Rebecca – The Era She Was Born Into

Rebecca Bradford Miller was born during the American Colonial period in the year 1759 or 1760, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah Bradford.

Where was she born? That is yet to be proved. Some say Maryland, some say Pennsylvania. Rebecca, herself, claimed in a later census that her birthplace was “Pennsylvania.” An early researcher assumed this meant Fayette County, but that does not make sense. Western Pennsylvania was still wilderness, Pittsburgh was still a small settlement adjoining Fort Pitt, and the region was not officially opened for settlements until 1769. There is just no indication that her parents moved out west this early.

Instead, I believe that her parents were living in Cecil County in the territory that was disputed by Maryland and Pennsylvania. Until the Mason-Dixon Line was settled in 1763, parts of present-day Cecil County, Maryland were claimed by Pennsylvania.



As can be seen by this map, this included the area at the top of Chesapeake Bay “near the Head of the Elk” [eventually becoming the town of Elkton], which figures so prominently in our family history.

There is a chance that she was born in nearby Newcastle County, Delaware. A land record dated 1763 indicates that her parents, Samuel and Sarah Bradford, were formerly of Newcastle County, but “now of Cecil County.” According to that land record date, they conceivably could have still been in Delaware at the time of Rebecca’s birth. However, since Rebecca claimed Pennsylvania on the census, my guess is that the above Mason-Dixon line scenario is the more likely. In other words, I believe that the area around Elkton where Samuel and Sarah were living was, at the time of Rebecca's birth, claimed by Pennsylvania; hence, Rebecca claimed Pennsylvania as her birth state in the later census.

Now let’s move from geography to chronology. This time-frame around Rebecca’s birth looks like this: The French-Indian War is winding down, Voltaire writes Candide, and the British rule India. The population in all the American colonies has reached a million and a half. The colonists have endured ever-increasing taxes and economy-limiting bans placed on them by Britain, including the Navigation Act, the Wool Act, The Molasses Act and the Iron Act, which will soon be followed by the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, the Declaratory Act, the Townshend Act, and the disastrous Tea Act. All of these together constitute what the patriots so aptly named The Intolerable Acts. The stage is set for unrest in the colonies.

Regarding social matters, I think that we get the most reliable sense of this era, its customs, speech and dress from the miniseries “John Adams.” If you haven’t watched this yet, I would highly recommend it (this will whet your appetite!-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epe7dteo5Gg&feature=related).


Her father no doubt was a farmer… most men of that era worked the land to survive, even if they had another skill. The question is, were they poor or wealthy, or somewhere in between?

That, and other questions will be addressed in the next post: Rebecca - Her Early Years

The Enigmatic Rebecca

Picture - Early Elkton


I don't think I would be far off in saying that we all feel a great closeness to our progenitor, Rebecca Bradford Miller, and yet she is one of the persons we know so little about! To my knowledge, she is named in only one semi-primary source - a transcription of Elkton, Cecil County, Maryland marriage licences.

That she was William Miller's wife is also mentioned in a few DAR sources. And we are indebted to her grandson George Washington Allen for listing the basics, birth, marriage & death info, as well as children's names in The Allen Family Record.

But there is precious little information to "flesh out" her life story...except for one nugget contained in an intriguing old email from a Mike Miller (is anyone still in touch with Mike?):

"You will notice the difference in ages of William Miller and his wife [Rebecca Bradford]. I have heard Mother say it was told her, he used to visit the Bradford family when Rebecca was a baby in the cradle and would say he was going to have her for his wife when she grew up, as so he did. -written by Sallie Allen, l904." [if anyone has further details about this story, we would love to hear from you].


From these bits and snatches, I will try to piece together Rebecca's life story in the next few posts. If you have more information about Rebecca, please leave it in the Comments section below or email it to me, and I will include it in these write-up's. I feel a great love for this good lady, and I hope we learn even more about her in the future.

Dragon Swamp - Part 3

Pictured at left: Dragon Run Creek (courtesy of wildcanoersteve at flickr.com)

Eureka! In our last post I suggested that you look up the Dragon Creek area near Delaware City, DE, on Mapquest, with the notation that I felt very strongly that our great, great...grandfather, Samuel Bradford's property named Dragon Swamp could be pin-pointed at the north side of the creek and swamp. This, however, was only a hunch. I had no proof.

So I looked up land records of previous owners of this parcel in hopes of getting a more complete description of precisely where this land was, and sure indeed Dragon Swamp was the property bordered on the south by the actual swamp, which means that the farmland still exists intact! (see Mapquest).

Here is the reference: "Deed. On 11 May 1719 Cornelius Walrason [changed to Walraven in later years] of Dragon Swamp, yeoman & Barbara his wife to Elias Everson of the same place, merchant. Cornelius Walrason and Barbara his wife for L75 granted to Elias Everson a tract of land on the north side of Dragon Swamp bounded by Dragon Swamp, a marsh...containing 215 acres part of a greater tract of 600 acres...by deed dated 20 Oct 1686..." ("New Castle County, Delaware Land Records, 1715 - 1728" by Carol Bryant; bold added).

If you go to MapQuest, you will see the fields on the north side of the swamp are still being farmed to this day! Though over two and a half centuries have elapsed, it no doubt looks much as it did then. I believe the fact that those farmlands aren't covered by malls, subdivisions or landfills is truly a miracle!

Also, the picture above verifies that the creek was just large enough for a small boat to make its way the half mile or so to the Delaware River, a feature small plantation owners such as Samuel would have very much desired for their cash crops.

The question remains, did he actually live on the land, or did he have a homestead elsewhere in Red Lion Hundred? I believe there is strong evidence to suggest that he live at Dragon Swamp. If you read #1 below, it establishes that there was a homestead on this property, as poor old Mrs. Walraven, a previous owner [no known relation to our Bradford's] lived out her life there. Thus, when Samuel and his wife Margret acquired these 113 acres in 1740, there would have been an existing home on the site.

Our other clue is contained in Samuel's will. While it does not specify the name or size of his property, later land records show that his son, William, executor of his estate, handled transactions for a 113-acres parcel that had belonged to his father! We know this was the size of Dragon Swamp (see previous posts), and there is no other record of any parcels for which son William was executor. Thus, it appears that Samuel did not just own this for agricultural purposes, but that he and his family did actually lived there.



I believe that the homestead known as Dragon Swamp was indeed where our dear Samuel, his wife Margret, and their children (including Rebecca's mother, Sarah) lived. Perhaps one of us will be blessed enough to travel there someday and walk the very soil they trod.

