Rev. Adam MILLER ¹

  General Notes:

BIOGRAPHY: At an earlier day, seven brothers of the name of Miller came from Germany and settled in the eastern part of the United States, and of one of these, Adam Miller Sr. is a lineal descendant.
Rev. Adam Miller, a Baptist, who settled in Ontwa Township in 1830. Adam Miller was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1781. At the age of twenty-three, he married Sarah Prior, and settled as a farmer in the neighborhood of his birthplace. In 1815, he emigrated to Franklin County, Ohio, where he labored in his chosen fields, temporal and spiritual, until the year 1830, when he removed to Michigan near Edwardsburg. Elder Miller and his family made the journey from Ohio to Southwestern Michigan, crossing the great Black Swamp, and following a tortuous trail through the heavy forest. After a wearisome journey of from three to four weeks' duration, Elder Miller and family reached the northwest part of Beardsley's Prairie, near Edwardsburg. The preacher bought eighty acres of land of a Mr. Coan, or Coon, which he immediately proceeded to plow and plant. Soon afterward, he entered quite a large tract of land, adjoining his original purchase, and lying partly in Michigan and partly in Indiana. Elder Miller's time was divided between farming and preaching. Laboring at agriculture through the week, he saddled his horse Saturday night, or early upon Sunday, and traveled often many miles to fill preaching appointments, usually following Indian trails, and occasionally the primitive roads cut through the woods by the white settlers. His first sermon in the vicinity of Brownsville, Calvin Township, was preached under a burr-oak tree.
He was a fair type of the pioneer minister of the Gospel. He was a man of genial temperament, and was full of kindness and sympathy for all mankind. Notwithstanding the fact that he had a large family, several poor boys, at different periods, found homes under his roof, and his benevolence was exhibited in various deeds. He supported himself upon the proceeds of his farm; never received a salary during his fifty years' service in the cause of religion, and very rarely accepted a donation.
Rev. Adam Miller was rather singularly the seventh son of a seventh son, and himself the father of seven sons. He was twice married. His sons were John P., Anthony, Samuel, David, Adam, Jacob and Henry. Three of them, Anthony, Samuel and David, are ordained ministers; two or three others are occasional exhorters, and all church members. His daughters were, by his first wife, Sarah; by his second, Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth and Eliza, three of whom -- Sarah, Elizabeth and Eliza -- are now living. A granddaughter, Mrs. Sarah K. Owen, resides in Cassopolis. A few years before his death, Elder Miller removed from Cass County and settled a few miles from Mishawaka, Ind., where he died August 27, 1854. (See pages 80-82 of the 600+ page book entitled "1825-1882 History of Cass County, Michigan", published 1882 by Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago)

DISCREPANCY OF ADAM'S FATHER: Adam is referenced in numerous historical records as being of German descent, as well as having a brother named Anthony. Some family trees claim that Rev. Adam Miller (husband to Sarah Prior) had a father named Abraham Miller (husband to Mary Craven) who migrated from Germany; whereas a number of other family trees as well as several historical records claim his father was "Major" John Miller (husband to Ann McClintock) who was the founder of Millersburg, Bourbon County, Kentucky. However, there are major discrepancies as to "Major" John Miller actually being the father of both "Adam" and his brother Anthony. For example:
(A) The Bourbon County, Kentucky Genealogical Society states there were a total of nine children of "Major" John Miller (born 21 Sep 1752 in Sherman's Valley, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania) and Ann McClintock. The nine children (in order of birth) were named Robert, James, Alexander, John, Elizabeth, Jean, Joseph, William and Ann. (No Adam or Anthony listed.)
(B) The book entitled "The Millers of Millersburg, Kentucky" (pages 18-19) includes the entire Will of "Major" John Miller (born 21 Sep 1752, who married Ann McClintock), which was probated Oct 1815 in Bourbon County Court. In his Will, he leaves his entire estate (in this order) to his wife Ann and to their nine children named Robert, Elizabeth, Joseph, Jean, Ann, John, William, James and Alexander. (Again, no Adam or Anthony listed.)
(C) The Kentuckian-Citizen Paper of Paris, Kentucky published articles of "Major" John Miller of Millersburg, Kentucky in their June 22th and June 29th 1943 editions. The biographical articles gave an account of the life and times of "Major" John Miller (1752-1815), his wife Ann McClintock (born 5 Jul 1755), their marriage on 19 Aug 1779 at Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and their nine children named Robert Eakin, John, Elizabeth, Jean M., Joseph, William, James, Alexander and Ann. (Again, no Adam or Anthony listed.)
(D) In the "Miller Book" compiled by Richard E. Bartz (with historical "Miller" research originally gathered by Mrs. C. E. Smith, step grand-niece of Adam Miller), although it states that "Major" John Miller was Adam's father, it states there were actually two "John Millers" who founded Millersburg, Bourbon County, Kentucky -- one John Miller was Irish, and the other was Dutch. (Neither "John Miller" being of German descent.)

  Research Notes:

-- "1825-1882 History of Cass County, Michigan", published 1882 by Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago [book is in public domain] (http://openlibrary.org/books/OL6904023M/History_of_Cass_county_Michigan) (www.gengateway.com/michigan/history_of_cass_county.htm)
-- Miller Data (Journal) by C.E. Smith; privately held by Esther (Bly) Hietala, Grand Rapids, Minnesota (with additional material provided by Richard E. Bartz, Falcon Heights, Minnesota)
-- Cass County MIGenWeb, part of The USGenWeb Project (www.migenweb.org/cass)
-- Lithograph photo from "1825-1882 History of Cass County, Michigan", published 1882 by Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago
-- "Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana", published 1893 by Goodspeed Brothers, 775 pages
-- Bourbon County, Kentucky Genealogical Society (sites.rootsweb.com/~kybcgs/family/ff-01miller.htm)
-- "The Millers of Millersburg, Kentucky", by Harry Middleton Hyatt, published in 1929 by Adolf Holzhausen's Successors of University Vienna, 200 pages (copies held at the Congressional Library in Washington D.C.; the New York Public Library in New York City; and the Kentucky State Historical Association in Frankfort, Kentucky; among other locations)
-- "Biography of John Miller", sourced by "The Kentuckian-Citizen", Paris, Kentucky, 1943 editions (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcclintock/biomajorjmiller.htm)
-- "Major John Miller", Bourbon County Genealogy Trails (http://genealogytrails.com/ken/bourbon/wills/MillerJohnMajor.htm)
-- "Major John Miller", Fort Wiki (http://fortwiki.com/John_Miller)

Adam married Miss WISE in 1804 in Greene County, Pennsylvania. (Miss WISE was born about 1781.)

Adam next married Sarah PRIOR, daughter of Nathan PRIOR and Abigail ROSE, in 1806 in Greene County, Pennsylvania. (Sarah PRIOR was born on Mar 30, 1787 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, died on Dec 20, 1850 in Mishawaka, St. Joseph County, Indiana and was buried in Salem Cemetery, Granger, St. Joseph County, Indiana ².)

Adam next married Nancy DOSSEN about 1851. (Nancy DOSSEN was born in 1779-1833.)