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Major John MILLER, born on September 21, 1752 in Sherman Valley, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. John died in Millersburg, Bourbon County, Kentucky on September 5, 1815; he was 62. Source: The Kentuckian-Citizen, Paris, Ky., June 22th and June 29th 1943 editions. John located on the site of Millersburg, Ky., in 1778, where he built the first brick house in the State. He erected the 'Irish Fort' at the third settlement in the State… (History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri, St. Louis, 1887, p. 800). The Millers made four trips to Kentucky. For the first of them we have evidence from one of the most important sources on the early history of Kentucky, the famous work of Lewis Collins (Historical Sketches of Kentucky, Covington. Ky., 1876, 2 vols., being a revision of the 1847 edition): "A company of fifteen men (in after years frequently called Hinkson Company)…in March and April, 1775, came down the Ohio and up the Licking river, in canoes, in search of lands to improve. They landed at the mouth of Willow creek, on the east side of Main Licking, four miles above the forks (where Falmouth now is)… They proceeded on up the Licking to near the Lower Blue Licks ... thence took the buffalo trace to the neighborhood between Paris and Cynthiana where they 'improved' lands…Miller's Company.--A few days later in the spring of 1775, Wm. Miller, John Miller, Richard Clark, Wm. Flinn, Joseph Houston or Huston, Paddy Logan, Wm. McClintock, Wm. Nesbitt, Alex. Pollock, John Shear, Wm. Steel, Henry Thompson, and two others (would Robert Miller, the brother, be one of these two?)--14 in all--came in canoes down the Ohio and up the Licking to the Lower Blue Licks, where they were joined by Hinkson's Company above named. Each party sent out explorers, who examined the country, and reported to the two companies at Blue Licks. They all travelled together the main buffalo trace towards what is now Lexington, until they reached a trace turning west, since called Hinkston's (Collins spells this name both Hinkson and Hinkston) trace, which the Hinkson party followed--while the other party encamped on Miller's run, at the crossing of the lower Limestone or Ruddle’s road, thence went around the country, selected 14 spots for improvement, and divided them by lot. Wm. Steele’s place was on the north side of Hinkston, below the buffalo trace; he improved it by cutting down timber and planting potatoes. They all returned up the Ohio to Pennsylvania in the fall (Collins, Vol. II, pp. 325-326)." Second trip: During the spring of 1776, the Millers, as on the first trip, came down the Ohio in canoes; but this time they landed at Limestone, the present Maysville, and travelled over the "Old Buffalo Trace" to the lands selected the previous year (I shall refer to this journey later and quote the authority). Of this party, only these names are known: John and William Miller, perhaps their brother Robert, Wm. Steele, Alexander Pollock, William Nesbit, and William McClelland. According to their land certificates, to be quoted later, the first five men mentioned, and no doubt William McClelland also, planted a crop of corn in 1776. Third and fourth trips: "The first settlers in Millersburg Precinct, came from Pennsylvania. In 1778, eighteen men, all heads of families, set out from Sherman’s Valley, near Carlisle, in Pennsylvania, for Kentucky. They journeyed on foot through the wilderness, and so far as is known arrived at their destination without encountering any serious adventure. The names of these men could not all be obtained, but among them were Robert Pollock, William McClellan, William Steele, David Marshall, Henry Thompson, William McClintock, John, William, and Robert Miller, and John Patton. A preemption grant of 400 acres had been furnished to each of them from the Governor of Virginia as an inducement for them to settle in Kentucky. Upon their arrival they proceeded, with their surveyor, a man named Johnson, to lay out and survey their respective claims. Four of this colony located their land within the present limits of Millersburg Precinct, vix., John and William Miller, William McClellan and William Steele. They located their 400 acres, and then proceeded to take up 1,000 acres each, at twenty shillings per hundred acres, upon which they built