_________________________________________________________________

For you history buffs, here are more records about previous owners of Dragon Swamp which hint at a dark and mysterious past:

#1: "Hendrick Walraven, although not named in either will, appears to be the eldest son of Walraven Jansen, perhaps by a prior marriage. By 1677 he was taxed at Appoquinimink Creek, where 225 acres were surveyed for him in 1678. Later, in 1689, he acquired 600 acres at Dragon Swamp. He died there c. 1715. Cornelius Walraven married Walborg Evertson (Swedish) by 1713. Initially he lived in Penns Neck, but took over his father's farm at Dragon Swamp by 1715. The last reference to him alive was on 1 May 1733 when, after being convicted by the Lancaster County court for counterfeiting seven silver dollars, he was sentenced to receive 21 lashes, stand in the pillary for one hour and have both of his ears cut off. He was survived by his wife, who remained at Dragon Swamp, and four children: John, Susannah, Elias and Elizabeth." (http://www.colonialswedes.org/Forefathers/Walraven.html)

#2: "A 1000-acre tract called the " Exchange," situated on the Delaware, south of the Red Lion creek, and extending to Dragon Swamp,was surveyed to John Moll in 1675. This tract, and another known as " Lowland," also south of Red Lion, came into the possession of Hans Hanson in 1685 ; and two other escheated tracts of 700 acres in all, were patented to his son Joseph Hanson in 1701. He devised it to his two sons Peter and Joseph, who thus became the owners of nearly the whole northeast part of the Hundred. These lands came afterwards through many hands to be principally owned by the Clarks and the Reybolds. State banks, piles, wharfs and sluices protect these lands also. In 1730 George Hadley, from New York, reputed immensely wealthy, leased 200 acres of this land, and suddenly died at Dover. Rumor had it that he secreted great treasure on the land, and it is said that the entire 200 acres were turned over in the eager search by dreamers digging for the fancied wealth, which was never found to anybody's knowledge, at any rate. About 500 acres of the Hanson land came by marriage into the Clark family, and some of it is still retained by them." (History of the State of Delaware by Henry Clay Cloud, Vol. 2, p. 532).

Dragon Swamp - Part 2

Picture: Dragon Run Creek, Delaware City, Delaware

To review the previous post, in late November of 1740, Rebecca's grandfather, Samuel Bradford (being approximately 30 years old at the time), purchased a large parcel of land called Dragon Swamp in Red Lion Hundred, Newcastle County, Delaware. But he apparently was already a landowner, as on close reading of the land document (see previous post dated February 1, 2010), it says the purchaser was "Samuel Bradford Red Lyon farmer." So it looks like Samuel was increasing his holdings. Was Dragon Swamp adjoining his original property? It could have been, but not necessarily. In was not uncommon in that era for "farmers" (as plantation owners were called) to buy additional plots of land in the area to increase their cash crop production.*

More interesting is the question--exactly where was this property with the intriguing name of Dragon Swamp and what did it look like? An intensive online search turned up an interesting clue: The only place in Red Lion Hundred with any record of an area containing the word Dragon in its name is Dragon Run Creek and marsh due west of Delaware City. Adjoining this area, is the city's Dragon Run Park.

[NOTE: If you type Delaware City, DE into Mapquest, then turn on the "aerial image' and close in on this area, you will see all this. It names the creeks, whereas Google Earth does not. It's the dark green swampy area on the western border of the city formed by a long creek that flows into it from the west, and which then leaves the swamp and flows northeast into the Delaware River. This is Dragon Creek, or Dragon Run Creek, or just "The Dragon" as a charming lady that I talked to by phone in Delaware City told me].

Remember the clues in the previous post: Scharf's History of Delaware says that Dragon Swamp was "near Red Lion Creek," and the Delaware Federal Writer's Project paper says that Dragon Run Creek flows east through Dragon Swamp, then flows into the Delaware River. An examination of this area on Google Earth confirms both of these points, though the rivers and creeks are not labeled. I had to look up lots of maps to confirm that Dragon Run Creek is the one that flows by Delaware City (see picture above), and Red Lion Creek is very nearby, just north of the oil refinery.

I submit that this is the precise spot where Samuel bought his 113-acre Dragon Swamp!

There wasn't a Delaware City, or an oil refinery, or even the canal back then; just meadows of rich soil, quiet waterways, birds of infinite variety in the marshlands, and occasionally a snapping turtle sunning on a log.

Next time: What else do we know about Samuel's life? Though our information is scanty, we will look at a couple more records and see if we can reconstruct more of his life.

[*Was Samuel a grower of tobacco? We may never know, but it is certainly a possibility, as this article shows: "In the latter part of the seventeenth century, Delaware colonists began to grow tobacco in great abundance. Since gold and silver were so scarce in America during the early colonial era, tobacco became a source of currency. Like other English colonies in the area, Delaware was bound to England's mercantile system. This economic arrangement allowed for England to receive raw goods from the American colonies, turn them into finished goods, and then sell the final product on the global market. However, the colonies were not allowed to enter into any production or trade agreements with other foreign countries.With England's insatiable appetite for colonial tobacco and the colonies' need for more supplies, Americans began to use this crop as a type of currency to buy goods from England as well as to buy items in the colonies. Tobacco was seen as the safest, most stable currency in the colonies of the Mid-Atlantic region. Not only was tobacco used to purchase goods, it was also used to pay court fines and taxes...In many instances, those individuals who were not farmers by trade - clergy, innkeepers, artisans, etc., would tend a small patch of tobacco in their spare time in order to pay for goods at the store or to pay taxes.Although tobacco was essential to the Delaware economy for many years, it started to be replaced by other crops by the mid-eighteenth century. Tobacco was extremely harsh on the land and exhausted the soil of its nutrients after only three years of harvesting. The land would need a fallow period of nearly twenty years to allow the soil to re-energize itself. Other crops such as wheat and corn did not have the same devastating effect on the soil. In addition, the quality of Delaware tobacco did not match that of other English colonies in the region, such as Maryland and Virginia. Therefore, it was less in demand by England and the rest of the global market. By the time of the America Revolution in 1775, most Delaware farmers had abandoned tobacco production and returned to growing grain and other crops." (http://archives.delaware.gov)]

Dragon Swamp - Part 1

Marshlands of Delaware

Information on "Red Lion Sam," Rebecca Bradford Miller's grandfather on her mother's side, is sketchy, but we know he lived in Red Lion Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware (spelled Red Lyon in earlier times). Probably the oldest record we have of him is a land document dated November 29, 1740. (Can you imagine...Delaware was still a colony of Britain!).

