Miller Family History -- Pennsylvania Ohio Virginia

Miller DNA Project

There were about 2,000 Miller households in the United States in 1790. They may account for over 1,000 separate paternal lines but more likely the number is far less, perhaps just a couple hundred.

The Miller DNA Surname Project is dedicated to untangling and presenting the various Miller lines present in the United States in 1790.

The goal is to take each line back to the early 1600's. Many of the Miller's in 1790 would find that they had a common paternal ancestor back in the early 1600's. Thus, even families who considered themselves unrelated by 1790, would for the purpose of this website be considered of the same line. Of course the further back we go the less distinct lines we would find.

I encourage any male with the last name of Miller to participate in the Miller surname DNA project at www.familytreedna.com [The only exception would be someone with a known extra-paternal event in their Miller line ie. adoption, etc.] I don't receive any fees from FamilyTreeDNA.co and ask that any technical questions be directed to them at the e-mail addresses on their website.

The DNA testing is done by rubbing a cotton swab (provided by FamilyTreeDNA) inside the cheek a few times and then mailing it back to FamilyTreeDNA. A few weeks later you get your results and notification of any matches. The test costs about $100. You are also notified by e-mail if someone in the future tests and matches you. I have had 2 matches. One with a 5th cousin and most recently with a 6th or 7th cousin, which finally broke through a brick wall I had run into with my research.

The Miller Family of Chester County, Pennsylvania
The above link includes families of Gayen Miller, Guyon Miller, John Miller, James Miller, Ann Clibborn, Ruth Haines, Robert Miller and hundreds of others.

Columbia County, Pennsylvania Miller Family

If you are related to or have researched any of the family members mentioned below I would enjoy hearing from and would be happy to share the latest information as this is an ongoing research project.

Map of Miller Family along the Susquehanna River in the late 1700's and early 1800's
(was all Northumberland County, Pennsylvania at the time)

In 1813 Columbia County was created from Northumberland. Prior to 1790 the area was in Wyoming Township, Northumberland County.

The above area as located in the state of Pennsylvania

Work in Progress!!! I am currently researching the families below and the information is certain to contain errors. It is a working outline of the families that I will complete in time with sources. I present the notes now in the hope that they may assist someone researching these lines but they should not be taken as fact.

George Miller Sr. born about 1735 in Berks County, Pennsylvania    source (tax records, family histories)   (note there is also a (Hunter) George Miller who owned land in Shamaokin Twp. Northumberland County around this time.    That George's descendents are in Bloom Twp., Fairfield County, Ohio next to my Abraham Miller's descendents in 1820. George Miller is from Windsor Twp., Berks Co. and produces a letter of attorney naming his sons Jacob Miller and George Miller Jr..in 1798 recorded in Northumberland County)   ("Hunter George," emigrated from Germany some time during the seventeen hundreds, and after taking up considerable land in what is now Shamokin township, Northumberland county, built his little log house near the large spring of water on the Miller farm. In the year of 1792 his son John Miller purchased from him this land, called Pine Grove, and "Hunter George" took up some land near Hamburg, Berks Co., Pa.)
    his children:
    1. George (1754-1815) born and died in Berks Co. but seems to have lived some time in late 1700's in Northumberland
    2. Philip
    3. Johannes (1759 - 1804) died in Northumberland Co., Shamokin Twp. (wife Grace [Jones] Miller died after 1850)
    4. Jacob
    5. Magdelena

George Miller (abt 1763 - abt 1840) wife is Elizabeth
        his children:
        a. John Miller (1785-1873) married Mary E. Eckorode (Echrot) source (Riley Family Transcripts - copy on file)
        b. Bartus Miller
        c. William Miller
        d. Catherine Miller
        e. Mary Miller (b. abt. 1792)
        f. Elizabeth Miller (b. abt. 1794)

Jacob Miller (1758 - 1837) 1st wife: Mary Barbara 2nd wife: Catherine (1764-1811) source (cemetery records, land records, census records, will)
        his children:   (all but Jacob in Bloom Twp. in 1850)
        1. Jacob
        2. George
        3. Peter (1799-1868)
        4. Philip
        5. 5 daughters

Abraham Miller b. abt 1760 1st wife was Phebe Webb. married November 27, 1782 in Exeter Twp., Berks County, Pennsylvania.
children of Abraham Miller and Phebe Webb:

(for more information on this family (sources, dates, spouses, children, grandchildren, parents please e-mail gary@millerfamilyhistory.com )

        1. John   (father of William Moore Miller)
        2. William
        3. Thomas
        4. Isaac
        5. Rachel Pursel (late Barton) (she had a son named Clark Barton -- note my gg-grandfather was Clark Barton Miller)

    children of Abraham Miller and his 2nd wife: Nancy (married about 1800)
        1. Jacob
        2. Joseph
        3. Elisha B.
        4. Abraham (b. 1808 merchant)
        5. Warrick
        6. Maria (married Isaac Low) source (County History Biography)
        7 Nancy
        8. Eliza Ann

Abraham Miller first appears in 1783 Wyoming Twp., Northumberland Co., tax records with 300 acres.

Abraham Miller of Bloom Twp is storekeeper.

Abraham Miller of Fishing Creek Twp. buys land in 1796 from Adam Eckrot (see John Miller above).

In 1804 Adam Eckrot was in Catawissa Twp.

There are 2 Abraham Miller's in the area at that time who are about the same age. I hope to untangle the 2 in the next few months. They both interacted with the same people and had children with some of the same names. There is a good chance the 2 Abrahams were related.

1810 Bloom Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania

Gary Miller can be reached by e-mail at: gary@millerfamilyhistory.com or by phone at 805-545-0088

DNA results for the Above Miller Families
(note the Miller Surname Project has over 100 participants this link is not related to that project)