their cabins and planted a little corn, a precaution that was necessary to enable them to hold their preemptions. McClellan built his cabin about one and a fourth miles south of the village of Millersburg…Steele settled near Steele’s Ford, on the Hinkston, but the exact spot is not known…John Miller preempted the land upon which Millersburg stands, but settled about a mile north of the town…William Miller built a cabin about a mile south of Millersburg…Each of the Millers built block-houses, where the families collected for protection against the Indians in times of alarms, which for the first few years were numerous and frequent. After securing lands, erecting cabins and planting a crop of corn, they, in the latter part of the year, returned to Pennsylvania for their families and supplies. In the following year 1779 (fourth trip), they came back to Kentucky, making the trip by land to Pittsburg, and thence down the Ohio on flat-boats. During the voyage they were compelled to keep in the middle of the stream, through fear of the Indians who infested the banks, and were ever ready to attack a small party of whites. Once, in attempting to land, Robert Miller was shot by the Indians, who secured his body. Mr. Miller had upon his person a silver watch, and wore silver knee-buckles and shoe buckles, which were then fashionable. Some years afterwards a man came to Millersburg wearing these relics of the unfortunate victim, which he had bought from the savages. They were recognized and purchased by John Miller, a brother of the murdered man. Owing to the hostility of the Indians along the Ohio, the party did not land at Limestone (Maysville), as they had intended, but proceeded to the mouth of the Beargrass, now Louisville, where there was a fort and settlement. The unsettled condition of the country arising from the Revolutionary War, then in progress, and the depredations of the Indians, incited to murder and bloodshed by British emissaries, their intended settlement was delayed, and it was not until about 1785-86 that the members of the little colony took possession of their lands . . . William Steele was shot and severely wounded by the Indians while making his original survey, and he carried the ball to his grave (William Perrin, History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, Chicago, 1882, pp. 121-122). To this narrative of Perrin, comprising the years 1778-1785, additional details can be added. At Carlisle, on Aug. 19, 1779, John Miller (b. 1752-d. 1815) married Ann McClintock—b. July 5, 1755—a daughter of Joseph McClintock, who died near Carlisle in 1799. Children of John Miller and Ann McClintock Miller: Robert Eakin b. 1780—m. Jane McClelland 1814; John b. 1783—m. Cassandra West 1808; Elizabeth b. 1785—m. James Baker; Jean m. (1) Alvin West (2) John Swan Hughes; Joseph b. 1788—m. Polly McKee 1809, no children; William b. 1789—m. Margaret McClintock; James b. 1791—m. Nancy Walton Baker; Alexander b. 1795—m. (1) Martha McClure m. (2) Ann Pelham; Ann—m. William Talbott. Immediately after the marriage, John and his wife; William Miller and his wife, whose maiden name was Jane Purdy, with at least two small children, Jane two years old and Rachel one; Robert Miller, who seems to have been unmarried; William Steele, Alexander Pollock, and William Nesbit, undoubtedly with families; and perhaps others; all these left Sherman Valley, making 201 miles journey by wagon over the mountains of Pittsburg, where they embarked, according to the custom of the flat-boats. Here the year before, George Rogers Clarke had settled several families on Corn Island, opposite Beargrass, and in 1799 (1779??) built Fort Beargrass on the mainland. If we may trust a statement from Perrin—"They returned, however, the following year 1799 (1779??), and erected a blockhouse where Millersburg now stands, p. 37"—the Millers, almost immediately after their arrival at Beargrass, left their families under the protection of the fort and went to build a blockhouse; no doubt with the expectation of moving to their lands the following spring. On Feb. 24, 1780, John and William Miller appeared before the land Commissions at Harrodsburg to file their claims. On Aug. 28, 1780, at Beargrass, occurred the birth of John Miller’s first child, Robert Eakin Miller, the first Miller to be born on Kentucky soil. Concerning him, Perrin writes, "Robert