STEPHEN D. MILLER, a well-known citizen of Amwell township, is a son of Joseph Miller, whose father emigrated from Ireland, and located in Greene county, Penn., where Joseph was born February 1, 1791. Joseph Miller learned the carpenter's trade, cabinet making and undertaking, and in the course of his wide experience in the latter vocation was called on to bury the remains of Rev. Solomon Spaulding, who wrote the romance entitled "Manuscript Found," on which, it is claimed, the "Book of Mormon" was founded. In the war of 1812 Joseph Miller became a member of Capt. William Patterson's military company, and was sent to Black Rock, on the Niagara river. He saw no active service, but remained there with his company until they were ordered into winter quarters, when the volunteers returned home on furlough, and Mr. Miller's company traveled on foot through southern New York to Amwell township, Washington county. It was a toilsome and adventurous journey, over several feet of crusted snow, at times guided only by a narrow Indian trail, traveling twenty-eight miles, one day, with no human habitation in sight. Joseph and a comrade were obliged to carry, besides their own burdens, another brother who was sick; but they finally arrived home the day before Christmas, after having been thirteen days on the route. On March 4, 1813, Joseph Miller was married to Parmelia Harris, of Amwell township, Washington county, and then began work on the farm in the same township, which is now owned by George Swart, in 1816 moving to the farm now owned by A. J. Swart. Joseph and Parmelia Miller had the following named children: Nehemiah, Mulvina (deceased), William (deceased), John F., Benjamin (deceased), Tunis and Stephen D. Mr. Miller owned a farm of forty-two acres near the village of Ten-Mile, in Amwell township, and was considered a good business man. In politics he was formerly an Old-line Whig, afterward becoming a Republican. He was an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he and his wife were members for many years. Mrs. Miller died in 1862, and Mr. Miller followed her, April 12, 1885, in his ninety-fifth year.
Stephen D. Miller was born August 29, 1833, in Morris township, Washington Co., Penn., and acquired but a meager education in the public schools of the neighborhood, which, however, he made a good practical use of. On August 11, 1853, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Baldwin, of Amwell township, and their children were as follows: John F., born December 11, 1854, died January 11, 1855; William, born March 28, 1860, was killed June 29, 1870; Emma Frances, born March 20, 1864; Phoebe Jane, born December 25, 1865; John B., born January 1, 1870; and Thomas and Elizabeth (twins), born October 10, 1872. The mother of this family dying October 22, 1872, Mr. Miller married, April 30, 1873, Sarah McCracken, who bore him the following children: Herbert McCracken, born February 18, 1874; Clark H., born November 16, 1875; Effie Z., born December 20, 1877; Myrtie Iona, born April 24, 1879, and Melville D., born March 2, 1882.
After his first marriage Mr. Miller began work in a sawmill, disposing of which he worked the Evans farm three years, and in 1867 purchased the farm of eighty-five acres where he has since resided, engaged in general agriculture, and also following the undertaking business; by industry and good management he has been most successful. In politics he has been a Republican ever since the formation of the party, having voted for John C. Fremont, the first candidate in that party for President. He has been treasurer of the school board twelve years, and is now road commissioner. Mr. Miller and the greater part of the family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Text taken from page 832 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]