It says: "William Carpenter and Neomy his wife to Samuel Bradford Red Lyon farmer—Whereas Henry Walraven late decd yeoman, to Jacob Calvert late decd laborer part of tract 600a [acres] in Red Lion Hd, Dragon Swamp. Jacob Calvert died intestate leaving issue only a certain Jacob Calvert of Appoquimink Hd. – Whereas Nicholas Meers Administrator, Town of New Castle mariner by order Orphans Court sold to Richard Drake 100a and Jacob Calvert by deed by 5-1740 to William Carpenter 113 acres—Now William Carpenter and Neomy his wife for sum L75 to Samuel Bradford."

Dragon Swamp--now that's a great name and I would love to know its origins! Scharf's History of Delaware makes brief mention of this area, explaining that it is located near Red Lion Creek and the Delaware River. This would apparently be the origin of the "Swamp" part of the name, as the area assuredly must have had soggy spots. But what about "Dragon"? Probably named in the 1600's by earlier settlers, what was it about this area that conjured up in these 17th century minds thoughts of dragons?

A clue to the name might be found in a Delaware Federal Writers' Project paper: "The Road Crosses Dragon Run, flowing east through the large Dragon Swamp to the Delaware River. This almost bottomless swamp harbors snapping turtles of great size; but the name probably was given it by reason of the proximity of it to the village of St. Georges, thus carrying out some wit's fancy to perpetuate the legend of St. George and the Dragon." [I personally adhere to the turtle theory!].

Oh, to be able to transport ourselves back in time and walk the land with the old gentleman! What did it look like? What did he grow? Was this a working plantation? At 113 acres, we can assume that Dragon Swamp wasn't just marshlands, but was indeed a working farm rich with fertile river-bottom soil and lush growth. Corn and tobacco were the important crops in that era. Many small streams, that have since filled with silt, did in early times flow easily into the Delaware River and were navigable with small boats, making the marketing of crops easier. At 113 acres, Dragon Swamp would have definitely been in the category of a small plantation (by Southern standards). Can we surmise, though, that for Red Lion Hundred this was a good sized farm? As ever, more research is needed. This might not have been his only holding, either. It was very common for planters of that era to have multiple land holdings not necessarily adjoining.

In the next post, we will learn more about Dragon Swamp and our ancestor, Samuel Bradford, who spent much of his life there.

Our Scots-Irish Bradford Line

Picture: County Down, Ireland

[Please forgive my long absence...a move, the holidays, and many other things intervened, but I hope to be back to writing at least a once-a-week post, and you all are invited to contribute, too!]

As descendants of William Miller and his wife, Rebecca Bradford Miller, we have the distinction of descending from two completely different ancestors named Samuel Bradford--one is Rebecca's father, and one is her grandfather on her mother's side..."no relation" according to the Allen Family Record, a quite reliable source we quote from often in this blog.

Rebecca's grandfather (whom we have affectionately dubbed "Red Lion Sam" as he lived in Red Lion Hundred in Newcastle County, Delaware) is proving to be an extremely difficult research subject, and we cannot as yet with certainty say anything about his heritage. Was he Scots-Irish, of English descent, or [be still our hearts] a descendant of The Governor? Only time will tell, we hope!

But it is with near certainty that we can say Rebecca's father was of Scots-Irish origin (see post dated September 1, 2009, entitled "Rebecca's Uncle James Bradford."

While we have not yet identified from which village in Northern Ireland our Bradfords haled, the entry below confirms that persons with this name were part of the migration from Scotland to Ulster:

"A well planned plantation of Ulster began in 1609, involving the introduction to the province of thousands of settlers. These were brought in by adventurers who, in return for title to the land, brought in a specified number of settlers to their estates. One Scottish adventurer, James Hamilton, brought over ten thousand Scots to northwest Down, Scottish names such as Boyd, Fraser, Johnston, Lindsay, Morrison, Patterson and Maxwell are consequently common in Down. English adventurers in Down who brought over English families included Annesleu, Hill and Montgomery. These settlers brought the names Wilson, Johnson, Young, Taylor, Walker, Jackson, Watson, Bradshaw, and Bradford to Ulster." Source: (http://www.rootsweb.com/~fianna/county/down.html)

For a good general history of the plantations of Northern Ireland, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantations_of_Ireland and http://www.libraryireland.com/ScotchIrishAmerica/I.php

It will be thrilling day when we find the exact village in Ireland that Rebecca's father side came from, and an even more thrilling day if we can trace that line back to their origins in Scotland. Let's all join in the search, and hopefully that day will come sooner rather than later.

*I use the term Scots-Irish as opposed to Scotch-Irish, as it is the preferred term [at least by the Scots themselves!].

NEWS!

Announcing a new address for all you members of this blog and the Miller-Bradford e-mail group to contact me at:

miller.and.bradford@gmail.com

I hope to hear from all of you, especially our new blog members. We are small, but growing!

It is already evident that pooling our resources leads to the extending of our family tree. I'm excited and certain that the future holds even more exciting discoveries. (When we find the ancestral villages of our beloved Bradford's and Miller's in the British Isles, I think we will all celebrate!).

As I have already mentioned, we are in the middle of a move, but I hope to be back to writing more frequently in the future. And, as ever, I welcome all submissions. Just write your information in an e-mail and send it to the above address.

I do apologize that I'm still battling technical problems in getting some of the information that you have sent me vai e-mail loaded into the blog, and after the move I hope to resolve that problem. In the meantime, you can always use the "Comment" feature (see below).

Wishing you all the best,
Donna S.

Along the Elk

According to a land record from Cecil County, Maryland, dated September 22, 1780, William and Rebecca Miller sold a 20-acre tract of land to his brother, Benjamin Miller and someone named Richard Ford.

The land was east of the Elk River and according to the record, a "branch of water" called Perch Creek ran through the property. Somewhere on this parcel of land a "water mill" was situated.

Did William Miller build this mill? We don't know. Also unknown is whether grain or lumber was milled here.