Miller, born 1780, is said to be the first male child born in the state, p. 513." John and William Miller—with Alexander Steele, Alexander Pollock and William Nesbit—appeared, "At a Court continued and held by the Commissioners of the Kentucky District for adjusting Titles to unpatented Lands at Harrodsburgh this 24th day of Feb’y 1789 (Certificate Book etc p. 237)." Did the Millers come from building their blockhouse or from Beargrass? Other men from the same vicinity in Fayette County (Bourbon was taken from Fayette in 1785) appeared before the Commissioners on the same day. In fact a very strange coincidence happened "this 24th day of Feb’y." Among the thirty-five men appearing before the Commissioners was also another William Steele. He and his brother, Andrew, had claims toward Lexington (see Collins, Vol. II, pp. 173, 241, and index). So far as the names of the men connected with the Miller migration are known, certificates for only five of them were recorded: John and William Miller, William Steele, Alexander Pollock, and William Nisbit (later spelled Nesbit). Robert Miller, of course, was killed before he could record his claim, but concerning this claim it has been said, Robert Miller’s was near the big spring in Isaac Chanslor’s farm (Geo. W. Bryan, Snap Shots of Millersburg, Ky., Cincinnati and Millersburg, 1901, p. 7)" The certificate for John Miller is typical of all: "John Miller by Jno. Martin this day claimed a settlement a preemption to a tract of land in the district of Kentucky on Acc't of raising a Crop of Corn in the Country in the year 1776 lying on the North side of the Middle fork of Licking Creek to Include his improvement adjoining the Lands of Alexander Polock Satisfactory proof being made to the Court they are of Opinion that the S'd Miller has a right to a settlement of 400 Acres of Land to include the above Location and the preempt of 1000 Acres of Land adjoining and that a Cert issue accordingly ('Certificate Book etc.', p, 242-243)." All five men, according to the certificates, raised corn in 1776. The lands of the others: William Miller, "lying on the Waters of the Middle -fork of Licking on a large Buffaloe road"; William Steele, "lying on the North side of Middle fork of Licking Creek between a large Buffalos road and the creek"; Alexander Pollock, "lying on the North side of the Middle fork of Licking Creek adjoining the lands of Jno. Miller"; and William Nisbit, "lying on the north side of Middle Fork of Licking Creek between a buffaloe Road and the s’d Creek adjoining the Lower side of Wm. Steele’s land" (Certificate Book, etc., pp. 242-243). The year 1783 saw the beginning of actual family settlements about Millersburg. The original surveys, made in 1778 by the surveyor Johnson (Perrin, p. 122), were evidently deemed unsatisfactory, for after the Miller claims had been filed, the lands were re-surveyed: that of John Miller, Jan. 6, 1783 (Jillson, p. 88); William Miller, next day, Jan. 7, 1783 (Jillson, p. 88); William Steele, the following day, Jan. 8 (Jillson, p. 117); and William McClelland Dec. 6 and 26, 1783 (Jillson, p. 97). The lands of Alexander Polock and Richard Clarke were surveyed later: the former, June 20, 1784 (Jillson, p. 109); the latter, Nov. 1, 1792 (Jillson, p. 159). All these lands were Virginia Grants, excepting Richard Clarke’s whose was an Old Kentucky Grant. After William McClelland’s death, his son Elisha was made one of the defendants in a land suit, the records of which are of importance; giving us not only some information about William McClelland, but also showing that other families had started to settle in Millersburg in 1783. This suit—Wigginton and Others vs William Adair and Others, filed Aug. 29, 1815; final decree, May Court, 1824, Bourbon Co., Ky., Bob 587—involved many of the early families. Among the defendants, Orators represent that William McClelland obtained certificates for settlement and preemption and patent for land, included in entry and survey of orators and legal title now vested in Elisha McClellenad, also made defendant to Bill. That William Miller (who did not die until Dec. 16, 1824) obtained certificate for settlement and obtained Patent for part of land included in orators Patent, also made defendants to Bill (Bourbon Circuit County Records—Suits in Abstract, by Julia Ardery [Mrs. W. B.], in Ky. Hist. Reg., Vol. 37, 1939, p. 