Miller Family

Arrived on Unknown Vessel 

The line below is currently for the progenitor of the North American branch of this family line. 

The immigrant Michael Miller came to North America in ??. 

The European branch is not presently included. 

Generation One:

Michael Miller- b, abt. 1760 New York, USA; m(1) abt 1793 Sarah Farnsworth at Granville Twp, Annaolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m(2) 24 November 1801 Susan Grimes at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; d. 1854

M(1) Children:

1. Solomon Farnsworth b. 1794 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. Sally Tuck

2. Harris b. 1796 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; 

3. William b. 1798 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

4. James b. 1800 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

M(2) Children:

5. Edward b. 1802 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

6. Thomas Handley b.. 1805 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

7. Michael b. 1807 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

8. Sarah Ann b. 1808  at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

9. Jacob b 1812  at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

10. Irenne Salome b. 1814 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

History of the County of Annapolis, including old Port Royal and Acadia

William Arthur Calnek. History of the county of Annapolis, including old Port Royal and Acadia: with memoirs of its representatives in the provincial parliament: and biographical and genealogical sketches of its early English settlers and their families. Toronto: W. Briggs, 1897. Ancestry.com. History of the county of Annapolis, including old Port Royal and Acadia: with memoirs of its representatives in the provincial parliament: and biographical and genealogical sketches of its early English settlers and their families [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. pp. 550-551

 The Michael Miller- Sarah Farnsworth Story 

by Roy Miller

    Remaining loyal to his King, Michael left the new "Upstart Country" of the United States, following the Revolution. He was not alone, for upwards of one hundred thousand people did the same.

    Michael was a Loyalist. He sailed from New York, arriving at the place made famous by Longfellow's poem "Evangeline". Once named Acadia (where in 1755, eight thousand French were forced to leave because they refused to obey British Law), Nova Scotia became the new home of Michael Miller. He married Sarah Farnsworth and settled in Annapolis County. 

    Michael Miller's nationality was at first thought to be German, and it may have been, but a recent study of surnames by this writer, leans strongly toward English ancestry. A brief report on Healdry follows. (to be added at a later date).

Immigration

by Roy Miller

    It is difficult, to determine, at present, if Michael Miller arrived in America from the old country, or was born here. It is equally difficult to discover if he was alone or simply broke away from his family. The Revolution, like the Civil War, to follow, pitted brother against brother, father against son, etc.

    The possibility exists that Michael left a family behind in New York, that is to say, father, mother, etc., and that he departed for Canada due to his beliefs and non-alignment with said family. This is purely speculation, of course, there being no hard facts to support any such thought.

    From 1717 to 1775, fifty thousand English convicts were deported to America. In those days one hundred fifty crimes in England brought Capital punishment. If a person stood silent in the presence of his "betters", it was a crime. 

    There were also a number of "Indentured Servants". Many of the convicts were sold outright to southern plantation owners. Indentured servants, their only crime being they were poor, destitute, usually worked in the colonies for four years and gained their freedom. Many of them went on to great things. In the case of children, the serving time usually lasted until the twenty-first birthday. Over half of all British immigrants came under a "Labour Contract.

    The traveling was not entirely one way and in the 178's one hundred thousand people left American for Canada and elsewhere, Michael Miller among them.

    Be proud, ye Millers, for Miller is a proud name. Michael, Sarah, and al the others have left us a grand heritage.

Roy Miller's Notes for the Miller Family Tree Chart

Not everyone in the family tree was included, just the direct lines and the immediate family from Michael and Sarah Miller to the family of Wesley and Mary Miller and to the family of Shirley and Edna Miller.

Michael Miller was a New York Loyalist of German Extraction who came to Nova Scotia after the American Revolution.

In the family plot in the Riverside Cemetery in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, we found the following tombstone inscriptions:

Harris Miller                                                            Sarah

Died April 20, 1875                                                Wife of

Aged 82 years                                                        Harris Miller

                                                                                Who died

                                                                                Sept 6, 1867

                                                                                Aged 82 years

Michael Miller                                                        Alexander Witt

Who died                                                                 Who died

May 10, 1848                                                          Dec 21, 1858

Aged 28 years                                                       Aged 36 years

Wesley Miller                                                          Abbie L. Miller

Died June 9, 1898                                                  Died March 8, 1899

Aged 59                                                                  Aged 14 years

There are other notes mentioned but they mention live people and are kept from this posting at this time for privacy. 

A Study Into the Roots of the Miller Family in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia 

by Roy Miller

    Bridgetown is a small town which lies snuggles in a pleasant western section of the Annapolis Valley and is bisected by the Annapolis River. On the north rises the North Mountain, a low ridge of basaltic lava. On the south is the gradual slope f the South Mountain which is the terminal moraine of the Great Glacier. 

