was an American pioneer

James Davis Miller b. 1845

/ Kirstin Miller

James Davis Miller, my 2nd great grandpa on RootsMagic tree.

James Miller was born June 27, 1845 in Elkhart, Indiana to Jacob and Sarah Davis Miler. The 1850 US census shows James with his parents and 7 siblings, living on a farm. In 1854 after James’ dad died, his family trekked from Indiana to Nashua, Iowa about 400 miles. In 1870 James was 25, his family farmed near Janesville, Iowa.

Miller, James and Ella snapshot
James Miller and Ella Gaines marriage certificate.

In 1878, James, or JD, married Mary Ella Gaines in Waverly, Iowa on November 13. JD and Mary Ella lived near Greene, Iowa where they farmed and had 2 sons William and James. Later in life they visited the west coast where Mary Ella’s two sisters lived. In 1905 JD and Mary Ella travelled to the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon. The Expo lasted 4 months with 1.6 million visitors- it was a big deal. From the local newspaper September 20, 1905, ” Mr and Mrs James Miller living west of town have been enjoying the wonders of the Portland fair for the past week and Mr Miller’s brother Jake has been helping care for things on the farm during their absence”.

Agricultural Palace Lewis and Clark Expo 1905
Agricultural Palace 1905 Lewis and Clark Expo in Portland.

JD was a widow in 1917. In 1925 he lived with his son William and family including grandson Faber b. 1905. JD lived to age 84, he died in 1929. From his obituary, “He has been industrious and has prospered through the years. He was honorable in his dealings with his fellows and is highly respected by those who knew him.” James Davis Miller is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Greene, Iowa.

Sources

Johan Roose b. 1865

/ Kirstin Miller

Johann Roose b. 1865 my 2nd great grandfather on RootsMagic tree

Johann was born April 19, 1865 in Freeport, Illinois, USA the 5th child of Garbrand and Catharina Renistra Roose. Garbrand and Catharina with their 4 kids left East Friesland, Germany and sailed to America, and arrived in New York on August 12, 1862. 

Johann and family are on the 1870 census, they lived in Ogle, Illinois. On the census page at least half of their neighbors are from Germany. Johann and family moved west to Grundy Center, Iowa where they’re on the 1880 census and lived on a farm. Johann owned 80 acres of farmland in 1884 in Pleasant Valley, a township of Grundy County, Iowa.

On March 14, 1888 Johann, now John, married Lena Wisbar in Parkersburg, Iowa then he and Lena moved to Jefferson Township a few miles north. John kept farming, and buying land in Iowa and Nobles, Minnesota. In 1912 John sold his Minnesota land, saying “Iowa land is good enough”.  In 1917 John farmed near Bristow. By 1925 at age 60 he lived in Allison with Lena and their youngest daughter Lela. John died at age 61 on October 18, 1926. A newspaper story tells he visited with friends in Clarksville that morning, returned home and died, suddenly, of a heart attack. He is buried at Allison Cemetery in Allison, Iowa.

Roose, Johan and Lena marry snapshot

Sources

Samuel Gaines b. 1638

/ Kirstin Miller

Samuel Gaines 9th great-grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

Samuel Gaines was born in Massachusetts, probably Lynn, in 1638 to Henry and Jane Partridge Gaines who left England for America in 1636. Henry and Jane died young, in their 30s, Jane died shortly after her husband Henry, she left a will presented in court at Salem, May of 1645. In the will the Gaines boys were set up in apprenticeships, Samuel was 6. He learned to read, write and run a farm. Samuel in his 20s married Ann and was a widow by age 27 in 1665. By 1667 he was in Connecticut and married Anna Burnham whose family lived near his home. Samuel and Anna had children and farmed. Through marriages 2 children of Samuel and Anna are 6th great grandparents of Faber Miller b. 1905: son Samuel (m. Rebecca Couch) and daughter Rebecca (m. Samuel Risley). Samuel died in 1700 at age 62. He left a will, about 27 pages handwritten, not yet read or transcribed.

