An American Family History

The Miller Families

Peter Miller, Sr., was born in Germany.

He married Elizabeth Boone. Elizabeth was the daughter of Johann Diel Bohne.

Peter served in the Revolution in Pennsylvania.

The family migrated from Pennsylvania through Virginia into North Carolina (later Tennessee).

Peter was an elder in the Hebron German Baptist Church on Knob Creek.

Their children included:
Jacob Miller (1779, married Elizabeth Range)
James Miller,
Peter Miller (1792) and
Mary Miller Reeves.

Jacob Miller (1779) married Elizabeth Range:

Mary M. Miller DeWald (1799),
Peter Range Miller (1800),
Abraham Elias Miller (1802),
Catherine Miller Zimmerman (1804),
Jacob Miller (1807, married Hannah Broyles),
Elizabeth Miller Bowman (1809, married Daniel Bowman),
Eliza Miller Bowman (1811, married John Bowman),
Matilda Miller (1813),
John Range Miller (1815), and
Chelnissa Miller (1817).

The first European settlements in Maryland were made in 1634 when English settlers created a permanent colony.

The Holston River flows from Kingsport to Knoxville.

map by Kmusser

John Miller married Malinda Royston. He was the son of John Miller and Elizabeth Hicks.

In 1774, a John Miller was in Looney's Company.

The Miller family came to Sullivan County around 1776 from Pennsylvania. The John Miller-Adam Sell house was built in 1788 on Knob Creek in Washington County, Tennessee.

John Miller (1775, married Sarah Pignon, Pigmon),
daughter who married Abraham William Sampson
Catherine Miller (1784, Nathan Webb),
Richard Miller (1785, married Catherine Mottern),
Thomas Miller (1788, married Jemima Hicks),
Sarah Miller (1792) married John Wassom)
Daniel Miller (1798, married Mary), and
Mary Miller (married Jacob Hicks).

John Miller signed the 1777 petition of men living on the north Holston River complaining about the division of Fincastle County. They felt the line was not equitable and the court house was too far away.

In 1784, John received a warrant for land in Sullivan County, Tennessee. At that time it was in North Carolina.

Land Grant no. 570
State of North Carolina
to John Miller
50 shillings for every 100 acres
240 acres in Sullivan Co, NC
on the waters of Beaver Creek the waters of the Holston River
adj: John Vance, John Gilbert, Evan Shelby, Daniel Miller & John Bealer

In 1814 John Miller was a member of the Carter County court which decided to buy salt to resell with the state lottery proceeds.

Sullivan County is in far northeast corner of Tennessee between North Carolina and Virginia and was originally part of those states. It was formed in 1779 when it was divided from Washington County.

The first settlers homes included primitive dugouts and log cabins.

Fincastle County, Virginia was created in 1772 from Botetourt County and abolished in 1776. It was divided into Montgomery, Washington and Kentucky Counties.

John Miller married Sarah Pignon.

James W. Miller (1813) married Mary Jane Massengill.

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©Roberta Tuller 2026
tuller.roberta@gmail.com
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