William Jefferson Miller was born in Greene County, IL in 1826. His grandparents Francis and Jane Miller had settled there with their families in 1821, early pioneers. He moved with his parents to MO in the 1840s. He married Nancy Jane Meek on 28 January 1849 in Andrew County, MO. On Dec. 1, 1857 he purchased 120 acres within Sections 23, 26 and 27 in Gentry County. On the 13 July 1860 census they had 3 children, Meek, Morgan and Sarah E. Nancy Jane Miller died 12 Dec. 1860 and is buried in Flag Springs Cemetery. Miller was in the Gentry County Home Guard for thirty days and then joined the Confederate cause on Dec. 29, 1861 in Co. H, 1 Missouri Cavalry. In May thru October 1862 he was written up as "absent with herd" and in January 1863 he was discharged. When he enlisted he was a resident of Whitesville, Andrew County. On May 28, 1863 The White Cloud Kansas Chief newspaper had an article that read: "A traitor named Jeff. Miller was recently killed near Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri. We are glad of it. if there are any other traitors named Miller, we say let them go under." An article in The Weekly Herald and Tribune (St. Joseph, MO) on May 21, 1863 stated: "A REBEL KILLED. - We yesterday referred to the shooting of JEFF. MILLER. The paragraph reads as follows. "Last Thursday in Fillmore, Andrew County, a rebel named JEFF. MILLER, accused a soldier of theft. Some words passed, when the soldier called Miller a liar, and the latter drew forth a knife and stabbed him. JOHN MESSICK drew a revolver and shot MILLER, who died last Thursday. Served him right."
William Jefferson Miller was born in Greene County, IL in 1826. His grandparents Francis and Jane Miller had settled there with their families in 1821, early pioneers. He moved with his parents to MO in the 1840s. He married Nancy Jane Meek on 28 January 1849 in Andrew County, MO. On Dec. 1, 1857 he purchased 120 acres within Sections 23, 26 and 27 in Gentry County. On the 13 July 1860 census they had 3 children, Meek, Morgan and Sarah E. Nancy Jane Miller died 12 Dec. 1860 and is buried in Flag Springs Cemetery. Miller was in the Gentry County Home Guard for thirty days and then joined the Confederate cause on Dec. 29, 1861 in Co. H, 1 Missouri Cavalry. In May thru October 1862 he was written up as "absent with herd" and in January 1863 he was discharged. When he enlisted he was a resident of Whitesville, Andrew County. On May 28, 1863 The White Cloud Kansas Chief newspaper had an article that read: "A traitor named Jeff. Miller was recently killed near Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri. We are glad of it. if there are any other traitors named Miller, we say let them go under." An article in The Weekly Herald and Tribune (St. Joseph, MO) on May 21, 1863 stated: "A REBEL KILLED. - We yesterday referred to the shooting of JEFF. MILLER. The paragraph reads as follows. "Last Thursday in Fillmore, Andrew County, a rebel named JEFF. MILLER, accused a soldier of theft. Some words passed, when the soldier called Miller a liar, and the latter drew forth a knife and stabbed him. JOHN MESSICK drew a revolver and shot MILLER, who died last Thursday. Served him right."
Gravesite Details
The Charleston Cemetery was visited in the Fall of 2019. Most stones were covered with moss, broken and not all were legible. NJMiller
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