| STORY OF JOHN J. MILLER FAMILY |
| �John Jackson Miller and Diana Mary Harris began their married life 40 miles from the home of his father (John Miller & Polly Sands), by the State Rd. Near Suttonville, W. VA, nearer the bride's family (Adonijah Harris & Sarah Ann Rodgers). Footnote #1 below
Thousands of soldiers passed by continually during the first year of the Civil War. John J. was an abolitionist, disagreeing with his father, about reimbursing slave owners. John J., Taylor Sutton and James Harris (all sons or sons-in-law of Adonijah Harris), were forced to hide in the mountains for months to escape rebel soldiers. Diana Mary, John's wife, was forced to support herself and four small children. John J. was taken prisoner in 186_ at the home of his father, a rebel. Upon the protest of his parents he was left in the home, a prisoner with two soldiers left to guard him. The guards fell asleep one night and John J. escaped to his own home 40 miles away, wading through mush ice in the rivers 5 times. He was quite ill by the time he reached home. The illness proved to be measles, which all but two members of several families contracted, and which caused the deaths of Julia Ann Harris (unmarried) and Mrs. Elizabeth Jane "Harris" Sutton, mother of A. H. Sutton and Mrs. Sara 'Sutton' Stokes. Mrs. Sutton's death occurred on Feb 12, 1862. Footnote #2 below Immediately after his escape the families were taken, in 1862, by government wagons to Clarksburg 175 miles away as refugees. This removal from the family home near Suttonville to Clarksburg, W.VA was made upon the advice and with the assistance of a friend, Col. Samuel Young, who was afterwards the founder of Radical, KS. Footnote #3 below In the year 1864, the family was moved to Fairmont, WVA, where John Jackson Miller enlisted in the Union Army, leaving wife and four children. The family also lived a short time in Grafton WVA. Footnote #4 below In the meantime the father of John Jackson Miller had lost everything possible in raids by bush-whackers, rebels, etc. and nothing left at the end of the war but a house with an attic filled with honey. He died about 1870. After returning from one year's service at the close of the War, John J. Went back to his home near Suttonville and found all the buildings gone and the farm overgrown with saplings and weeds. Too discouraged to begin again in that place, he traded the land for 80 acres near Exira, Iowa where he moved his family. Footnote #5 But then he heard about the Osage reservation land in the Kansas-Okalahoma being opened up for purchase. He left Iowa to make a claim but heard wild tales of difficulties with Indians. Instead, they moved to Carthage MO. They eventually moved to Montgomery Co. KS in 1871, near Sycamore, or rather Lay Station as it was called at that time in Sycamore Township.. Named after Eli Lay, an early settler." Footnote #6 According to my data John Jackson Miller died in 1904, Canby OR. Diana Mary died in 1911 in Canby OR. This story was written by the late Claude Miller of Independence, KS, and contributed by Michael Payne, (wife of Larry Payne, Terry & Miller descendant). Footnote #1 The Marriage took place in Braxton Co. 1853. In 1850 the bride�s family lived in Pocahontas Co. near Sarah�s sister, Elizabeth (Mrs.Wm.) Griffin. Perhaps both families moved to Sutton bet. 1850 -52. Wm. & Eliz. had two sons b. OH, 1851 and 1853. [The groom�s family lived near Point Mtn. now Webster.] Footnote #2 Records on line show that Eliz. J. Harris Sutton died at the Union Military Camp, Harrison County WVA. She had two small children and possibly lost another baby in 1862. Footnote #3 In 1862, William Griffin�s brother, Benoni, Union Homeguard, who had led a raid from Suttonville to Laurel Creek,against his own neighbors, moved to Clarksburg area of Harrison County WV as well. He lost one son, George, at Rocky Gap 1863, and another son, Isaac H., was wounded in Union service. Footnote #4 A John J. Miller was part of WVA Infantry 6th Regt. Which was near Fairmont, WVA, in 1864. William Griffin�s son, James, was first buried in Charleston WVA, in 1862, after his death of disease in Union service. Later his body was moved to veteran cemetery in Grafton WVA. Footnote #5 Exira, Audubon Co. history tells that Adonijah Harris, father in law of John J. Miller, and James Harris, brother in law, were among the earliest residents of Louisville, Iowa. One of Adonijah�s daughters, Rebecca, married in 1868 and stayed in Iowa. Also, coincidence? the McGill /Frost family (whose descendants married into the Griffin family in Oklahoma) lived in Exira Iowa before coming to Oklahoma. Is there a connection here? Footnote #6 Story of Lay family is on the William Terry webpage as an example of pioneer family who migrated to KS. John W. Miller, son of John J. married Isabella Lay. ____________________________________________________________________________ Return to William Griffin Web Page. |
| Of West Virginia, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oregon |