As and written and posted by permission - from Weldon Merchant.
The Miller name is derived from the Latin mola, a mil. The moline cross, the basis of the Miller coat-of-arms, represents a mill rynd which is the iron clamp used to secure the upper millstone to a water powered shaft for grinding grains. The Miller Family thus received the name from their previous occupation.
Shortly after the flood, the Millers were first recorded near Bavaria, Germany. One branch of the family was of Berne, Switzerland and many were in Scotland and England. A few were of Ireland but all bore the Miller coat-of-arms with some slight variation. The moline cross by definition is the Miller cross and was used as early as 1516 by Johann Miller, a German printmaster.
Records indicate that the first person bearing the name to come to our shores was John Miller who settled Rehobath, Massachusetts, 1651. His ancestry can be traced to John Miller of Sussex, England. Another early settler was William Miller who came from Hertfordshire, England in 1643. Early American historical records indicate the important part this family had in the development of our country from its earliest beginning. The first millers were Presbyterians who came to this country to escape religious persecution.
The Clay County Millers trace their ancestry through Michael Miller who was born either in Germany or Chester County, Pennsylvania on December 12, 1757. A John Vernon Miller was killed in 1776 during Tory instigated Indian attacks near Fort Nichols, Spartenburg District, S.C. J.V. Miller was born April 1, 1740.
During the Revolutionary War, Michael Miller was pressed into service as a Tory in 1778 in Frederick, Maryland. During the Battle of Cedar Springs, when taken prisoner by Captain Ralph Smith of the Colonial Army, Millers words were: "I'm damn glad; I've been trying to get away from those!!!! Tories for sometime." He was later paroled and served in Roebuck's Regiment and was paid for his service and duties in 1886. The Tories listed Michael Miller as AWOL.
After the Revolution, Michael Miller married Nancy Vernon whose parents were Alexander Vernon and Margaret Chesnee. Alex and Margaret had married in Scotland around 1757 after Alexander had received a grant from the lands along the North Tyger SC River taken from the Cherokees by the Treaty of Governor Glen.
Upon marriage of Michael Miller and Nancy Vernon, they received a parcel of land across the Tyger River facing the present homestead of James J. Vernon, ancestor of Alexander Vernon.
The children of Michael Miller and Nancy Vernon Miller were: John Vernon Miller, b. 1781; Margaret (Peggy) Miller, born 1786 and married John Montgomery; Mary (Polly) Miller, born 1788 and married James M. Anderson; Hannah Miller, b. 1793 and married Theron Earle; Elizabeth (Betsey) Miller, b. 1701 and married David Dantzler; Henry Miller, b. 1795; James Vernon Miller, b. 1797 married Mariah Hannon; Alexander Miller, b. 1800 married Silvinia Whetstone and was one of the first white settlers of Colfax (Clay) County, Mississippi; Nancy Clarinda Miller, b. 1803 and married David Whetstone, Silvinia's cousin; and Catherine (Katy) Miller, b. 1806 and married Willis Benson.
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