Henry Wilson MILLER

Notes:

Will probated on October 27, 1875.

George married Sarah SMITH. Sarah (daughter of William SMITH) was born in 1816 in West Virginia; died in 1861. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Chronicles of Henry Miller (WFT #1326)
December 1818
Henry Miller buys an ax at the sale of the estate of John Walls. Wills Vol. I
1813
Henry Miller signs over 114 acres of land to John McClung. Vol. 5 P. 593 of Greenbrier, West
Virginia Records.
1820 Census
Greenbrier County (West) Virginia, Henry Miller listed as head of household with total of 9 persons
in the house - 5 males and 4 females.
1 m under 10
3 m 10/16
1 m over 45
2 f under 10
1 f 10/16
1 f 26/45

1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829
Tax records of Greenbrier County, (West) Virginia show that Henry Miller paid taxes on 114
acres of land and one building being 8 miles SW of Court House on Muddy Creek for the years listed.

1829
Henry Miller shows up in Symmes Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. He shows up on records
paying chattel taxes on one horse and one cow.

1830 Census
Henry Miller, head of household is listed in Addison Township of Gallia County, Ohio. He is the
only male and is listed as between 50-60 years old. His wife is 30/40 and four females of
younger vintage in family.

1840 Census
Henry Miller, head of household, is listed in Symmes Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. He is
the only male and is 60/70 years old.
His wife is 40/50
1 female 0/5
1 female 10/15
1 female 15/20

1850 Census
Henry Miller is listed in Symmes Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. He is 79 years old and his wife
Barbara (Rife) is 60. Daughter Ellen is 14. The census taker failed to mark the country of birth of any
person in this family. This family is #44 of Symmes Township. Several of his children are living in
the same community and given in the same census.

Before 1860
The date of death of Henry Miller is not known but the place of his burial is. Since Henry did not
appear in the 1860 census, but his wife is living with one of the daughters it is assumed that he
was dead before the census was taken.

Stories of Henry Miller (as told by Rev. William M. Miller - WFT #1326)

"The first of our Miller's in this country were two little boys. They came over here from Germany. Their parents died on the ship coming over and the boys were reared by friends by the name of Ruffner. John served in the American Revolution. Henry substituted for his brother for two months while John came home to make shoes for the family. During this time Henry lost a finger. They were reared in either Botetourt or Old Fincastle County, Virginia. John died a bachelor so our Miller's come through Henry."

Five different family sources, all descended from Henry, have given the above story, with, perhaps slights variations, but the main parts were the same. One family Bible had a penciled note about this. Another family descendant wrote: "Cholera struck among the German emigrants aboard ship, and many died including the parents of John and Henry. Some of the survivors told later of the English ship men yelling in fear 'let's throw all the Germans overboard!'."

One story mentioned a little Miller girl, a sister to the two boys, but they never knew if she lived or not, and if she lived what became of her.

Stories of Henry Miller (WFT #1326)

It has been told that Henry, though reared by the German element in this country, did at times, even though he spoke English, whenever excited, reverted back to his mother language until when he died. One deed where Henry signed for the sale of land, his signature bears the unmistakable semblance of his Germanic origin, or training.

Henry Miller's first marriage was to the daughter of Adam and Mary Arbaugh, Barbara. This was in 1796. They lived, farmed, reared their children, and paid taxes in Greenbrier County, Virginia. He, with his sons, gathered stones from the fields of Jacob Hockman, which were used to construct a formidable stone house that stood for a century and a half. The rubble of that edifice can still be seen a few miles north of Alderson, West Virginia at a placed known as Blakers Mill.

After locating on Buffalo Creek, Symmes Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, Henry built his buildings, house, barn, and sheds of hickory trees. The little run back of his house and spring house were known as "Hickory House Hollow."

While living here a sort of feud developed between his family and that of the Bandy's, his neighbors. While away from home with the family his house burned. His wife, Barbara, claimed to recognize a certain bed cover which turned up in the Bandy's wash. So they were accused of burning the Miller home and of robbing it first. Later on marriages developed between these families, so all must have been eventually settled.

Before moving to Ohio, Barbara Arbaugh Miller, Henry's first wife passed away. It is said he told the weeping children: "Never thee worry for I will get thee another Barbara." His next marriage was to Barbara Rife.

Henry married Barbara ARBAUGH on 09 Jan 1796 in Greenbrier County, Virginia. Barbara (daughter of Adam ARBAUGH and Mary GRIFFTHS) was born about 1776; died in 1815 in Greenbrier County, Virginia; was buried in Possibly Fleshman or Richland Cemetary/Greenbrier County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(From WFT #1326)

The wife of Henry Miller was the daughter of Adam Arbaugh. This is proven by Adam's will, and Barbara's marriage; both of which took place in Greenbrier County, then Virginia, now West Virginia. Adam in his will, named all his children, giving the family names for his married daughters. He mentions Mary as his wife. His will was made in 1798 and was probated in 1800, which was four years after the marriage of Barbara to Henry Miller.

She was the mother of five sons and three daughters. The boys were Isaac, Michael, John, Adam and George. Girls were Delphena, Elizabeth and Nancy. George was said to have been the youngest of her children. This is bourne out by the ages found for the children in later census data. Delphena was the oldest daughter and Isaac the oldest son.

Barbara's name appears on various land deeds with that of her husband.

Barbara died about 1815. The place of her burial has not been found, nor yet that of her parents. The story handed down is that she was buried in the Fleshman or Richland cemetery. This would be in Greenbrier County.

Notes:

(From WFT #1326)

Adam in his will, named all his children, giving the family names for his married daughters. He mentions Mary as his wife. His will was made in 1798 and was probated in 1800.

The Arbaughs were of German origin. They used various spellings for the name: Orbaugh, Orbau, Oback and other forms have been used.

They very likely came from Pennsylvania to the Valley of Virginia where we find them located at the time of the Revolution. Two daughters of Adam Arbaugh married in the county of Shenandoah, 1785 and 1787; he is mentioned in the records of Augusta. He was in the military district headed up by Adam Rader. By 1792 he was living with his family in Greenbrier County, Virginia where three more of his children have marriage records.

Adam married Mary GRIFFTHS. Mary (daughter of Able GRIFFTHS) was born in in Germany. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]