A history of Cecil Co, Maryland notes that "after 1720 agriculture in the county was divided into two different types of farms. In the tidewater area holdings still ran to large plantations usually run by tenants or managers. These required many workers and had large slave populations in the early times. These early plantations became nearly self -sufficient. They grew most of their food and also had a few cattle and other livestock to supply their needs. Some had small mills to grind the grain they used. The proximity to navigable water allowed the import of necessities and luxuries, and the easy export of grain and other crops,"(http://www.cchistory.org/agricule.htm). Though the Miller property, at 20 acres, didn't qualify as a large holding such as this, perhaps its mill served other smaller landowners.

On the other hand, if the legend that William was a boat-builder is true, perhaps he milled his own timbers here. And even if William himself wasn't a boat-builder, the Elk's navigable waters emptied into Chesapeake Bay, where boat builders abounded and lumber was a much sought-after resource.

A study of colonial American history also indicates that water mills that were used to process both grains and wood.

Hopefully future research will uncover the nature of this mill, shedding further light on the life of our Miller ancestors. In the meantime, our imaginations run as unending as the waters of the Elk.

[Note: We're in the middle of a move, so please forgive the lack of posts lately. I promise to be better about writing as soon as the packing and unpacking are done! - Donna]

The Bradford Cousins and the Whiskey Rebellion - Part 3

It is 1794. At the Black Horse Tavern in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, David Bradford, his cousin, William, and others meet to discuss the rebellion. A plot to steal the mail is devised, and it is decided that William and John Mitchell will do the deed.

On July 26, 1794, they intercept the mail near Greensburg, about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh. William and John tie up the carrier and grab the mailbag but only snatch letters that look pertinent to the rebellion. They race away, taking the mail to Benjamin Parkinson, and then to David Bradford. They meet at the Black Horse and the dispatches are opened. They find several letters denouncing their actions. David Bradford is incensed and decides that it is time to take action.

Word reaches the President and within days Washington orders a militia 13,000 strong to to quell the rebellion. However, by the time they arrive, the rebellion has collapsed. Many are arrested, but David Bradford flees to Spanish-held western Florida (present-day Louisiana), living there for the rest of his life, with only one brief visit back to his home in Pennsylvania. Eventually all are pardoned, including William Bradford, and an interesting period in American history comes to a close.

How did the rest of the family feel about all this? In particular, what about William and Rebecca? Did they support the rebellion? Was Rebecca proud of her brother and cousin? Or was she ashamed of the whole affair?

Long ago a descendant, Rev. D. G. Bradford, wrote: "...the historic Black Horse tavern, the scene of many an orgie [sic], the seclusion of many a culprit, and the place of planning 'ways that are dark and tricks that are vain' is to be razed to the foundation. When I last saw it three years ago, it had even a repulsive appearance, as if clad in sackcloth and ashes for what had transpired beneath its then dilapidated covering. Within its wall in Whiskey Insurrection days the intercepted mailed was opened and searched not for sordid gold, but to learn what report it carried to the government at Philadelphia concerning those engaged in the insurrection. William Bradford, a relative of the writer, had procured the pouch near Greensburg and brought it to Canonsburg for inspection. What a tale this old 'Black Horse' could unfold if to its crumbling walls speech were possible.

"[I] boarded for a time in the family of Benjamin Bradford, a son of this same William Bradford, and one of the wealthy and most highly respected citizens of the town. His father, the notorious William Bradford, was a large landowner in Braden County, Ohio, was esteemed quite rich for those times, lived in Kentucky, and loaned his money in Ohio. I occasionally saw him, an old man 'leaning upon the top of his staff.' At that time I had learned but little of the Whiskey Insurrection, knew nothing of the history of the Black Horse tavern, the interception of the mail, and was not aware that I was in the company of one of the men who dared to 'hold up' Uncle Sam's mail coach, carry off the pouch to Canonsburg, and rifle the bag. Had I known these things he would immediately have become an object of greater interest to me than he was...I suppose that William Bradford would have hesitated to make any free utterance as to what he knew of the Black Horse tavern, and his illegal handling of the mail. Away with the old "Black Horse" then to make room for a modern structure which shall never be the haunt of men who neither fear God nor regard men."

The Rev. Bradford's reaction was a mix of fascination and reproach. We will probably never know which William and Rebecca felt, but perhaps there is a clue in this: In my branch of the family (I descend through William and Rebecca's son, Samuel Miller), no word of our ancestors' participation in the Rebellion was ever passed down. It wasn't until my brother, Bill, and I began doing genealogy that this connection was discovered. I have to admit that "distance lends romance," and I tend toward the fascination reaction. I am enthralled with all my ancestors, and realize that they were just like us--their lives were filled with bad and good, failures, triumphs and adventures. And so they become more real to me, and even more beloved.

The Bradford Cousins and the Whiskey Rebellion - Part 2

David Bradford (left), successful attorney, businessman and Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania, became the infamous leader of the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania in 1794. He was also the cousin of our Rebecca Bradford Miller!

David Bradford took lead of the rebellion in 1794 and held a series of strategic planning meetings at his home in Washington County, Pennsylvania (about 50 miles west of where Rebecca and William Miller were living in neighboring Fayette County). A bold, defiant plan took hold among the insurrectionists - they would steal the U.S. mail in order to discover which local leaders opposed the rebels. To them, this was an issue of unfair taxation without representation, not the perpetration of a federal crime. It seemed that the end justified the means.

Two men would actually snatch the mail, and one of them was none other than our Rebecca's brother, William Bradford! What were the circumstances that led to this event? Let's go back in time.

As children, Rebecca, her younger brother William (b. 1770), sister Jane, and another brother David (not the David above who was their cousin), grew up in Cecil County, Maryland. It is said that their cousin, the infamous David, also grew up in Maryland, and it is assumed that this was in or near Cecil County, so the cousins no doubt would have known each other. Rebecca's Uncle James Bradford had moved to western Pennsylvania in the early 1780's, some of his adult children having already located there. His son, David Bradford, was admitted to the Washington County bar when he was 22 years old in 1782. Just one year later, this brilliant young laywer was apppointed Deputy Attorney General of the State of Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, his aunt and uncle, Samuel and Sarah Bradford, had remained behind in Maryland. Their daughter Rebecca had grown and married William Miller in 1778. About four years later, William and Rebecca also moved out west to Fayette County, which adjoins Washington County, Pennsylvania, again only about 50 miles from their cousin David. At some point, Rebecca's brother William Bradford also moved to Washington County near his cousin David. William and David were obviously close in proximity, in familial ties, and apparently in friendship, and it was to William that David Bradford looked for help in carrying out the plan to rob the U.S. mail. Five years later, William would marry Margaret Parkinson, believed to be the daughter of Benjamin Parkinson, another one of the rebels. But at this time, as far as is known, William was 24 and unmarried.

