Father: ***** Miller
Mother: *****

Spouse: Hester (Hessey) Sherwood
  m: ~1812

Child-1: Frances Ann
          2: Thomas A. - b: 11/Nov/1815 - KY
                                  d: 16/Nov/1898 - Casey Co., KY - bur: Miller Cem.
          3: Mary Margaret - b: 1816/1817 - KY - nra: 1850
          4: Elijah Johnson (Jonse)
          5: Elizabeth
          6: Sarah - b: 1824 - KY - nra: 1860
          7: Jefferson - b: 3/Jul/1827 - Casey Co., KY
                              d: 30/Oct/1860 - Gentry Co., MO - bur: Wayman Cem., Howard Twp.
          8: Eliza A.

Biographical Details:

The origins of John W. Miller remain uncertain; however, the death certificate of his daughter, Eliza Miller Toms, asserts that her father was born in Virginia.  This is further supported by census records and, moreover, there is circumstantial evidence that John Miller may have been from Greenbrier County (which subsequently became part of West Virginia during the Civil War).  It is not known when John and Hester Miller were married, but a consistent presumption from the ages of their children is that it must have been about 1812 or 1813, probably in Casey County, Kentucky.  The household of John Miller was listed in the population schedule of the 1820 US Census for Casey County and, significantly, appeared on the same page as the family of Thomas Sherwood.  However, only two adult individuals of ages consistent with those of John and Hessey Miller were indicated.  Of course, at this time at least three children should have been included in the household.  The reason for this discrepancy is unknown, but it is likely that relevant entries have been omitted and that the population schedule is in error.  Subsequently, the household of John Meller (sic - Miller) can be found listed in the population schedule of the 1830 US Census for Casey County.  Often, even common names were misspelled in early census records, hence, the appearance of "Meller" instead of "Miller" should not be considered as a serious discrepancy and this family can be identified as that of John Miller with reasonable confidence.  As such, the household included eleven individuals, eight of whom were three males and five females of less than twenty years of age, which accords well with the known children of John and Hester (Hessey) Miller.  The remaining three individuals were a male and a female between thirty and forty years of age and one additional male of between forty and fifty years of age.  Naturally, the oldest male and female can be identified with some confidence as John Miller and his wife, but the identity of the remaining adult male is not determined.  A plausible identification might be Daniel Sherwood, brother of Hessey Sherwood Miller, who would have been about thirty-three years old in 1830 and who apparently remained unmarried until his death in 1835.  John W. Miller died in 1839 in Casey County and was buried in the Miller Cemetery, which is located on the north side of the Green River less than half a mile north of Evans Ford.

1. 1820 US Census Population Schedule for Casey County, Kentucky, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 222, (microfilm: roll M33_18; img. 120).

2. 1830 US Census Population Schedule for Casey County, Kentucky, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 297, (microfilm: roll M19_34; img. 596).

3. Nancy Perry,"Miller Cemetery", unpublished. (Casey County KYGenWeb Archives, www.rootsweb.com/~kycasey/caseycems/MillerCemetery.txt, 2004.)

4. Miller Cemetery, Casey County, Kentucky (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=75134&CScn=Miller&CScntry=4&CSst=19&CScnty=1011&, continuously updated).

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