Having left Kentucky to get land that was open for farming but wanting plenty of water and timber suitable for fencing the family selected a site about 6 miles north of Princeville for their home. As they arrived late in the fall they went to work building a log cabin. They built fences, plowed prairie and laid foundation for a future free of want.
The first winter must have been a hard one because they could not have brought many supplies with them but the prairie furnished plenty of food for the stock and quail and deer were plentiful. In fact for several years the family ate no meat except game that they killed. The head of the family was a tanner by trade and dressed all the deer hides making clothes for his children and leather to sell as well. One winter 3 of the boys made fence rails in White Oak walking miles to their work and back each day. They made 2000 rails and were paid in rails and provisions that were hauled from Chicago.
In the meantime the children were marrying and raising families of their own on adjoining farms, which they pre-empted and got from the government at $1.25 per acre.
The above information was provided by Auten biography and there is alternate information to indicate Christian Miller was born in North Carolina. See the photo of research notes provided by Joanna Standish.
Having left Kentucky to get land that was open for farming but wanting plenty of water and timber suitable for fencing the family selected a site about 6 miles north of Princeville for their home. As they arrived late in the fall they went to work building a log cabin. They built fences, plowed prairie and laid foundation for a future free of want.
The first winter must have been a hard one because they could not have brought many supplies with them but the prairie furnished plenty of food for the stock and quail and deer were plentiful. In fact for several years the family ate no meat except game that they killed. The head of the family was a tanner by trade and dressed all the deer hides making clothes for his children and leather to sell as well. One winter 3 of the boys made fence rails in White Oak walking miles to their work and back each day. They made 2000 rails and were paid in rails and provisions that were hauled from Chicago.
In the meantime the children were marrying and raising families of their own on adjoining farms, which they pre-empted and got from the government at $1.25 per acre.
The above information was provided by Auten biography and there is alternate information to indicate Christian Miller was born in North Carolina. See the photo of research notes provided by Joanna Standish.
Inscription
Aged ...hard to read
Family Members
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Cathern Miller Money
1797–1884
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John Jacob Miller
1799–1877
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Christopher Miller
1800–1819
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Mary Miller Shore
1802–1880
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Daniel Posey Miller
1804–1900
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Daughter Miller
1806 – unknown
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Barbara Ellen "Barthy" Miller Brown
1807–1853
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James Miller
1810–1844
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Daughter Miller
1813 – unknown
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Henry Miller
1815–1893
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Daughter Miller
1818 – unknown
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Christian Miller Jr
1819–1907
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Araminta Miller Shaw
1824–1914
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Levi Miller
1825 – unknown
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Lydia Malinda Miller Bliss
1827–1903
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