Rev. David Miller, Sr.

The 12 children of ‘Elder’ Jacob Miller (1738-1815) and his unknown wife were:

D12 David Miller, Sr., born 1788, died 1849. Married Sarah Hardman. Helped organize the Brethren congregation at Nettle Creek, Indiana. Then moved to St. Joseph County, Indiana. Thirteen children.

"David Miller, Sr., was born in Virginia and grew to manhood in Ohio, where he was also elected to the ministry. About 1817 he settled near Hagerstown [Indiana], where he became the first minister and presiding elder of the Nettle Creek church. In 1830 he moved to St. Joseph County and became the first elder of the Portage Prairie congregation. He was a man universally loved because of his piety and generosity. He died at the age of 52. His son, Aaron Miller Jr., followed him in the ministry and died at the age of 80. Thurston Miller, for years a minister at Laporte, Indiana, was a son of Aaron Miller Jr.” - - Otho Winger, History of the Church of the Brethren in Indiana, 381.

Rev. David Miller, organized and was first minister of the German Baptist Church (est. 1831). Born February 10, 1788, Franklin Co, VA - Died October 26, 1842. Father of 13 children, and grandfather of 87. - Marriage Date: September 01, 1808 Marriage Place: Montgomery, Ohio Spouse: Sarah Hardman Inscription: Unreadable

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JACOB MILLER The first minister of the Church of the Brethren to preach in Indiana was Elder Jacob Miller More remarkable than this is the fact that he was also the first minister of the Brethren in Virginia and among the first in Ohio His descendants have been many and among them some very able ministers of the church The account of his life should be read with more than ordinary interest.

Elder Jacob Miller was born in Franklin County Pennsylvania in 1735 His parents were natives of Germany He united with the Church of the Brethren early in life and soon afterwards was called to the ministry

He married while yet young and moved to Franklin County Virginia in 1765 Here he raised a family of nine sons and three daughters

It is agreed that Jacob Miller was the first minister of the church in Southern Virginia Elder D H Zigler in his History of the Brethren in Virginia says that perhaps John Garber was the first minister He says however that Elder Garber moved into Northern Virginia in 1775 but it is quite certain that Elder Miller moved into Southern Virginia ten years earlier

Soon after Elder Miller moved to Southern Virginia he became acquainted with William Smith an Englishman Having learned of the doctrine of the Brethren Smith requested baptism He was later elected to the ministry He lived in Floyd County while Elder Miller lived in Franklin With staff in hand they would walk ten or twelve miles to the place of meeting Previous to the regular service they would read a scripture and give explanation Elder Miller would speak in the German and Elder Smith would speak in the English

Through their ministry largely the foundation for a number of large and flourishing organizations in the First District of Virginia was laid D H Zigler

After serving the church in Virginia for a generation venerable pioneer moved to Southern Ohio in 1800 and settled near Dayton on the west side of the Miami River land was a dense forest inhabited by many Indians Miller visited these children of the forest and sang and for them He gained not only their reverence and respect their promises of protection under all circumstances called him the Good Man the Great Spirit sent from East.

Though advanced in years his missionary activity and zeal were none the less He was the first preacher of the Brethren in Montgomery Darke and Preble Counties where now the Brethren churches are so prosperous His work extended into other Ohio counties Having heard that a few brethren had settled in Indiana on Four Mile Creek he came and preached for them occasionally In 1809 he and Elder John Hart organized the first church in Indiana on Four Mile Creek

After a faithful service in the ministry of over fifty years this great ambassador for Christ died at his Ohio home in 1816 He was buried in a cemetery near the Lower Miami church For half a century this cemetery was neglected and for twenty years it was cultivated On July 5 1916 one century after the death of Elder Jacob Miller his grave was rediscovered and marked by Elders John Calvin Bright and Jesse O Garst

It would take a volume to give the history of Elder Jacob Miller and the descendants of his twelve children This account will be limited to those who became leaders in the Church of the Brethren particularly in Indiana

The eldest daughter Mary Derst married Samuel Darst of Southern Ohio Two of their sons Isaac and John were Brethren ministers The latter was active making tours into Indiana He was among the first to preach in the Mississinewa congregation He died in 1875 having served in the ministry over fifty years The second daughter Eve (Eva Kingery) married a Moss and after his death she married Joseph Kingery The youngest daughter (Anna Lybrook) married a Lybrook

Moss Kingery and Lybrook are familiar names in Union County but we do not have the family relationship traced

Of the sons of Elder Jacob Miller but three of them Abraham Aaron and David will receive attention here

Abraham Miller was born April 1 1775 in Franklin County Virginia and died at the age of 76 He was married to Nancy Huston who bore him fifteen children Nine of these raised large families The eldest two sons were Jacob and James both of them worthy ministers in Northern Indiana On account of his ability and his large service for the church a special biography of Jacob Miller Jr will be given His brother James Miller was his associate who outlived Jacob many years and died in 1893 at an advanced age He is said to have baptized over 2,000 persons and to have officiated at many weddings

Aaron Miller was born in 1785 in Franklin County Virginia and moved with his parents to Ohio in 1800 His wife was Elizabeth Hardman They raised a family of eleven children In 1818 they moved to Wayne County Indiana being among the first members of the Nettle Creek congregation He was called to the ministry about this time In 1829 he moved near South Bend Indiana His son David Jr Miller? Jr was called to the ministry in the Portage church and became an able preacher and church worker He is sometimes mistaken for his uncle David Miller Sr

Rev. David Miller, Sr. Sr was born in Virginia and grew to manhood in Ohio where he was also elected to the ministry About 1817 he settled near Hagerstown where he became the first minister and presiding elder of the Nettle Creek church In 1830 he moved to St Joseph County and became the first elder of the Portage Prairie congregation He was a man universally loved because of his piety and generosity He died at the age of 52 His son Aaron Miller, (1811-1889) Jr followed him in the ministry and died at the age of 80 Thurston Miller (Rev John Thurston Miller) for years a minister at Laporte Indiana was a son of Aaron Miller Jr

Elder Isaac Miller (Elder Isaac Miller) the blind preacher of Laporte was a son of Tobias Miller another son of Jacob Miller Sr

This brief sketch is inadequate to give an idea of the influence of this man of God who planted the banner of the cross in three States His descendants have been many He was the father of twelve children and the grandfather of nearly 100 The records show that nearly all of these grew to maturity and raised large families Those of the sixth generation are now men and women and number thousands Among these are many faithful children of God The family has been characterized by sturdy natures indomitable courage and persevering labors Wherever they may be who read this sketch may they revere the name and exemplify the religious life of their worthy ancestor - - History of the Church of the Brethren in Indiana Otho Winger Brethren Publishing House, 1917 - Church buildings - pages 378-382

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Note: Next to Sarah Miller

References

1. https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/miller/22338/ “ Jacob Miller (1735-1815) had twelve known children: Mary (c.1764); Anna (1765); Eve/Eva (1767); John (1769); Jacob (c. 1770); Tobias (1773); Abraham (1775); Samuel (c. 1776); Daniel (1780); Isaac (c. 1781); Aaron (1785); David (1788).” Cites
   1. Johnson, Patricia Givens. "Elder Jacob Miller (1735-1815): A Founder of the Brethren Churches and Dunkard Settlements in Franklin County, Virginia (1775), Ohio (1800), and Indiana (1810) and Some of His Descendants" PS Enterprises, Inc., Silver Hill, MD 20023, 1977.

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