Gaines, Jane will 1645

Records and files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts
Volume 1, Page 163

Eliza Frey b. 1823

/ Kirstin Miller

Eliza Frey, my 2nd great grandma on RoostMagic tree.

Eliza was born around 1823 probably in Pennsylvania, and married Jonathan Cable by 1846. Their first son John was born March 22, 1847 in Somerset, Pennsylvania. In 1850 Eliza age 37, husband Jonathan age 44, and sons John age 2 and infant Chancey appear in the 1850 US Census of Jefferson, Greene County, Wisconsin. Eliza Frey has few records, in family history this is known as a “brick wall”.  Eliza’s birthdate, birthplace and place and date of death are unknown or estimated. She’s on the 1850 census and mentioned on son John’s death record and daughter Violet’s marriage record.

screenshot

Sources

  • US Federal census 1850

Mercy Williams b. 1640

/ Kirstin Miller

Mercy Williams 10th great aunt on RootsMagic tree

Mercy Williams was born in Providence Rhode Island 1640 to Roger and Mary Barnard Williams, original settlers of Providence. At age 20 or so Mercy married Resolved Waterman, his family also original settlers of Providence. In the summer of 1670  Resolved died and Mercy was a widow at age 30.  Widow Mercy Williams Waterman was called to Court several times to finalize her late husband’s estate.

Mercy ignored these summons or letters through the fall 1670 and into winter of 1671. Maybe because her heart was broken.

“Januarey ye 9th: 1671 William Carpenter; Roger Williams, Thomas Olney senr: William Harris, John Sayles, and Thomas Olney junr; ffor as much as much time hath benn spent in adjetation and debate in matters as to the settling of ye Estate of the deceased Resolved Waterman, and nothing yet brought to a Conclusion; it is therefore ordred and agreed upon that ye Councill doe send for, and desire John Throckmorton, John Whipple senr:  Gregorey Dexter, John Browne, Christophar Smith, and  Thomas Arnold senr: to meete with ye said Councill upon munday ye 16th of this instant about 9 of ye clock in ye Morning at ye house of John Whipple senr: there to lend theire advice and give theire aprehentions as Concerning ye setlement of ye said Estate. The meeteing is adjorned unto ye 16th: instant, 9 in ye Morning.”
Page 103

At the next meeting January 23, 1671:
“Mercy Waterman
The towne Councill hath often mett about ye settlement of yor husband (who is lately deceased) his Estate: They have at last come to a detirmination and have appoynted yourselfe ye Exsecutrix, to Administer upon ye Said Estate; The Councill being now againe mett doe request your presence now at ye house of John whipple senr: to take a letter of Administeration from us & also to give in bond Concerning ye premises.”
Page 104

Mercy appeared before the Court, probably on January 23, and she does not accept any power of Administration nor any bond. The Court considers Mercy’s response and seems to ignore it saying Mercy is responsible for the estate.
Page 105 

Resolved’s inventory from August 29, 1670 is listed and directly after “Nathaniell Waterman, who by the Towne Councill was appoynted as next of ye Kinn, to take an Jnventarey.” and then a line drawn as if the matter is closed, and there is nothing else regarding Mercy and the estate of Resolved Waterman.
Page 107

At HathiTrust: Providence (R.I.). Record Commissioners. The Early Records of the Town of Providence, V. 1-21, Providence: Snow & Farnham, city printers, 1892-1915
Catalog page at HathiTrust https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008651161

Mathias Druckenbrod b. 1750

/ Kirstin Miller

Mathias Druckenbrod 5th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree

Mathias Druckenbrod was born about 1750 in Pennsylvania, British America. Mathias married Fronica (Verona or Veronica) Meinzer, he was about 33.

