widow of John Smith decd]
• Catharine Smith, age 18, born in OH [probably daughter of John and Catherine Lightfoot Smith]
• Mary A. Harpster, age 35, born in PA
• Emmanuel Harpster, age 15, born in OH [probably son of Mary A. Harpster
• John W. Harpster, age 5, born in PA [probably son of Jacob and Susanna Lightfoot Smith Harpster
• Alsee Leightfoot, age 82, born in OH [probably mother of Susanna Lightfoot Smith Harpster
• Jacob Harpster, age 6, born in OH [probably son of Jacob and Susanna Lightfoot Smith Harpster

There were no official guardianship papers of children of John and Susanna Smith in the book, Will Abstracts, Estates and Guardianship Wayne County, Ohio 1812-1851. I checked the Common Pleas Court Journals for 1834 and did not find any mention of the guardianship. I have no idea if there is any family connection between the John and Susanna Smith and Jacob Miller, the guardian of the minor children.

As mentioned, there are many land transactions for Jacob Miller. Likewise, there are many land transactions for Amariah [America] Wilson, Clinton Wilson, Elsy Wilson, and Thomas Wilson. I have copied about 47 images from the land deeds.

I do not know if any of the information I have found will help in your research. If you are interested in anything I have found, please let me know.