The dark plan conceived, it was now just a matter of carrying it out. In the next post we will examine the deed itself.

(picture courtesy of www.bradfordhouse.org)

The Bradford Cousins and the Whiskey Rebellion - Part 1

A little known episode in American history, the Whiskey Rebellion, which took place in western Pennsylvania in the 1790's, is known as the Federal government's first real test of power, but it also revealed the mood of a frontier people who just a few years earlier had fought a war to free their young nation from what they considered harsh and unfair taxation by mother England. Also, many of these farmers were of Scots-Irish origin, and curtailing the production of their whiskey was not destined to be a popular notion.

According to Wiki: "The Whiskey Insurrection was a popular uprising that had its beginnings in the 1791, and culminated in an insurrection in 1794 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the Monongahela Valley. During George Washington's presidency, the government decided to tax whiskey in order to pay off the national debt. This infuriated the citizenry and lead to the Whiskey Rebellion... The tax on whiskey was bitterly and fiercely opposed..on the frontier from the day it was passed. Western farmers considered it to be both unfair and discriminatory, since they had traditionally converted their excess grain into liquor. Since the nature of the tax affected those who produced the whiskey, but not the people who bought the whiskey, it directly affected many farmers. Many protest meetings were held, and a situation arose...From Pennsylvania to Georgia, the eastern counties engaged in a campaign of harassment of the federal tax collectors. 'Whiskey Boys' also made violent protests in Maryland, Virginia and North and South Carolina."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WhiskeyRebellion)

Thus it was not only western Pennsylvania that was in the grips of dissent. However, by the summer of 1794 when tensions reached a fever pitch and civil protests turned into armed rebellion, it was in western Pennsylvania that the first shots were fired at the William Miller* homestead 10 miles south of Pittsburgh. General Neville had ordered a group of insurrectionists to stand back, then fired into the group, a bullet mortally wounding William's son, Oliver Miller. The locals considered this murder. "As word of the rebellion spread across the frontier, a whole series of loosely organized resistance measures were taken, including robbing the mail, stopping court proceedings, and the threat of assault on Pittsburgh. One group, disguised as women, assaulted a tax collector, cropped his hair, coated him with tar and feathers, and stole his horse." (ibid).

In the next post, we will examine the role of Rebecca Bradford Miller's brother and cousin in this intriguing, and even disturbing, story from American history.

[*research is continuing into whether or not this William Miller was a relative of our William Miller. This William's father, Oliver Miller Sr., is said to have immigrated to America from County Antrim in Northern Ireland in 1742, settling in Cecil County, Maryland]

Rebecca's Uncle James Bradford

County Down, Ireland

As we search for where Rebecca Bradford's father, Samuel Bradford, was from, a look at the records of extended family is proving helpful. In particular, information about Samuel's brother, James Bradford, sheds light on the origin of this family. Below are references to James [in bold], the first being an article about James' son (Rebecca's cousin), the infamous David Bradford of Whiskey Rebellion fame:

"David Bradford, son of James, of David, of Samuel, an emigrant who settled on the headwaters of the Elk, Cecil County, Maryland (this descent to David is not positive, but reported only), m. Elizabeth Porter. His [David's] father, James Bradford, removed to Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1773, with his wife, Ann Hamilton, where were b. James, David, Mary m. James Allison, and another daughter who married John McDowell. David Bradford d. in Louisiana. His wife Elizabeth d. September 9, 1831." (from William Egle's Notes and Queries of Pennsylvania, 1700s to 1800s, published 1894-1896).

Information about James' daughter [and Rebecca's cousin], Mary Bradford Allison (see above), appears in the following website, and seems to throw a slightly different light on the immigration issue. At:

http://www.saskatelwebsite.net/deham/allisonfamily.htm we read: "Mary Bradford, born about 1748 in Ireland, daughter of James Bradford and a sister to David Bradford, who is well known in connection with the Whiskey Insurrection of 1791. Mary immigrated with her family from Ireland to Cecil Co, Maryland, later moving to Washington Co, Pennsylvania. She is buried in Chartiers Hill Presbyterian cemetery near Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania." Other records indicate that another Bradford's in-law was from County Down in Northern Ireland. These groups bound by marriage tended to travel together, or at least meet up in the new country, another point in favor of the Bradfords being of Scots-Irish origin.

In analyzing the two references above, the second one about Mary Bradford suggests that her father, James, immigrated from Ireland as a married adult with his wife and children (including Mary). Did his brother, Samuel [Rebecca's father] come over at the same time? It is unknown. However, another record indicates that James lived in Elizabethtown, New Jersey for awhile, where his daughter, Agnes, married James McDowell (a young man who had also immigrated from Northern Ireland). Again, it is unknown if brother Samuel ever lived in New Jersey.

The first reference above, however, indicates that it was James' and Samuel's father, grandfather or great grandfather who was the immigrant ancestor [as a side note, admittedly, "the descent to David is not positive, but reported only"...more research is obviously needed here!]. Perhaps this does not conflict with the other information about James coming over as a married adult, in that several generations could have immigrated to America at the same time.

As ever, we are left with more questions than answers, but I am certain that Rebecca's father, Samuel Bradford, was of Scots-Irish origin, he or his ancestors having immigrated from beautiful Northern Ireland.

(picture above of County Down from: freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com)

"What Do You Mean 'Squirrel Scalps'?!"

According to author, Christopher Knauss, "During the period of the settlement and Revolutionary War, Cecil County developed into a farming community at the head of the bay. The main exports were animal skins, tobacco and other agricultural products, usually shipped from the town ports that developed at strategic locations. Farming was so important to the economy that squirrels and crows became a destructive problem and legislators put a bounty on their head. As money was scarce, citizens were allowed to pay their taxes with squirrels and crows." (from Maritime Cecil County by Christopher Knauss; italics added).

Early records from Cecil County, Maryland show that our ancestors joined in the great squirrel hunt! The following names show up on "Constable George Catto's List of Persons Paid for Squirrel Scalps Burnt in the Year 1761": Abraham Miller, William Miller, James Miller and Andrew Miller (History of Cecil County, Maryland" by George Johnston).*

These old records are actually invaluable, as they indicate that the Miller clan was apparently living in Back Creek Hundred during this era, as they also show up in the list of "Taxables in Back Creek Hundred in 1766," where we see Abraham and Andrew listed, as well as Benjamin with "one slave and one dog", and William with "two dogs."

