Eunice Pearson

Eunice was the daughter of Samuel and Mary Rogers Pearson, born in Winchester, Virginia where the family was living in 1770.

The Pearson family has a long Quaker history which appears to be well documented; it reaches back into England in the 1600's. The Pearson immigrants to America were Enoch and Mary Smith Pearson; they arrived in Philadelphia in 1683 and settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Reading from Quaker Records for Miami Valley, Volume VI, Eunice's father, was born in Chester County, PA about 1725 and migrated to Winchester, Virginia in the early 1750's. Samuel Pearson was married there for a third time to Eunice's mother, Mary Rogers. Eunice joined a family of 7 siblings in 1770 (from her father's prior 2 marriages) although I'm unsure if the oldest 3 (born in PA) were still living in the household when she was born (William, age 16; Enoch, age 18; and Mary, age 20).

Eunice's parents moved to Bush River, Newberry County, South Carolina in 1771, so Eunice likely had no memory of Virginia. Presumably she lived with her parents until she married.

Eunice married Alexander Mills, son of John and Elizabeth Mills, on 6 Nov 1788, in Bush River, Newberry County, South Carolina where she grew up. The couple were married in the Quaker tradition, without a minister, but before their family and close friends.

Children of Eunice Pearson & Alexander Mills

I've found no records naming all of Alexander and Eunice's children; so far, I've found evidence for these children:

--- John Mills: 12 July 1795, SC - 17 July 1864, Henry County, Iowa; married Anna Macy and had 10 children per the 1850 US Census and 1856 Iowa Census
--- Sidney Mills: Alive in Dec 1802 per Quaker record
--- Sally Mills: Alive in Dec 1802 per Quaker record
--- Samuel Mills: 8 March1810, Ohio - 25 July 1896, Iowa County, Iowa; married twice: (1) Debora Coppock (sp?); (2) Malinda Vanscoyke; Samuel had children with both wives. Alexander and Eunice lived with Samuel and Malinda in 1850 per that Census.

As noted in Alexander's Bio, the family migrated to Ohio in the early 1800's with most of their fellow Quakers from Bush River, SC. Quaker records state they arrived in Newton Township, Miami County in 1807, but another record shows them elsewhere in Ohio before 1807. But Newton Township appears to have been Eunice and Alexander's home for the rest of their lives.

Eunice has a Death Record on Ancestry from their "Family Data Collection". It shows her death as occurring in 1853 (no month or day) in Warren County, Ohio. Indeed, Warren is the location of Caeser Creek Cemetery and is 2 counties south of Miami County. I've seen some mentions of Warren County in my research of Eunice and Alexander but don't have the specifics clearly in mind. But it appears reasonable that Eunice could have been in Warren County at the time of her passing: perhaps she was visiting family or friends in that county, seeking or obtaining medical care, or any of a number of other reasons.

Burial in Caesar Creek Cemetery is also reasonable as it was likely still a Quaker Cemetery at the time of her death. Also, Alexander's father is buried there, and it's possible grave sites were purchased for Alexander and his wife at the time of his father's passing (1814). In any event, I am comfortable placing Eunice (and Alexander who would pass 5 years later per several Ancestry Family Trees) in Caesar Creek Cemetery as neither has ever been memorialized on FAG and no recording of their lives together exists from what I found in late 2018. I am, of course, very happy to accept feedback to what I've documented here from descendants or researchers who may have additional or contrary information so that their lives may be as accurately portrayed as possible over 200 years later.

28 Jan 2019: Draft
23 Nov 2019: Changed burial location based on meeting with Clerk of the Miami Monthly Meeting during a trip to Miami and Warren Counties, Ohio in Oct 2019; photo added; other edits pending
Vicki Edwards
Los Angeles* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 13 2023, 18:22:31 UTC