Saturday, August 8, 2009

One Land -- Our Miller's in Maryland and Delaware


As we research William Miller and his family, remembering that some of them also owned land and lived in the adjoining Newcastle County, Delaware, will richly add to our body of knowledge. We know that Rebecca Bradford Miller's mother, Sarah Bradford, was the daughter of Samuel Bradford of Red Lion, Newcastle County, DE. Red Lion is only 10 miles from Elkton! Our Miller-Bradford ancestors populated this region on both sides of the state line.

This is a letter written in 1921 by someone by the name of Grace Torrance Clark who was researching the Bradford's and Millers. She pinpoints Abraham Miller, William's father, as living in Pencader Hundred which is part of Newcastle County, Delaware. The letter (page one shown above) says in part,
"I write to inquire if there are birth, marriage or death records extant in the original Head of the Christiana--White Clay Creek, Head of Elk or Pencader Presbyterian churches. If so, where are they? I am interested in proving the marriage, about 1730, of Abraham Miller of Pencader Hundred to Rosannah. I believe she was the daughter of James Grimes of Pencarder Hd. In 1754 Abraham bought 175 1/2 acres, a part of Knowlwood, from Henry Pierce of Chester Co, PA. and his wife Sarah. Abraham had a brother Robert whom I think married a daughter of the Rev. George Gillespie--Head of Christiana from 1712 on to 1746."

Here is a description of Pencader Hundred according to Wiki:
Pencader Hundred is that portion of western New Castle County that lies south and west of the Christiana River, north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, and generally west of Salem Church Road and Red Lion Road (DE Route 71). It also includes a large area north and east of the Christiana River generally from the old Pennsylvania Railroad tracks to Cooch’s Bridge, as well as another small area south of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, west of Summit Bridge and north of Back Creek. Finally, it excludes the small area west of the Christiana River immediately west of Newark. It was formed from portions of New Castle...

Newcastle County land records list several Millers involved in land deals. A few include:

Andrew Miller - 1762 - White Clay Creek Hd
Thomas Miller - 1741 - White Clay Creek Hd
Abraham Miller - 1748 - [Hd not listed]
Samuel Miller, son of dec'd Donald Miller - 1749 - Newcastle Hd

The above list is very abbreviated, and future posts will more completely report on the Bradford's and Miller's listed in Newcastle County land and church records. Researching in both counties, Cecil County, Maryland, and Newcastle County, Delaware, will surely give us a more complete record of our ancestors.

1 comment:

  1. Has anyone found additional information on the above Rosannah, daughter of James Grimes? A new line to look into, ack!

    ReplyDelete

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