This is also the era that Abraham worked as an Overseer of Roads.

The Millers show up even earlier in "The "Taxable Persons in Cecil County in 1752" list.

And if you guys are up there watching, that wasn't me feeding those varmints this afternoon...that was just someone that looked like me!

[* Note: My brother Bill and I once spent an entire day in the largest genealogical library in the world in Salt Lake City. We were there for hours, poring over endless records looking for any tidbit of information about William Miller. At that point in time, we had almost no information about him. Near the end of our time there, Bill found the above record. I'll never forget how disgruntled he was that for all our efforts, the best we could turn up was a record indicating that our ancestors were squirrel scalpers!]

William Miller--A Builder of Boats?

One of the burning questions for all William Miller researchers is whether or not he was truly involved in the business of building boats and ships. Family legends hold fast the notion that he built sloop ships on Chesapeake Bay for General George Washington during the Revolution, and that even after moving west to Fayette County, Pennsylvania, the family carried on the business of boat-building.

Once source of this legend is this page out of a Fayette County history book which talks about "the Millers" helping to build the flat bottom boats along the Yough [Youghiogheny] River which were used to transport pig iron up to Pittsburgh.

While this is likely our William, there is no proof. But circumstantial evidence certainly points that way. Land records show that a William Miller bought property right along this river--something a boat-builder would certainly do.

It is up to future researchers to find more certain proof, but for now, we cling to the thought of an ancestor involved in such a unique profession.

West Nottingham Cemetery is a Presbyterian graveyard in Cecil County, Maryland. This is a transcript of headstones from that old cemetery, which is located in Colora, a small town west of Elkton. Hopefully future research will reveal whether or not this Samuel and Mary Miller are related to our Miller's.

However, it is certain that Rebecca Bradford Miller's father, Samuel Bradford, was of Scotch-Irish background, and thus descended from a people with strong Presbyterian roots.

Whether or not Rebecca's husband, William Miller, descended from such roots remains to be seen.

It is also noted that the birth year of this Samuel Miller (1735) is close to the birth year of our William Miller (1732).

TAX LISTS 1777 – 1779 - Newcastle Co, DE

Microfilm #6531 (partially indexed), researched at FHL in Salt Lake City,
June 2008, by Donna Snider

Notes:
• Could only find records from 1777, 1778, and a small number of 1779, on this microfilm
• Some of the records were indexed by last name, some by first name, and some not indexed at all. Each Hundred was indexed separately for each year. At the end of each Hundred, there were many un-indexed names.
• This was an original record, handwritten, very disorganized. Some pages hard to read.
• There are some unusual spellings or misspellings (such as Read Lion instead of Red Lion).
• Meaning of number following name not given in record

1777:
Read Lyon Hd.
John Allen

St. George’s Hd.
John Allen – 5
William Bradford – 12

Appoquin. Hd.
Wm. Bradford – 8

White Clay Creek Hd.
Isaac Miller – 8
James Miller – 5
John Allen – 8
Andrew Allen – 12
Samuel Bradford – 10

Mill Creek Hd.
Samuel Bradford – 10

Christiana Hd.
Abr Miller – 13
(also found last names: Allen, Allison, Sarah McDowell, Springer & Grubbs; no Bradfords)

Pencader Hd.
Hance Miller – 4
Bravard - 3
(also Allen’s and Allison’s)

Newcastle Hd.
David Miller
(also Allen’s, Wm. Blackburn, and James LaFaver)

(no other Hundreds not found)


1778:
Mill Creek Hd.
Allen Springer
James Miller - 5

Red Lyon Hd.
Henry Gibson
John Miller
John McDowell

Christiana Hd.
Sarah McDowels
Hance Miller
Ab ___ ? [name cut off]
Abnear Bradford
Spinger’s

White Clay Creek Hd.
Isaac Miller
John McDowell
Andrew Allen
John Allen
Samuel Bradford

Pencader Hd.
Allen’s and Bravards

Brandywine Hd.
None

Newcastle Hd.
Wm. Bradford
David Miller
Joseph Allen

(no other Hundreds found for 1778)


1779:

St. George’s Hd.
Wm Bradford

1779 (continued)

Appoqu. Hd.
William Bradford

Mill Creek Hd
Samuel Bradford

(no other Hundreds found)

Grandson Silas Miller

Silas Miller was the grandson of William Miller and son of Samuel Miller and Rachel Dawson.


Silas married Hannah Abrahims in Ohio in 1845 and had two sons before his father died in 1850. They began a trek westward within two years of Samuel's death through Illinois and Indiana adding six more children to their family. Hardships apparently plagued the family and they made a further move south towards the Oregon Trail--on foot. Silas became ill and died three months after arriving in the Ft. Scott, Kansas area (1864) leaving his two mid-teenage sons to support the rest of the family. His widow, Hannah, stayed in the general vicinity for the rest of her life and died in 1913.


The attachment is a scan of the family record in Silas Miller's Bible and then his second son, Samuel Enoch Miller (my ggrandfather).


submitted by Lori Miller Butler

A Signature Over Two Hundred Years Old

Above is the signature of Rebecca Bradford Miller's grandfather, Samuel Bradford! The handwriting is shaky, but no less beloved to us! The will was written on December 31, 1763, making this signature 246 years old! It is a miracle that this document has been preserved, and our thanks to Sue Sisk for finding and sharing it.

The beginning of the will is actually shown in the image below. At the time, Samuel was a resident of Red Lion, or Red Lyon as written in this document, Newcastle County, Delaware. It mentions his wife, Margret, his daughters Sara and Martha (Sara being Rebecca's mother that we know as Sarah Bradford in the Allen Family Record), his son, William, and his grandson, Samuel Bradford.

And yes, this means Rebecca's father was Samuel Bradford (no relation to these Bradford's), her grandfather was this Samuel Bradford, and her cousin was Samuel Bradford--a researcher's nightmare!

But let us not get side-tracked. In his will, Samuel directs that the costs of his burial and debts first be taken out of his estate. He then bequeaths to his "dearly beloved" wife, Margret, "her bed and covering thereto belonging, also her sadle (sic) and whatsoever the ___ will allow her of my Estate."

To each to his "well-beloved" daughters, Sarah and Martha, he leaves 20 shillings.

His grandson and namesake inherits 10 pounds.

But it is to his "well beloved son William" that he leaves the majority of his "lands and possessions."