Mathias is on the first official US census of 1790 living in Lancaster, PA about 20 miles west of the nation’s capital Philadelphia. 1794 on December 18, Mathias Druckenbrod and Jacob Feierstein apply for 100 acres of land “commonly called mountain Land, they come before the justices and upon their solemn affirmation this land is vacant, witness our hands”.  Mathias marks this land bill of sale.

Five days later December 23, 1794  Mathias and Jacob agree to pay the rate of fifty  shillings per 100 acres in gold, silver, paper money  to The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 136 acres of land. In 1795 and 1797 Mathias was in the Pennsylvania Militia, Lancaster County and probably fought in the American Revolution.

Lancaster Regiment 1795

In the 1830 census a Mathias Druckenbrod age 60+ along with a female age 60+ and a male and female 20-39 are recorded in Elizabeth, Lancaster PA. Before 1850 on federal census only the heads of the house male or female were named, the tick marks showed additional residents by age and gender, free or slave.

Source

  • Pennsylvania Archives 6th Series, Volume 5, Part 1 at Archives.org

Obed Gaines b. 1793

/ Kirstin Miller

Obed Gaines 4th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree

Obed Gaines was born May 3, 1793 in Guilford, Vermont to Joseph and Abigail Tubbs Gaines. He married Leydia Connable on August 10, 1815 probably in Bernardston, Massachusetts, 15 miles from Guilford and by 1820 they were living in Cazenovia, Madison, New York, 250 miles from Guilford. The family probably farmed and they moved a lot.

Headstone Gaines, ObedIn 1826 Obed and family were in Painesville, Ohio, 1831  in White Pigeon, Michigan, 1838 in Eden, Indiana. By the 1850s Obed and Leydia were in Bremer County, Iowa where sons Obed Jr and William were living. Obed was a widow in 1854, he lived with his sons and their families until March 5, 1877 when he died. He is buried at Willow Lawn Cemetery in Plainfield Iowa. The tall headstone has fallen over so it lies on the grassy ground the inscription reads:  At Rest.

Obed Gaines (1793 – 1877)
William Newcomb Gaines (1825 – 1907)
Mary Ella Gaines (1855 – 1917)
William Miller (1879 – 1949)
Faber W Miller (1905 – 1957) m. Gladys Cable (1913 – 1991)

Sources
Iowa, Cemetery Records, 1662-1999, Original data: Works Project Administration (WPA, the New Deal, Great Depression, FDR). Graves Registration Project. Washington, D.C. $ source on Ancestry.

Vermont, Vital Records, 1720-1908 individual index cards at FamilySearch.org  Free registration, log in required. This is a great collaborative site where everyone shares the same tree. Obed’s page here

Find A Grave  completely unverified but a good source for connecting families.

Ann Brown b. 1684

/ Kirstin Miller

Ann Brown was born in Swansea, Massachusetts to James Brown and Margaret Denison. James Brown was the son of James Brown and Lydia Howland. Lydia Howland was the daughter of Elizabeth Tilley and John Howland. Both Elizabeth and John were on the Mayflower with their families. John Howland was in the same 22d of May, 1627 cow and goat division as Francis Sprague Lot 6, Howlands were Lot 4. Ann Brown’s parentage was unknown in 1900 and is now documented in a couple reliable sources. Both Ann and her sister Mary are listed in their parents’s will. Ann Brown married Samuel Hill, Mary Brown married James Angell.

The Wills of Lieutenant James Brown and his widow Margaret at HathiTrust, The Mayflower Descendant Volume 17 page 193 several pages.
  • Item I Give unto my Daughter Mary Angell In addition to what I have Already Given her Three Pounds.
  • Item I Give & Bequeath unto my Daughter Ann Hill In Addition To what I have Already Given her Three Pounds.