    The history of Bridgetown quite properly begins with the Indians who lived, hunted, fished in the area. Until very recently people still talked about the "Indian Path" that led across the Lane (South Street( and down to the river.

    Then came the Acadians and there were several small farming settlements of these industrious people on both sides of the river. Indians were always friendly to the Acadians and hostile to the English. It was Indians who massacred some seventy English from the garrison at Annapolis Royal in 1711 on the river-bank near the oil tanks at the western end of town/ Another massacre took place in 1757 on the south side of town at a place still appropriately called Bloody Creek. 

    The first English settlers to come to the area were people from New England who bought the Acadian lands lying vacant after the Expulsion of 1755. By 1763 the "Planters" were well settled in and their descendants are still living in the region.

    Loyalists came next to the region after the American Revolution, and since many of these people were men of wealth and learning, a great advance in the life of the community was soon obvious. Road building dates from this period.

    With the Loyalists came many Negroes and their descendants, they live, for the most part, on a prosperous and progressive village called Inglewood on the northern part of Bridgetown. Through the years the people contributed much to the total community. 

     Through the years various industries flourished, died or moved elsewhere. There is now a large distillery and an elastic factory, both employing many local residents. These  are attractive, up-to-date industries adding much to the appearance as well as to the economic well being of the area. 

    In June, 1784 a ship load of Loyalists arrived in Granville which at that time comprised the portion of Annapolis Valley between Fort Royal and Wilmot. The 137 Loyalists in the Muster Role brought their families and slaves bringing their numbers to 399. Among that group of loyalists were listed two Millers; Abraham and Michael, the latter being a disbanded soldier of the 84th Regiment. It is believed that Michael Miller was of German extraction and that he fought among the Hessian Mercenaries who constituted about one third of the king's troops in America/ The Miller names was not new to the Granville area as Francis Miller of German extraction from New York purchases lot no. 116 near Bloody Creek in 1763.

    After arriving in Granville, Michael Miller married Sarah Farnsworth, the daughter of Solomon Farnsworth. Evidently Mr. Farnsworth had lived in the area several years as he is included on the census lists of 1770 and 1774. The Millers had five sons: Solomon Farnsworth, William, Harris, Edward, and James. Solomon, being the oldest, married Sarah Travis. William and Edward died unmarried. Harris, born in 1793 married Sarah Gaskell in 1818, he being eight years younger than she. Sarah died Sept 6 1867 and her husband lived until April 20, 1875. Harris and Sarah were buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Bridgetown. James, the youngest son of Micahel and Sarah Miller married Eleanor Chandler in 1822.

    After the birth of her son, James, Sarah passed away. In 1801, Michael Miller married Susanna Grimes and they had six children. Sons again dominated in Michael's second family as his first child was named Handley. This was followed by Thomas Handley born in 1805, Michael, Jr in 1807, Sarah Ann in 1808, Jacob Edward in 1812, and Irene Salome. Michael Miller, Jr is perhaps one of the best known of the Miller Family in the Bridgetown area as in 1834 he married Lucy Ann Merry and in the Bridgetown Census of 1838 he is listed as a tinsmith with seven in his family. Three of his sons died at a young age but among the other children were three daughters, one which married Obadiah Parker and another Adam Boyd. It is believed that this is the same Michael Miller that was proprietor of the Royal Stage Hotel at the head of Queen Street. After having left this position a couple of years, he returned to this position in 1862. An 1860 Bridgetown Census lists Michael Miller as a hotel man after with ten in his family. One reference records his death in 1871 and another stated he died in 1873.

    There isn't much recorded about Michael Miller's other children except that his first son, Solomon Farnsworth Miller served in Captain Fowler's Company and Militia. In the muster role of 1845 his age was listed as 54. He and his brother, Harris, were farmers ad they settled on the side of North Mountain in the village of Clarence...

Generation Two:

HARRIS MILLER- b. 1796  at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. 12 Apil 1818 SARAH GASKELL at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; ; d. 20 April 1875  at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada, aged 79 years.

Their Children:

1. Sophia b. 4 January 1820 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. 6 December 1838 Eaton Chute at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m(2) 7 May 1868 Solomon Chute at Clarence, Wilmot Twp., Annapolis, Nova Scotia; d.  6 April 1898 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada, aged 78 years

2. MICHAEL b. 16 February 1822 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada;

3. William Doane b. 22 January 1825 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. Elizabeth Sanders; d. 1896, aged 71 years.  

4. Mary b. 12 January 1828 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. 1850 Alexander Witt at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; 

5. Benjamin b. 27 November 1830 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. 1861 Catherine Sanders at Bridgetown, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada.