Oh what questions arise in our minds! Was Margret happy to inherit the sum total of a bed, a bed covering, and her own saddle? And just how many women of this era rode on horseback? What would the worth of the shillings and pounds be today? How much land and how many possessions did William inherit? Did Samuel and Margret only have three children, quite a low number for that time? I could go on and on.

While we are concentrating on researching the Miller's right now, I couldn't resist sharing this wonderful document. May we find many such treasures in our quest to understand more about the lives of our Miller and Bradford ancestors.

Abraham - Overseer of Roads

I have often wondered exactly what the job of "Overseer of Roads" entailed. We know that Abraham Miller, our William's father, and others in the family worked as overseers in Cecil County, Maryland for several years in the 1700's. Here is a job description from that era:

AND BE IT ENACTED, That it shall and may be lawful for the several and respective overseers of the said roads, and they are hereby authorised and empowered, as often as need shall require, to dig, take and remove, any stones, gravel, or earth of firm quality, which may be found on any land adjoining the roads for which the same may be necessary, and to employ the same in the repairing of the said. roads ; and for the making or repairing of bridges over the heads of rivers, creeks, branches, swamps, or other low and miry places, through and over which the said roads may pass, to cut down, or cause to be cut down, any tree or trees growing on any of the next adjacent lands to such places where bridges may be necessary as aforesaid, and the same trees to maul and carry away from off such lands, and to apply the same to the making or repairing of the said bridges; provided, that it shall be the duty of each and every overseer aforesaid to render a true account, (certified under their hands and seals respectively,) of all and singular such tree or trees by them cut down and taken for the purpose aforesaid, with a description of the size and quality of such tree or trees, together with their estimation of the value thereof, to the owner, tenant or overseer, of the lands from whence the same shall have been taken, and to return a duplicate of such account, on oath, to the next levy court of the county, in order that the justices of said court may be enabled to estimate the real value thereof, to be allowed or paid to such owner or owners in such manner as said justices shall appoint and direct...the said overseers shall have power, and they are hereby authorised and required, to call upon all and singular the free able bodied male inhabitants of their respective limits, above the age of eighteen years and under the age of fifty years, and upon all and singular the able bodied male slaves residing therein, above the age of eighteen years and tinder the age of fifty years, to labour and assist in clearing, amending, improving and repairing, the several and respective roads aforesaid, and to require such and so many of the said persons as they shall from time to time deem necessary, to assemble at such place within their respective limits as the said overseers shall severally appoint, with sufficient implements of labour, and thereupon to proceed in the execution of such work and labour upon the said roads, for the improvement and repair thereof, as the respective overseers shall order and direct; and the said overseers shall also have power to hire and employ carts and teams for the carrying and removing all such stones, dirt, gravel and timber, as may be deemed requisite for repairing and completing the said,roads and bridges, and the expence of such carts and teams shall be levied upon the county" [sic] (Maryland State Archives, Vo. 558, p. 41 - http://aomol.net/000001/000558/html/am558--41.html)

[picture from awesomeamerica.com/maryland/]

Can You Just Imagine?

Below is a land record (double click on it to enlarge) for William's father, Abraham Miller from 1749!! Wouldn't you give anything to know what the land around Elkton looked like back then! How did our ancestors live, dress and travel? What did they eat? We will never know for sure, but this entry from another famliy history site (not related) gives us a flavor of what it might have been like:

Life on the eastern shore in the late 1700s was very basic, as described by a writer in the Chestertown Transcript:
Farm implements were of the rudest kind. We used wooden plows, with an old saw for the land side, and the mold board covered with a gar skin. Corn was worked with the fluke harrow and hoe. ... The smaller products of the farm were taken to town every Wednesday and Saturday, where they were exposed in the market for sale until 9 A.M. If not disposed of by that time, they were exchanged with the merchants for their goods. Clothing was of the simplest kind, and very often homespun, though there were at the time several woolen mills in Kent. Shoes were made at the farmers' houses by an itinerant shoemaker, whose avocation was called by the euphonious name of "whipping the cat." Roads were generally very poor, and laid out without regard to straight lines. If a mudhole was in the middle of the road, they drove around it and made a new road. Horseback was the favorite method of traveling. On Sunday the families would generally pile in an ox-cart and go that way to church. There were a few gigs, but they, like coaches, were costly, and were only used by the very rich.There were several kinds of amusements indulged in by the men, one of which was horse racing. The distance run was generally a quarter of a mile, and the stakes a gallon of whiskey. The very best whiskey cost fifty cents per gallon. Husking matches were common in the winter. The husking was generally done by the negroes, while the white folks had a good time in the house. The huskers were always provided with a good supper; plenty of roast pig, corn-bread and whiskey. Once a year there was a day appointed for a squirrel hunt, generally in June, when the young squirrels were tender and eating fit for the Gods," (picture and article from VanderFord Family.com).

This land deal involved Abraham buying a large tract of land near the Head of the Elk [River]. He was probably around 39 years old. He and his wife, Rosannah (or Susannah?) would have had several children by now (we know William was born in 1732). They seem to have been fairly well situated financially in order to buy this much land. They had been living in NewCastle County, Delaware [why does the deed say "in the Territories of Pensylvania [sic]?...we'll leave that question for another posting], and were now moving to Cecil County, Maryland, though this was a move of only 5 or 10 miles. Someday perhaps one of our members will travel to this part of the country, pinpoint this area and take pictures, though we can be sure it won't look even remotely the same! We are lucky to now have these land records at our fingertips to help give us a more complete picture of what our ancestors' lives were really like.

More Miller's To Sort Out!

Orphan’s Court proceedings of Newcastle County, DE (975.11P2):

Index:

p. 23: MILLER: 22 May 1746. James Miller to court as administrator of estate of Robert Morrison, taylor, dec’d.

p. 139: MILLER: 20 Feb 1760. Petition of Mary Blackburn (sister and co-heir with Abraham Miller, Robert Miller and the children of James Miller, dec’d) of Samuel Miller of Newcastle Hd, yeoman, dec’d, who died intestate; she receives 1/5 of the estate.

Newcastle Land Records:

Newcastle Hd, Samuel Miller, son of Donald Miller deceased, named in a land deal dated 21 Feb. 1749.

So if you combine these records, it looks like there is an Abraham Miller, son of Samuel Miller, son of Donald Miller, with Abraham's siblings being Mary, Robert and James.

More puzzle pieces!

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.

More Miller's to Factor In (Or Out??)

