John Miller Sr. (1758 - 1819)

Born 3 Aug 1758 in Saratoga County, Province of New York [uncertain]

Husband of Rachel (Unknown) Miller — married 28 Jun 1787 in Halfmoon, Albany, New York

Descendants

Died 15 Feb 1819 at age 60 in Stillwater, Saratoga, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: SJ Baty [send private message] and Pamela Miller [send private message]

Biography

John Miller Sr. served with 12th Regiment, Albany County Militia, New York Militia during the American Revolution.

Birth

John was born on 3 August 1758 in New York^[1] to unknown parents. At the time of this writing, his parents are unknown and have not been definitively located after a thorough search. Several clues exist that may indicate some of his brothers or possibly his father: there are other men with the surname Miller listed in the same Albany Militia Regiment that John served in. Further research is warranted.

Family war legends

Through recorded family history it has been retold that John enlisted into the militia when he was 17 years old in order to fight in the Revolutionary War.^[2] By law, "all male inhabitants from 15 to 55 were to be enrolled in militia companies. By the 1700's, the New York militia was organized by county and officers were appointed by the royal government."^[3]

When the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord in 1775, John would have been 17 years old and already a 2 year veteran of the militia. Because the contemporary minimum age to join the military is 18, modern writers may have assumed that he signed up early (before attaining the age of 18). The minimum military age of 18 was the same after 1890 when many of the Miller family histories were written down in order for his descendants to qualify for membership in the newly created Daughters of the Revolution. Or it is possible that modern writers, after doing the math for his birth date and military service, assumed an early join date unaware of the required militia service for men starting at age 15.

American Revolutionary War service

John was a member of the Albany County Militia, 12th Regiment commanded by Colonel Jacobus Van Schoonhoven.^[4] The regiment was called to duty in July 1777^[5] to supplement General Horatio Gate's Continental Army to help repel a British invasion from Canada. Van Schoonhoven's 12th engaged in the Saratoga Campaign and the British forces under General John Burgoyne's command were defeated. The Regiment stood down on 17 October, 1777.^[6]

The defeat of the British in this campaign was a morale boost to the Americans and it paved the way for France's entry into the war.^[7]

In addition to John's name in the roster of Schoonhoven's Regiment, there appear other Miller names, most probably relatives: Christopher, Jacob, James, Jeremiah, and Joshua. James Novell also appears on the roster; he is likely the first husband of John's wife Rachel.

Marriage

John married Rachel on 28 January 1787^[1] in Half Moon Towship, Albany County, New York.^[2]

Rachel's last name at birth is not known but she was previously married to James Novell (or Newville). James served with John in the 12th Albany Militia Regiment. He received his final war pay in 1785 and did not appear in the 1790 census.^[8] Through family history we know that John married James' widow Rachel. James and Rachel had at least three daughters:

• Jemima (Novell) Oakly, b. 18 Feb 1780, d. 11 Jun 1816, aged 36 years^[9]
• Juhamna "Ann" Novell, b. 23 Oct 1782*^[2]
• Elizabeth Novell, b. 14 Oct 1784*^[2]

*Ann and Elizabeth were mentioned in John's 1819 will^[10] as step-children; Jemima had died 3 years earlier.

Children

John and Rachel had the following children:

i. John Miller Jr., b. 3 Jan 1788 in Albany County, New York, d. 17 Jun 1851 in Bristol, Kendall County, Illinois.^[1]

ii. James Miller, b. 15 Jun 1789 in Albany County, New York, d. 18 Dec 1845 in New York, aged 56 years, buried in Stillwater, Saratoga, New York^[1]

iii. Rachel Miller, b. 18 Jun 1793 in Halfmoon, Saratoga County, New York, d. 13 May 1813, aged 19 years^[2]

Residence and timeline

John served in the American Revolution starting sometime between 1775 to 1777 in Albany County, possibly hailing from Halfmoon Township. He was married in Halfmoon in 1787,^[1] and he appears there on the census in Halfmoon in 1790,^[8] 1800,^[11] and 1810.^[12] He moved to Stillwater some time after 1810 and died there in 1819. Albany County was partitioned several times and in 1791, Halfmoon and Stillwater became part of Saratoga County.

1758 - New York* - DAR record - John was born on 3 August.^[1]

1777 - Saratoga Campaign, Revolutionary War^[5]**

1787 - Halfmoon, Albany, New York - Marriage to Rachel Novell (Newville) June 28^[1][2]

1788 - Halfmoon,* Albany, New York - son John was born on 3 January^[1]

1789 - Halfmoon,* Albany, New York - son James born on 15 June^[1]

1790 - Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York - census^[8]***

1800 - Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York - census^[11]

1810 - Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York - census^[12]

1819 - Stillwater, Saratoga, New York - John died on 15 February^[10]

*Estimated or assumed

**Note: Abraham DeGraff appears as a private in the 12th Albany Militia; Abraham's daughter Maria was married to John's son John Miller Jr.

