Abraham John Miller, Jr.

BIOGRAPHY: Jimmy Huff supplied the following: Abraham was the first appointed sheriff of Somerset Co. when it was formed out of Bedford Co. in 1795. He was then the fourth elected sheriff from 1805 to 1808. There was a murder in the area and Abraham hanged the murderer after trial, etc. This is well documented and won't be all repeated here. Abraham bought 1-3/4 lots from Peter and Rosina Ankeny in Somerset Town, bounded by Main Street, Water Alley, Patriot St., and Lot # 159 for $4 on Sept. 12, 1797." Note: A major source of information about the famed execution and other info I have on Abraham Miller was found in various volumes of "Early Pennsylvania Governor's Papers" found in the Honnald Library, Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA.

• Note: Abraham by trade was a tanner and did some farming later in life. The Somerset Co., PA deedbook #8 contains several legal sales of land from Sheriff Abraham to his sons, Peter, John, and Abraham, Jr. Note: I have his probate papers which are available through Somerset Co., PA.
• Note: Somerset County was established in Sept 1795, by an act of Assembly and the town of Somerset became the county seat. Abraham Miller operated a tannery there in 1800, and in the 1800 census he is age 26-45 with 5 males and 5 females in his home; this is the only Miller family in Someerset in 1800. (Since Peter was born 25 Dec 1795, no doubt he was the first child born in Somerset.) He (Abraham) was elected Sheriff in October 1804, was the 4th sheriff, and served from 1805 until 1808.
• Note: On 25 Jan 1807, David Pollock was murdered near Buckstown in Somerset County, presumably by a roving Frenchman (Neal Hugous) along the Forbes Road. On 5 Feb 1807 the defendent was found guilty by the jury and sentenced by the court to be hanged. This was during Sheriff Miller's term of office and is the only occasion of record where Sheriff Miller was involved in an execution of his neighbor. The rope broke the first time, but the second time did the trick. According to a History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Abraham Miller was awarded the contract for the building of a permanent jail. The contract for $2,329 was awarded on 7 Oct 1802. Sundry changes during construction brought the final cost up to $2,600.50. The jail had a front 28x35 feet, was of stone, two stories high and stood at the SE corner of the court house square, next to Court Alley. In the rear of the jail was a yard enclosed by a substantial stone wall from 12-15 feet in height. This building continued in use for the purposes for which it had been built until 1856, at which time it gave way to a more modern building. It is said that Abraham Miller Jr. was a wealthy man who rolled his kegs of money across the floor. Abraham, in performing his duty in the hanging caused him to lose his mind and he squandered his money. Abraham's sisters were very vain and helped spend the kale (money)

OCCUPATION: a Tanner, and a Sheriff of Somerset County, Pennsylvania from 1805 until 1808.

   Abraham was the first appointed sheriff of Somerset Co. when it was formed out of Bedford Co. in 1795. He was then the fourth elected sheriff from 1805 to 1808. There was a murder in the area and Abraham hanged the murderer after trial, etc.

This is well documented and won't be all repeated here. Abraham bought 1-3/4 lots from Peter and Rosina Ankeny in Somerset Town, bounded by Main Street, Water Alley, Patriot St., and Lot # 159 for $4 on Sept. 12, 1797.
# Note: A major source of information about the famed execution and other info I have on Abraham Miller was found in various volumes of "Early Pennsylvania Governor's Papers" found in the Honnald Library, Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA.

1. Note: Abraham by trade was a tanner and did some farming later in life. The Somerset Co., PA deedbook #8 contains several legal sales of land from Sheriff Abraham to his sons, Peter, John, and Abraham, Jr.