Son of Jacob & Barbara (Hoppes) Miller Christian Miller, born in Hamburg, Germany, *came to America when he was 16 years of age* and settled at Hamptonsville, North Carolina. He was married to Araminta Whitehead of Irish descent. They made their home in North Carolina for many years, and there were born 10 children Katherine and Mary (who remained in North Carolina) and John, Daniel, James, Barbara, Henry, Christian, Araminta and Lydia, who moved with their parents to Kentucky. Barbara was married to a Mr. Brown and remained in Kentucky, but the remainder of the family moved after a few years to Illinois, stopping a short time in Indiana. It was in the fall of 1837 that the Millers, 13 of them settled in Princeville township. They arrived in 2 covered wagons each drawn by 4 horses. Besides their horses they brought chickens from Kentucky and 8 milk cows and it is related that when they crossed the Illinois River on the ferry at Lacon, one of the cows that had horns forced a ‘mooley‘ cow off the ferry and into the river but to the relief of the family she swam about a mile and a half and landed safely far down the river.

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.