*** Note: A John Novell appears three lines from John Miller; it is possible that John Novell was a relative of James Novell. Abraham DeGraff also appears on this census page.

Death and Burial

John died on 15 February 1819 in Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York where he was buried, aged 60 years.^[13]

John's will was executed on 25 February 1819.^[10] His sons John and James were named as executors.

In part the will specifies:

I will and bequeath unto my loving wife Rachel Miller the use of all my estate both real and personal so long as she remains my widow...

I give and bequeath unto my son John Miller Junr. all the real property that I hold by deed and lease, excepting and always reserving the land...

and also I give to my said son John Miller Jrn. the whole of the farming utensils and stock on the farm that belongs to me excepting one cow, and it is to be understood that I give and bequeath to my said John the barn and the land and the on which it stands...

I give and bequeath unto my son James Miller all the land excepted as above stated which includes the last end of the farm I now live on excepting as above stated and the wood land above excepted. Also I give the said James one cow.

I give and bequeath unto my daughter in law Rachel the wife of my son James my large looking glass.

I give and bequeath unto my step children Elizabeth and Ana all my household furniture...

Witnesses present: John Miller Junior, James Miller, Ephraim Child, Philip Minnie, and Timothy Ford. Executed by the Surrogate of the Village of Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York, George Palmer.

Research Notes

John and James are found in the volume "New York in the Revolution," both in Van Schoonoven's Regiment:

John

James, p. 438

The DeGraff men

New York in the Revolution at Archive.org - this page has John and James Novell

New resource to be fleshed out: http://www.saratoganygenweb.com/Sylvester/chap36.html

A John Miller Jr. appears in the tax lists in 1802 in nearby Malta. John's son John Jr. is too young to be this person:

• 1802 Tax assessment: https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6771&h=293423&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=lrz-511473&_phstart=successSource

• 1803 Tax assessment: https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6771&h=297923&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=lrz-511473&_phstart=successSource

John was born in 1758. He passed away in 1819.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (DAR : accessed 29 May, 2018), "Record of John Miller", Ancestor # A079199. Note: The DAR database incorrectly shows John as a militia man in the 13th Regiment; John served in the 12th Albany Militia.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Hug, Barbara. Hitchler Family Tree. Newton, IA: Privately published, 2000. Accessed 19 November 2018 J Baty.
3. ↑ "The Albany Militia", New York State Museum: Exhibitions. Accessed 25 September 2019 by SJ Baty.
4. ↑ State of New York, Comptroller's Office. New York in the Revolution as colony and state: A compilation of Documents and Records from the Office of the State Comptroller. Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon Company, Printers, 1904. Vol I, p. 121. Accessed 23 September 2019 by SJ Baty at Archive.org.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "Americanwars.org." American Wars, A Complete History of the wars fought on United States soil: Albany County Militia - 12TH Regiment. Accessed 21 November 2018 SJ Baty.
6. ↑ Van Schoonhoven's Regiment of Militia. "military.wikia.org." Accessed 29 May 2019 SJ Baty.
7. ↑ The Saratoga Campaign. "military.wikia.org." Accessed 29 May 2019 SJ Baty.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Year: 1790; Census Place: Half Moon, Albany, New York; Series: M637; Roll: 6; Page: 321; Image: 307; Family History Library Film: 0568146. Accessed 29 May 2019 SJ Baty at Ancestry. Ancestry shared record.
9. ↑ Miller Family Bible, 1815. Copies from researcher Barbara Hug. Original in possession of the brother-in-law of George Washington Miller. Accessed 23 September 2019 by SJ Baty.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} "The will of John Miller Senior 1758 to 1819" transcribed by SJ Baty.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Year: 1800; Census Place: Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York; Series: M32; Roll: 27; Page: 1040; Image: 18; Family History Library Film: 193715. Accessed 31 May 2019 SJ Baty at Ancestry. Ancestry shared record.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Year: 1810; Census Place: Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York; Roll: 35; Page: 703; Image: 00185; Family History Library Film: 0181389. Accessed 31 May 2019 SJ Baty at Ancestry. Ancestry shared record. Note: John appears on page 6 of the 1810 census. Two other (younger) John Millers appear on pages 2 and 8. On page 9 appear: Abraham DeGraff, John DeGraff, Jeremiah Finch, Abraham DeGraff and (next line, likely his son) Abraham DeGraff Jr. On page 10 appears Colonel Van Schoonoven (and Grotis, likely his son), John's Revolutionary War regimental commander. Page 13 has Isaac and Jonathan DeGraff, p. 14 Moses, Gideon, Jonathon, & Abraham DeGraff, p. 15 Philip Miller; a Philip Miller also appears in the Bristol, Kendall, Illinois 1850 census (where John Jr. died after the family migrated to Illinois).
13. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 16 April 2021), memorial page for John Miller (3 Aug 1758–15 Feb 1819), Find a Grave Find A Grave: Memorial #51657874, citing Baptist Church Cemetery, Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Barbara Lane Hug (contributor 46982342) .

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