256). Among the many deponents were: "May 27, 1823—At Timberlake’s Tavern, Paris, Kentucky . . . Deposition of Robert McClelland states that he came to this country Dec., 1783 with his father, William McClelland, and landed at Limestone, then to Washington in Mason County, where they stayed about six weeks, then to William Miller’s old improvements and stayed until last of Feb. 1784, then to where Elisha McClelland ‘now lives’ and stayed a few days in cabin formerly built by his father but because of an alarm of Indians went to Lexington where they raised a crop of corn, and in Oct. family returned to place where his father settled and he has lived there ever since (Bourbon Circuit Court Records, p. 262). William McClelland’s cabin may have been built in 1778 or at an earlier date, for ‘William McClelland, who was a native probably of Virginia, and came to Kentucky in 1776, landing at Limestone, now Maysville, soon after coming down the ‘Old Buffaloe Trace’ to Irish Station (Perrin, p. 513)." For the next few years there is no information about the Millers. According to Perrin, "Collins says that in 1789, the only station between Maysville, then known as Limestone, and Lexington, was the Lower Blue Licks . . . Irish Station was another settlement, some five or six miles from Blue Licks, and was settled a few years later (p. 329)." What Collins does say is something different, "In 1789, the only station between Limestone (Maysville) and Lexington, sixty-four miles, was at the Lower Blue Licks . . . Irish Station was about 5 or 6 miles south of the Lower Blue Licks, on the road to Lexington, and John Miller’s (which he had previously said was founded in 1784) about 6 miles further on (Vol. II, p. 654)." However, we are able to check this date. Joel Watkins, who made the journey between Limestone and Lexington in 1789 says, "I stopt at the Blue Lick . . . after leaving the sd. Lick we had Twelve Miles to Travel before we came to any Settlements ("Miller’s Station") ("Joel Watkin’s Diary of 1789," edited by Virginia Smith Herald, Ky. Hist. Reg., vol. 34, 1936, p. 225)." In 1794, Needham Parry, travelling from Maysville to Lexington, stayed the night of June 5 about three miles south of Blue Lick and next day, "This morning we went about 4 or 5 miles and then the road began to get better, till we came to a fine stream of water called Hinkston Creek, which is likewise a prong of the south fork of Licking R. Just at the ford of this creek, there is a dam; and one side there is a grist mill and a saw mill, and there on the other side right opposite, there is a grist mill and fulling mill; all of which are supplied out of the same head, one dam answering the whole. The land here being excellent, and Timbered with Walnut, Honey Locust, Buckeye, and cherry. The next stream we crossed, was a creek called Stoner ("Journal of Needham Parry—1794," Ky. Hist. Reg., vol. [illegible] 1936, p. 382) Perrin, "Among the first manufacturing industries were those of mills. The first establishment of this kind was erected by the Millers. John Miller put up a saw and grist mill so long ago that no one now remembers the date of its erection. It was built of logs…in the southern part of Millersburg on Hinkston Creek. As early as 1808, flour was being shipped from this mill to New Orleans, and for years it was a considerable institution in the neighborhood, and was patronized by the people far and near…A mill was also built by William Miller, just acrossed the creek from that, put up by his brother, and of the same character and capacity, with the exception that a fulling attachment was added, which was probably the first of the kind in the country (p. 122)." John Miller married Ann McClintock; Henry Thompson, Sr., married Mary McClintock (Perrins, p. 518), undoubtedly related to Ann, as also to William McClintock, the pioneer; and William McClelland married Martha Miller, certainly related to the Millers. Though (illegible) William McClelland probably came from Virginia, this has never been the tradition among the McClellands of Missouri, "William McClelland of Pennsylvania married Martha Miller, by whom he had Jane (md. Robert Eakin Miller), Martha (md. Joseph McKim), Robert (md. Elizabeth Amos), William, Elisha and James (History of Callaway County, Missouri, St. Louis, 1884, p. 150)"
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