Return to the Land

traced back to the original Johann Michael Miller who came from the Rhineland-Pfaltz area of Germany (See chapter In the Beginning). One son of Elder Jacob Miller was named Tobias and who born in 1773. Charles T. Miller ’s middle name is said to have been Tobias. Elder Jacob Miller’s other children were Mary, Anna, Eva, John, Abraham, Samuel, Daniel, Isaac, Aaron, David, and Jacob. When the Elder Jacob Miller family moved to Ohio his son Jacob remained in Giles County. Jacob continued the Brethren faith in this area. He was born in 1770, was a carpenter by trade, and married Sarah (Sallie) Chapman on December 9, 1794. Jacob and Sallie lived on the east bank of Walkers Creek near it’s mou th where Ripplemead is now located. Jacob and Sallie had four children named John, Tobias, Jacob and Barbara. The first-born son, John, was born on January 14, 1796, married Sallie (Sally) Peck in January 1825, and died on October 18, 1863. Tobias was born on March 6, 1797 and married Elizabeth Bane on January 19, 1826. Jacob was born in 1798 and the fourth child, a daughter, Barbara was born on November 10, 1800. The head of this family, Jacob Miller, died in Giles County in 1801 at the age of 31. Two years later, in 1803, his widow Sallie married Captain David Johnson. John Miller, first son of Jacob the carpenter, had a close birth date and death date to our Charles Miller and I originally questioned if I had the wrong name of Charles. However, these two are not the same because John was married in 1825 to Sally Peck and Charles married in 1819 to Ann McNeil. We now direct our attention to the second son, Tobias Miller, who also lived on Walkers Creek, 18 miles from the Giles County courthouse. Again we note close birth and death dates to Charles but the marriage is wrong since Tobias married Elizabeth Bane in 1826. 26 It is so tempting to try to connect with this family because of common first names, similarity of dates, and such close geographical proximity. There remain in the surrounding area and at White Gate in Giles County many Millers today. I have heard my relatives speak of Sally Chapman and Sally Peck. Were they friends or relatives? One other point should be made before we leave this Miller line. In the early days of our county people were seeking freedoms of religion. Families tended to cleave to their faith and many married only within their faith. The Jacob Miller family originally were Brethren. Charles Miller’s faith was said to be Methodist but could have been Presbyterian. Most all of the Millers I’ve known in my family line have had ties with the Methodist church. Unless some new evidence is discovered to the contrary it is reasonable to assume our Miller group is not connected to the Giles County Brethren line. However, it is still possible to pose another theory that Charles was born to one of the 11 children of Elder Jacob Miller before they left Virginia. Charles could have been left in Virginia to be raised or adopted by Jacob Miller. We do not have proven definitive parentage of Charles but we do know of his life and his offspring. Charles married Anna McNeil in 1819. Charles was successful in his endeavors as a farmer and as a local minister. It is likely that he brought to his marriage some capital with

26 Research Committee, Giles County, Historical Society, Giles County, Virginia, History, Families (Pearisburg, Virginia: Giles County Historical Society, 1982), p. 316.

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