Calendar of Delaware Wills, New Castle County, 1682-1800:

pg.20 James Anderson-(?Bro.) David Miller (David b.abt 1690)

pg.43 James Miller- son David Miller (James b. abt 1669)

pg.28 Mary Miller-son James Miller (Hans Hansen Miller b. abt 1648)


http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mizliv/AlexNewCastle.html:

13 Jun 1758 Isaac Alexander and David Miller, both of New Castle Co. DE to David Alexander and Susannah Alexander of Cecil Co. for the sum of 70 pounds a certain tract of land in Cecil Co. late the property of Andrew Alexander and by him transferred to the present Grantors by deed dated 8 May 1756 part of Hispaniola & Bullen's Range. Wits: Moses Alexander, Samuel Gillespy and Mary Craige. Received 11 Jul 1758 [Cecil Co. Deed Bk 9 p. 23]

A Challenge Issued

I was just pondering William Miller's military status (did he serve in the Revolutionary War or not??), and thus gave this record another look. Some have thought this is our William...others disagree.

First question: Does anyone have a clearer copy in order to decipher the handwritten part in the middle?

Second question: While the 3rd Maryland Regiment was not originally composed of men from Cecil County, it combined and recombined with other groups. It formed in 1776 and disbanded in 1783, though members could have finished their service before this. Is it in the realm of possibility that this could be our William?? It's pretty clear that some of his brothers served (we'll cover that in future posts), and we have the family legend that he built boats for Washington for the Chesapeake campaigns. It is hard to think that there isn't some scrap of evidence somewhere regarding our William's possible military service.

Comments are welcome, and I would challenge all of us to redouble our efforts at solving this mystery once and for all.

Sorting Out The William's

In our ongoing quest to find our William Miller, the following references show how our scant sources of information sometimes shed as much confusion as light:

From the History of Cecil County by Henry C. Peden we have these excerpts:

1. Miller, William m. Rebecca Bradford ca. 13 Jun 1778 (lic); took Oath of Allegiance in 1778; appeared on property list (3 white males in household) in 4th Dist. in 1773 (tax list); voted on Congressional election in January, 1789 (MSA Microfilm M1068).
[our William had moved to Fayette County, PA by 1783. Regarding the voting in 1789, are they confusing him with the other William?...did he come back to Maryland to vote?? Doubtful...]

2. Miller, William (doctor) and Sophia Cox m. ca. 25 Dec 1797 (lic.)
[perhaps this is the William who voted in the above-named election?]

3. Miller, William. Two men with this name took the Oath of Allegiance in 1778 (A-7, A-18). One William Miller married Rebecca Bradford, Jun 13, 1778 (O-2).
[so the latter was obviously our William...was the other one the doctor?]

And from the "Revolutionary Patriots" series of books, also by Peden:

4. "William, Miller. Private, Capt. Samuel Smith's Company, Continental Troops. Enlisted on February 13, 1776, and in barracks at Dover on April 12, 1776. He subscribed to the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity in 1778...There is also a William Miller who enlisted in the Delaware Militia on May 27, 1782..."
[are either of these William's ours??...the first one could be, as we don't really know what our William was doing in the years just preceding his marriage to Rebecca in Cecil County in 1778. Dover, Delaware was only 45 miles away, and we know the troops traveled extensively during the Revolutionary War]

This is just one of endless examples of information that has led so many researchers on the Miller-Bradford line to tear their hair out! However, with us all working together, we will persevere and "win the prize" some day!

Here is the first piece of evidence I've seen to indicate that William Miller owned a mill. This is also from Lori Butler's recent trip to historical society in Elkton. It appears to be someone's old research notes. He sold it to Benjamin Miller who might be his brother. Any thoughts?

Summer 1778 At The Head Of The Elk

While we have some of information about William Miller, precious little is from those highly sought-after primary sources. One item that comes as near to that particular genealogist's nirvana is the record we have of his marriage to Rebecca Bradford on June 13, 1778, in Elkton, Maryland, by Reverend William Thompson. Because this record is copied from the original (thanks to the Jeremiah Baker Chapter of the DAR), it is not technically a primary source, but we won't quibble. [Note: Lori Butler actually visited the Cecil County Historical Society in Elkton this summer and copied the page above for us, so thanks to Lori, too].

So we can be quite certain in declaring that William and Rebecca were in Elkton in June of 1778. We hunger for more details. Where was their residence? How long had they lived in Cecil County? Precisely when did they leave for Fayette County, Pennsylvania? Where were their parents living? But those questions are for another time. Let's enjoy the knowledge that we can at least pinpoint this fascinating couple on one day in history.

So how did that history affect their lives? We can't know for sure, and yet a quick look at the surrounding events is instructive.

According to Elkton.org, "On a hot stormy day, August 27th in the year 1777, three hundred ships with over 15,000 British soldiers, commanded by General [William] Howe, landed on the shores of the Elk River [see map]. They marched to Elkton and made camp. There were more soldiers than citizens in the entire county. In anticipation of the enemy's arrival, people hid their horses, cattle, and valuables in the woods, so that the soldiers couldn't take them. On August 25th, prior to the landing of the British, General George Washington traveled through pouring rain to reach Delaware and then Cecil County. He came to observe their situation, knowing that the British were sailing up the Chesapeake Bay. Washington stayed at Head of Elk [later known as Elkton] in a hotel owned by Jacob Hollingsworth. On August 27th, General Howe slept in the same room and was waited on by the same servant who waited on Washington just two days prior. The British stayed in the County for a few days, planning strategy, stocking up on supplies, and waiting for the storm to pass. When they marched onward, it was to Brandywine and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. No battles took place on Cecil ground that August of 1777, but it was a time that Cecil Countians will never forget."

That December, 75 miles away, Washington and his troops suffered through the winter at Valley Forge. By June 19th of 1778, Washington, still in Pennsylvania, left to join the troops in New Jersey (where the Battle of Monmouth would play out on June 28th just 15 days after their marriage).

The war would rage on for five more years, and as far as we know, Mr. and Mrs. Miller would remain in Elkton during most of that time. Their first two sons would be born, and some time between 1782 and 1783, as the War was ending, they would move their family west to Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

In future posts, we will examine the legends about the first years of their married life in Cecil County, the stories of boat-building, William knowing Rebecca as a baby, and whether or not he owned a mill there in Elkton. As we combine our search efforts, hopefully the fabric of their life will someday be woven into a more complete piece. But for now, even these threads are fascinating.