James Miller, of Charlestown

From http://www.usgennet.org/usa/vt/county/windham/millerdr.html

JAMES MILLER Mary __??__

JAMES2 MILLER, the son of Senior Miller, was born about 1640 in Edinburgh, Scotland (VHM, Dummerston, p. 46) and died 14 Jul 1690 of smallpox (S) (ChGen, p. 673; given as death of his son James).

The estate of James was administered after the death of his widow, Mary, to Abraham on 10 Dec 1705 (ChGen). She made her will 29 Nov 1704 (pro. 17 Dec). She "devised to son Abraham; she had kept his child till 10 years of age; to daughter Mary Field, who took care of her, bible and psalm book; to daughters Mercy Nichols and Jane" (ChGen).

James emmigrated from Scotland to Charlestown MA with his father about 1660. A James Miller was admitted to the First church of Charlestown on 17 Dec 1676 and was admitted freeman on 23 May 1677 (Savage/VHM, Dr, p. 45). His wife Mary joined the church on 5 Aug 1677 (S). She was baptized on the same day along with her eight children (S). James was a baker.

He married MARY _??_. She died in 1704 (NEM).

Children of James and Mary Miller:

• JAMES3 MILLER baptized 5 Aug 1677 Charlestown (ChGen); said by Charlestown Genealogies & Estates to have died 14 Jul 1690 of smallpox; other records give this as the death date of his father.
• MARY3 MILLER born 6 Mar 1662/63 (ChGen).
• MARY3 MILLER born 30 Sep 1664 (ChGen) and baptized 5 Aug 1677 Charlestown (ChGen). She married. ?? FIELD (ChGen).
• ROBERT3 MILLER baptized 5 Aug 1677 Charlestown (ChGen); "boy with John Bacon" (ChGen).
• JOB3 MILLER born 15 Aug 1666 (ChGen) and baptized 5 Aug 1677 Charlestown (ChGen).
• ABRAHAM3 MILLER born 19 May 1668 (ChGen) and baptized 5 Aug 1677 Charlestown (ChGen). He died 1726/1728 (ChGen) (NEM). Abraham married (1) DEBORAH (TEMPLAR) CHAMBERLAIN on 13 Aug 1691 in Charlestown (NEM). Abraham married (2) SARAH BILTON on 8 Nov 1699 (ChGen) (NEM). Sarah died in May 1742 (ChGen) (NEM).
• *ISAAC3 MILLER born 3 Aug 1670 in Charlestown MA (ChGen) (VHM, Dummerston, p. 46) and baptized 5 Aug 1677 Charlestown (ChGen). He was of Sudbury MA in 1705 (ChGen), removed to Concord MA and about 1718 to Worcester MA. An Isaac Miller of Concord and Sudbury married PRISCILLA BALL on 6 Jan 1696/97 (NEM).
• MERCY3 MILLER born 14 Dec 1672 (ChGen) and baptized 5 Aug 1677 Charlestown (ChGen). She married JOHN NICHOLS of Boston and Charlestown [int 18 Dec 1695 (NEM) (ChGen).
• JANE3 MILLER baptized 5 Aug 1677 Charlestown (ChGen).

 

From The Vermont Historical Magazine, "Dummerston," p. 45:

The Millers, of Scotland, were of Saxon origin, and followed the leadership of Edward, who conquered the Picts and founded Edinburgh, A.D. 449. The history of the family is rather obscure, until about the year 1600, when the country was distracted by civil war, assuming a religious character between Protestantism and Catholicism. The Millers took sides with the Protestants, and later with the Presbyterians or Covenanters, when persecuted by James the First, in his efforts to establish Episcopacy. The laws against Presbyterianism were so arbitrary that it led to great disorder and opposition by the inhabitance, and many personal encounters passed between the liberty-loving Scots and the minions of the king, in the enforcement of obnoxious laws. The name of James Miller is found twice recorded in a list of those who paid fines for transgressing the laws in the city of Edinburgh, ... [for account see VHM, p. 45].

The oppresion of the Covenanters led many to seek the shores of America where they could worship God without restraint. "Senior" Miller and his son, James, emigrated from Edinburgh about 1660.

___________________