Ann is also listed in Mayflower Births and Deaths: Margaret Dennison (dau of Capt. George) b c1656, d. 5 May 1741, 85th yr Attleboro Children of James Brown3 and Margaret Denison: Ann Brown4 b ( ) d. 3 Dec 1747 Rehoboth … descending from Lydia Howland2 John1. Mayflower Births and Deaths is a $ source on Ancestry: Roser, Susan E. Mayflower Births and Deaths, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1992

Ann Brown (1684 – 1747)
James Hill (1726 – 1802)
Cynthia Hill (1763 – 1830)
Dexter Angell (1794 – 1854)
Delia Viola Angell (1839 – 1916)
Matilda Elizabeth Flood (1858 – 1940)
Philippa Flood Mockford (1891 – 1979)
Elizabeth Speedy (1917 – 2005) m. Stanley Roose (1915 – 2004)

Mercy Sprague Tubbs b. 1623

/ Kirstin Miller

Mercy Sprague 7th great grandmother of Faber Miller who married Gladys Cable.

Mercy was 6 in 1623 when she sailed on the Ann to Plymouth colony. Her dad Francis and ‘Anna’ are mentioned in the arrival records. Anna is probably Mercy’s sister, some believe Anna is Mercy’s mom, not enough info to decide absolutely so lots of theories.
May 22, 1627 Francis, Anna and Mercy 10 years old, were part of the 6th Lot in dividing up the cows and goats that also recently sailed to America. By 1637 at age 20, Mercy was married to William Tubbs, they had at least 3 children and a rocky marriage in Colonial America. Mercy and William eventually divorced.
48873869_1406062740By 1668 at age 50 or so, Mercy was gone from Plymouth. She may have been in love with Joseph Rogers of the Mayflower who was banished from Plymouth and sent to Rhode Island. Mercy probably died in Rhode Island near Joseph Rogers, her burial is unknown.
At Mercy’s Find A Grave Memorial there’s a photo of the Mercy Sprague Doll made by Mary Michaud for the Plimoth Plantation, Mercy’s doll is no longer offered, other characters are. Photo added to FindAGrave by Family Seeker.

Francis Brown b. 1610

/ Kirstin Miller

Francis Brown b. 1610 9th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree

Francis Brown was born in England and sailed to America by 1636 when he married Mary Edwards. Francis connected with a Boston group led by Theophilus Eaton (would become gov’r) and John Davenport (religious leader).

In August 1637 Francis was part of an expedition searching for a new settlement, they found Quinnipiac (today East Haven, CT, also the name of a Native American nation long gone). Francis was one of seven to stay behind and begin building a settlement for all the group to join spring of 1638. “We may imagine they spent their time hewing, cleaving and sawing, hunting, trapping and collecting by bartering with the natives beaver and other furs.” The land was probably purchased with “twelve coats of English cloth, twelve alchemy spoons, twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, two dozen knives, twelve porringers, and four cases of French knives & scissors.” New Haven Connecticut was officially founded April 14, 1638, the first planned city in America, a “Nine Square Plan”.

In 1639 Francis became a freeman. In 1645 Francis asked the colonial court for a bit of land in exchange for being an on call ferryman. Francis stayed in New Haven until his death, noted in Connecticut Town Death Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry. “Brown, Francis the first of that family d. 1668.”

Francis Brown 1610-1668
Eleazer Brown 1642-1714
Rebecca Brown 1684-1768
Mary English 1715-1791
Elizabeth Connable 1757-1821
William Newcomb Gaines 1825-1907
Mary Ella Gaines 1855-1917
William Earl Miller 1879-1949
Faber Miller 1905-1957 m. Gladys Cable 1913-1991

Sources:
Land in exchange for ferry. Page 165 New-Haven Colony. Records of the Colony And Plantation of New Haven. Hartford: Case, Tiffany and company, 1857.

7 who stayed behind. Page 63 Atwater, Edward E. History of the Colony of New Haven, New Haven: Printed for the author, 1881

At Wikipedia, sources are provided
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophilus_Eaton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Davenport_(clergyman)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven,_Connecticut