6. POSSIBLE TRACK FOR WESLEY BEING A SON OF HARRIS (see email from researcher below)

A Study Into the Roots of the Miller Family in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia 

by Roy Miller- cont'd

   ...We shall now trace the Miller Family lineage through the descendants of Harris and Sarah Miller of Clarance. Their first child was Sophia, born in 1819. Sophia married Eaton Chute and when he died, she married his brother, Solomon. Harris' first son, Michael, born in 1822, was named in honor of his grandfather and uncle. Michael married Elizabeth Chute but he died on May 10, 1848 and is buried beside his father who loved another twenty seven years. On Jan 22, 1824, William was born and he married, Elizabeth Sanders, who was born on January 6, 1827. William died on July 3, 1916 and his wife passed away on November 5th of that year. They are buried in another section of the Riverside Cemetery.

    The third son of Harris and Sarah Miller was Benjamin, born in 1828. It was Catherine B. Sanders who married Benjamin and it was from their grandson, Shirley. H. Miller that we were able to obtain the key to the information about the Miller Family. Benjamin died on Dec. 30, 1901 and his wife on May 22, 1917 at the age of 87. 

    The youngest child of Harris and Sarah was Mary who married Alexander Witt. Beacuse Alexander was such a close relationship with his brother-in-law Michael Miller and his father-in-law Harris Miller (he is buried beside them) we shall probe into the background later.

Generation Three:

MICHAEL MILLER- b, 16 February 1822 at Granville Twp, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. ELIZABETH CHUTE; d. 10 May 1848, aged 26 years.

Their Children:

1. Michael Miller- b. 1838; d. 1838

This was thought to be our Wesley's parents

WESLEY b. abt 1839 at Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; 

Generation Four:

WESLEY MILLER- b. abt 1839 at Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. 19 September 1867 MARY PICKETT at Granville Twp. Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; d. 9 June 1898 at Bridgetown, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada, aged 59 years.

Their Children:

1. John Harvey b. 1869 at Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. 14 May 1890 Amy Sweeting at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts; d. at Punta Gorda, Charlotte, Florida

2. EUGENE E. b. 16 February 1871 at Granville, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada

3. George Dudley b. 17 August 1872 at Bridgetown, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; d. 24 August 1960 at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts. aged 88 years

4. Morris Alton b. 15 January 1875 at Granville Ferry, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada

5. Lewis H. b. July 1876 at Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m(1). Amanda Nee Unknown; m(2) Lena Stott Mitchell; d.1 May 1953 at Foxboro, Norfolk, Massachusetts aged 77 years.

6. William Edmund. b. 12 August 1876 at Bridgetown, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. Helen Parmenter; d. 1945 at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts, aged 69 years

7. Morton B. b,March 1882 at Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; d. 21 June 1901 at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts, aged 19 years.

8. Abbie L. b. 1885 at Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; d. 8 March 1899 at Bridgetown, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada

9. Eva Ethel b, 9 April 1888 at Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; d. 16 September 1944; m. 25 November 1908 John J. Dow at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts; d. 16 September 1944 at Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts aged 56 years.

10. Frank Wesley b. 12 June 1890 at Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada; m. 6 October 1910 Gertrude May Abbott at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts; d. 14 May 1975 at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts Divorced in 1946 (Frank remarried) and remarried in 1967.

Roy Miller's notes on Mary Pickett:

    Those who knew her in this country said she was inclined to be moody, quiet, keeping to herself at times. She was a lovely woman, and an excellent cook. Today, we would describe her by saying she was "one hell of a woman". For she brought ten little ones into this world at a time when it wasn't easy.

George Miller (assumed); Eugene Miller; Annie B. Clarke; Eva Clarke;

Background (assumed) Alice Clarke; Olive Clarke

Wedding Day

Generation Six:

WILFORD E. MILLER- b. 1903  ; m. 19 April 1961 DORIS MAE DUNBAR at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts; d. 19 December 1961 at Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts, aged 60 years.

Their Children:

1. Son- deceased; married; two children; one grandchild

2. Daughter- living; married; two children; six grandchildren

Excerpt from Roy Miller:

 ... As I at engaged in conversation (1979) with Doris Dunbar Miller, she treated to me that she still waited to hear Wilford's step on the stair returning from work for the day. Wilford has been gone since 1967, and indication of the love and fond remembrance Doris has for the man in her life. Wilford was born in 1903, the son of Eugene and Anne Clark Miller. 

    Doris told me that Wilford had the ability to make you feel good when he talked to you, which explains his success in sthe sales field (ind. He retired from the insurance business.     Wilford and Doris met when he used to visit his sister, Bessie, near the Martin Street home in Brockton. 

Sources: