George Miller, Sr., was born on 4 June 1785 in Crab Orchard, Carter County, Tennessee, Charmian Poe shows birth place as Crab Orchard, Carter Co., TN.
Problem: Crab Orchard is in Cumberand County.
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7,8,3,6,4,9,10,11 George Miller, Sr., married
Lydia Stover, daughter of
Christian Stover and
Sarah Lymebok, on 19 January 1805 in Carter County, Tennessee. [miller-davis.ged] Nathiel Kraemer & Charmian Poe have marriage date of 19 Jan 1805. John Shearer has marriage date of 15 Jun 1805. Jim Casto has this as third marriage, no date.
12,13,3,6,4,9 George Miller, Sr., married
Nelly Smith on 9 February 1826 in Union County, Indiana. [miller-davis.ged] James Casto has Nelly Smith as first wife.
7,8,3,6,4,4 George Miller, Sr., married
Mary Ann Stockton on 4 November 1827 in Montgomery County, Indiana. [miller-davis.ged] James Casto has Mary Ann Stockton as second wife.
7,3,8,14,4,5,6 George Miller, Sr., died on 11 September 1874 in Linn County, Oregon, at age 89.
7,8,3,15,6,4,16,17,18,10,11 He was buried on 12 September 1874 in Millersburg Cemetery, 5 miles north of Millersburg, Linn County, Oregon,
MILLER CEMETERY, MILLERSBURG 1. The MILLER cemetery was established in 1850, in which year Mr. William McClain was buried there, in the far northwest corner. The cemetery is positioned at the corner of Woods Road and Millersburg Drive in a rural area about 5 miles north of Millersburg, Oregon. It is enclosed with a chain link fence, but is not being maintained. Rows are laid out running north and south. It is still being used for burials; some as recent as 1997. The oldest portion of the cemetery, at the northwest corner, is in very poor condition and has suffered some vandalism. About a dozen headstones are either damaged so badly that it is
impossible to be certain of the information they bear, or are completely gone. These are reflected below with appropriate question marks.
2. Directions to travel to the cemetery: (Located 1 1/2 miles from Interstate-5) Exit 238 from I-5. The ramp empties onto Old Hwy 99E. Travel west on 99E 1/2 mile to north on Morningstar Drive. Go 500 feet to west on Millersburg Drive. Go 1 mile to Woods Road which runs south only, and is not marked with identifying road sign. The cemetery is in plain view on the corner, and marked with a large sign at the gate.
Note: The following list of Miller burials in the Miler Cemetery is apparently incomplete and does not include George Miller:
MILLER, Alice M., d. 15 May 1879, age 17yr, 2mo, 'My Wife'
w/o Chas. A. Miller & d/o H.& E. Farwell
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MILLER, Ellen E., b.9 Jun 1832, d.8 Feb 1894, 61yr, 7mo, 29da
MILLER, Isaac D., b.26 Aug 1828, d.16 May 1911, 82yr, 9mo, 10da
'MOTHER & FATHER'
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MILLER, Earl, 1893-1966
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MILLER, Benicia S., 1896-1996 'Gramma B.'
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MILLER, Virginia Ann, 9 Oct 1933
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15,6,4,11 WPA Linn County, Oregon, Cemetery Survey (1940) - Miller Cemetery Established: 1850
Nearest Town(s): Millersburg, Albany
Est. # Burials: 225
Size in Acres: 2.20
Driving Directions:
About 6 miles N. of Albany, W. of old Hwy. 99
From I-5, take Millersburg Exit. 0.2 m., turn R. 0.3 m., turn L. 1.2 m., Millersburg Store. Turn L onto Conser Rd. 0.8 m., turn R onto Woods Rd.
0.9 m., on R, the once elite Isom House. 0.3 m., on L, Miller Cemetery (1850).
Contact Info:
Linn Co. Tax Assessor: Lot 401:
MILLER CEMETERY ASSN
Deed Ref: A 468, DEED 086-086
The following information is transcribed from the WPA Linn County Cemetery Survey, researched & prepared by Leslie L. Haskin on 3/4/1940:
This cemetery is situated in Section 17, Township 10 South, Range 3 West, in Linn County, Oregon. It is a small tract of land from the north-east corner of the land claim of George Miller Sen. And lies in the southwest angle of two branching roads at that place . . . .
The Miller Cemetery received its name from a very prominent Miller family, or group of families, who settled in this neighborhood in the year 1848. The heads, or elders of these families were Abraham Miller, Sr., born in 1794, and George Miller, Sr., born in 1785. The latter was the father of twenty-four children, therefore the Miller tribe became very prominent in this neighborhood. They gave their name to the cemetery as well as to the small country community of Millersburg.
George Miller Sr., and his wife, Mary Ann Miller, deeded the land for this cemetery on September 24, 1857. It is apparent, however, that the ground had been used for burial purposes considerably previous to that date. The deed given by the Millers reads, in substance, as follows:
"George Miller Sen., and Wife To Little Bethel Church of Regular Baptists. "For the purposes of building a meeting house and burying ground." "Consideration one dollar and the respect they have for said church." [NB: followed by a description of the land...]
The trustees of the above Little Bethel Church at the date given above were Exum Powell, Abraham Miller, Jr., and John Crooks. The history of the church, being linked closely with that of the cemetery, and besides being most interesting, is here quoted at considerable length:
Little Bethel Church of Regular Predestinarians of Old School Baptists was organized at the home of Exum Powell, in the Millersburg district in 1848. The Miller families and especially Abraham Miller, Jr., were guiding spirits in the organization. At that time it is believed that there was only one other church organization in Linn County, namely, the Santiam Baptist Church at Sodaville.
This new church received its name from Little Bethel Church in Lincoln County, Missouri. Its articles of faith were adopted from those of a church at Spoon river, Illinois. Their doctrines were most conservative; The eleventh article reads as follows:
We believe the mission system, Sunday schools and temperance societies to be unauthorized by the Word of God. And as such we declare a non-fellowship with them all in their various branches."
At its organization the church consisted of the following members - William Alphin, John T. Crooks, Abraham Miller, Jr., Exum Powell, Elizabeth Powell and Louisa McClain. John T. Crooks was the first clerk and Abraham Miller, Jr. the first deacon. Elder Joseph Turnidge became the first pastor, although the first sermons here were preached by itinerants from further down the valley. Meetings were first held in the homes of settlers. Indeed, although the present cemetery plot was deeded "For the purpose of building a meeting house and burying ground", it appears from local tradition that no church building was ever actually erected here, but that the services continued to be held in private homes and school-houses only.
Little Bethel Church seemed from its beginning to have been divided into factions by internal strife. The slavery question, among others, greatly bothered them. Late in the 1860s it was split into two factions, each claiming to be "The Church". By 1870 the membership was so reduced that there was talk of dissolving it, but another and unique plan was evolved. Certain members of the church were planning to leave the neighborhood and move to the gold mines of Southern Oregon. These moving families were permitted to go, but to take the church with them, while those who remained behind were given letters of dismissal. This unique church procedure empowered George Miller, Sr., Abraham Miller, Jr., and Elizabeth, the latter's wife, to take the church and church records with them wherever the went.
Since the Church, from that time on, left Linn County, its history is immaterial here. Enough to say that it held sway thereafter at such various and distant places as "Pine Opening, Cascade Mountains", "Woody's Schoolhouse", "Bear Creek Valley, Jackson County," "Southern Oregon", "Antelope Schoolhouse", "Jackson County", "Hockensmith's Schoolhouse", :root's new Meetinghouse", "Bish's Schoolhouse", "Plimire's Schoolhouse", "Bell's Schoolhouse", "Antelope", "Chimneyrock", "Phoenix", and "Ashland". In 1885 a branch church was organized on Williams Creek in Josephine County. Because of its various wanderings throughout southern Oregon, this church became popularly known as "The Church Which Traveled".
Before leaving Linn County the records show that the services of this church were held in the following places - "Exum Powell's home" (where it was organized), "the Forks of the Santiam", "Dickey's Schoolhouse", "Tharp's Schoolhouse", "Allphin's Schoolhouse". Dickey's Schoolhouse was in the Scio region. Allphin's and Tharp's Schoolhouses were in the Millersburg region.
Preachers who held forth before the little Bethel congregations in its Linn county days were Turnidge, Simpson, Gregg, Stipp, Cranfill, Beebe, and Abraham Miller, Jr.
The first burial in the Miller Cemetery, according to local tradition, was the above Elder Turnidge, first pastor of the church. No stone marks his grave and the facts could not be positively verified. The first burial of record was William McClain who died in 1850, the second burial of record was Mary, wife of Jacob M. Miller on Sept. 16, 1855, and the third of record was Mary Ann Miller in December 23, 1857. This last was the wife of George Miller, Sr., the man who gave the land for the cemetery. Her death occurred only ninety days after she signed the deed of conveyance.
Early birth dates are numerous in this cemetery. Those found of especial note, and all occurring in the 1700s, are- George Miller, 1785, Abraham Miller, 1794. William McClain, 1796. David Bensley, 1799.
The present size of this cemetery and the distribution of burials indicates that there have been late additions to the original plot. The original land deeded by the Millers probably comprised Sections 1 and 2, while sections 3 and 4, increasing the area almost twice, are as yet but little filled.
Historical & Biographical Notes:
Mary Miller. 1807-1880. Was the wife of Abraham Miller, Sr. Came to Oregon in 1847 or 1848 [sic; actually, 1851].
Abraham Miller. 1794-1975. This is Abraham Miller, Sr. He came to Oregon in 1847 or 1848 [sic; actually 1851]. This is one of the early birth dates here. His donation land claim was in Sections 14-15, which is on the south bank of the Santiam River just opposite the present town of Jefferson.
Nancy C. Miller. 1819-1855. She was the wife of J. L. Miller; hers was one f the early deaths recorded in his tract.
Delazon S. Davis. 1859-1860. An infant son of the early settlers, J. J. and M. A. Davis who evidently named their son after Delazon Smith, one of Oregon's first Senators. The parents are buried at the Hale Cemetery.
T. J. Crooks Sr. 1807-1896. He was one of the trustees of Little Bethel Church to whom this cemetery tract was first deeded. His donation land claim was situated in Section 1, near the junction of the Santiam and Willamette Rivers.
Thomas Allphin. 1827-1891. A very early settler in this region. The family have been prominent in the neighborhood since pioneer days.
William McClain. 1796-1850. The first burial of record here. Also one of the earliest birth dates. William McClain was an Oregon pioneer of the year 1847. Came from Pike County Missouri. Was the father of ten children. His donation claim was near the Willamette River west of Millersville.
David Bensley. 1799-1886. A very early birth date.
John Meeker. 1817-1883. Came to Oregon in 1848. First settled on the Willamette River but because of floods soon left his claim and purchased the claim of Stanley and Jane Earl Umphlet a short distance north of present Millersburg. His descendents still own the original claim. He was a cousin of Ezra Meeker.
Lydia Meeker. 1823-1889. Wife of the last. Her maiden name was Lydia Miller.
George Miller Sr. 1785-1874. The earliest birth date recorded here. He came to Oregon in 1847 or 1848 [sic; actually 1850]. Was the father of twenty-four children. He gave the land where this cemetery is located.
Mary Ann Miller. 1810-1857. Wife of the last. She died only a short time after signing the deed with her husband which set aside this tract for cemetery and church purposes.
Isaac Meeker. 1847-1910. Son of John Meeker, pioneer of 1848. Came with his parents as an infant. First married Laura Hale, daughter of Milton Hale. She is buried at the Hale Cemetery. Second marriage to Elizabeth Wilson (Mary Elizabeth Wilson).
Mary Elizabeth Meeker. 1863-1910. Wife of last. Her maiden name was Wilson.
[end of Haskin survey]
Charlotte Powell, Miller family descendant, is preparing a genealogy of the Millersburg Cemetery. She adds these notes to the information above:
George Miller came to Oregon in 1850, settled his claim in Oct of 1850. (His daughter Martha was b. in Dec. 1849 or Jan 1850 in Iowa (promise to get her death certificate soon). I am sure George had no idea in 1850 of turning his place into a cemetery!
According to the Church Clerk's Record Book of the Little Bethel Church, page 25, on 23 May 1857:
"Agreed that the piece of land selected by Brethren G. Miller & J. T. Crooks, on the N.E. corner of Bro. G. Miller's land claim, shall be obtained for church purposes, On which to build a meeting house and for a burial place........Made by the request of Elder Joseph Turnidge, that he might be buried thereon."
The request must have been made earlier because Jos. Turnidge had died on 18 May 1857 and was the first person to be buried there. Mary Ann Stockton Miller, George's wife, was probably the second, in December of 1857. George Miller did deed the land to the church shortly after.
William McClain did die earlier, but he was first buried on what was his intended land claim. It was jumped by two men after his death and his children forced off. (Linn Co. Pioneer Stories, interview with Ella Ann McClain Burbank) His body was removed at a later date and moved to the Millersburg Cemetery.
I differ a bit with a few of [Haskin's] facts:
It was Abraham Miller, Jr., George Miller's son, who came to Oregon in 1847, not George Miller's brother Abraham Miller who came in 1851.
Isaac Meeker 's wife Mary Elizabeth was a Groshong, her first husband was John Wilson; I have his first wife as Melvina Hale, not Laura, but could have been her middle name?
There is a Jacob M. Miller whose wife Mary d. (bur.?) September 16, 1855. Cannot find this Jacob or his wife anywhere in the two Miller lines that lived in this area or on any of the three lists that I have. Sure would like to find him!
I am doing the genealogy of the Millersburg Cemetery, which seems an unending task! Would like to put it online some day even though it is nowhere finished.
Online Transcriptions: Surveyed 2001 by Lyle Stephenson and available at Jan Phillips' website.
References used to prepare these cemetery pages are provided.
Lisa L. Jones prepared and is solely responsible for the content of these pages. Copyright 2001.
Miller, George - was born June 4, 1785, and came to Oregon from TN, IN, and IL. He had a total of 24 children born to two of his three wives. George Miller was one of four brothers and two sisters born to John and Mary Ann (Keene) Miller. M. 1st, in TN. Lydia Stover, 8 ch., she d. in Ind. in 1823; m. 2nd Nellie Smith in 1826, she d. 1826; m 3rd Mary Ann Stockton, 16 ch., to Ill. in 1834. To Oregon in 1850, where George started new farm at age 65, in Linn Co. His last ch. b. here in 1852. Mary Ann
d. 1857 and George d. 1874 in Linn Co. Many of his children lived to come to Oregon, some preceded him.
10 Abraham Miller, Jr. letter:
'When he himself died in Oregon he was in his ninetieth year; would ride all day on horseback, as strait as a boy. He died of a pain in the eye and head, lingered about three weeks, and died Sept. 11th, 1874. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newspaper article 'As Told to Me....by George Masten Miller', February 28, 1948, Klamath Echoes, Klamath County Historical Society:
'My grandfather, also a George Miller, and an early day pioneer of the Willamette Valley, used to come on horseback, alone, each fall from Jefferson [Oregon], to visit with us when we lived in Langell Valley. He always brought a small sack of apples for us kids, which was a great treat for us. When he was ninety-eight years old, he left Klamath for home and somewhere on the Green Springs road, got into a blizzard and he was later found, frozen to death, leaning against a pine tree.
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The Albany Register Guard, Albany, Oregon, September 13, 1874:
Died - September 11th, 1874, George Miller, Sen., aged 91 Years, 3 months, and 7 days. Mr. Miller was sick about three weeks, and up to the hour of,his death was in the full possession of all his faculties. He was buried on Saturday, 12th inst., near P.V. Morris' place. Gravestone has 'Father of 24 Children'.