PASUSQUE-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: ADAM MILLER of BROOKLYn, PA
Date: Thu, 4 May 2000 21:58:50 EDT

Dear Listers,
I found the following article from what I believe is the Montrose paper,
date circa early 1930's. The article was written by my great great uncle,
Freeman I. LOTT, an attorney in Montrose until his death on May 6, 1939. His
sister, Sarah LOTT, married a Loren MILLER. I have no idea if Loren MILLER
is related in any way to the Adam MILLER of the article. The article is
missing a small section as the paper is very brittle and tears easily. I am
transcribing for any MILLER descendents out there what is left of the article
for your information and genealogical purposes. I apologize for the length
of the article and hope all will enjoy reading of the Miller family and their
life in early Susquehanna County. Does anyone know if a marker was ever
erected honoring Adam MILLER?
Sincerely, Diana Luellen, Elmira, NY
************article begins............
PROPOSE ERECTION OF A MARKER IN BROOKLYN TWP.
First White Settler in county, Adam Miller, Located there in 1787

Interest recently has been revived in Brooklyn township relating to
the first settlement by a white man in Susquehannna county in that township,
and a number of the citizens are considering the erection of a marker or
monument to his memory. It has been well established that Adam Miller built
the first log house in this county. The exact location is known and in order
that future generations may know of this interesting historic spot it is
proposed to suitably mark it. It is to be hoped that the people of Brooklyn
will respond generously to this project, it being proposed to ask for
subscriptions to the rearing of the marker, so that all who wish may have a
part in it. It is a laudable undertaking. More communities should mark
spots of historic interest.
Attorney F.I. Lott, Montrose, who is well versed in local history, was
requested to write concerning his knowledge of the first white settler in
Susquehanna County, responding with the following letter:
Mr. W. S. Tiffany,
Brooklyn, Pa.
My dear William:
Your letter at hand and I note that you have in mind an effort to
place a permanent marker on the spot where Adam Miller built his log house,
the first one erected in the county.
The placing of permanent marker at historic spots is highly
commendable and should be more generally carried out. You are to be
congratulated for advocating it in your home locality.
From various sources, and associations with his descendants, and
having spent some of my early days in a family of second generation, much has
come to me in reference to the adventures of that early settler and in
response to your suggestion, I will briefly relate a few as they occur to me.
(2 paragraphs are missing here but a few words and names are visible.
Anna, the............Wells. Mary in 1807......who wed Ebenezer Baker who
kept the first store in Clifford. I suspect it told of the children by his
first marriage to Eleanor Nicholson.)
In 1798, Adam sold his possessions in Brooklyn and started on a
journey through unbroken and unknown wilderness for Ohio.
The outfit for this journey was peculiarly unique.
From the Miller family genealogy we get the following: A pannier
bag, with a boy of 6 years in one end, and a girl of 4 in the other, thrown
over the back of a horse, and a girl of 12 years and a boy of 10 on the back
of the same horse; the wife and personal apparel on a second horse; cooking
utensils, trapping equipment, camping paraphernailia, provender and food
stuff on two other horses; Adam with a gun and ammunition, a hunting knife,
a compass and gold watch, constituted the equipment.
This journey brought them much in contact with Indians who in the
main, were friendly; however, on one occasion an Indian snatched Adam's watch
and ran with it to a bunch of his tribe, but afterwards it was returned to
him. At another time while crossing a stream, Mrs. Miller fell from her
horse, breaking her collar bone, and found shelter in an Indian wigwam where
she was kindly treated and where she stayed until she was able to ride again.
Arriving at their destination, after a short rest, not being
satisfied with conditions and surroundings, they started back for
Pennsylvania, reaching the Tunkhannock creek, near John Marcy's place, late
in the fall. Here he built a rude cabin in which the famiy stayed during the
winter, he spending his time prospecting. In the early spring of 1799, he
started with his family in an easterly direction over the hills, arriving at
Clifford. Here he again erected a log house which for a long time served as
a dwelling , a school house and a church.
In 1802, he built a large frame barn, said to be the first of the
kind in the county; the timber was prepared with an axe, the boards brought
from Marcy's mill through the woods, a distance of eight miles. The barn
still stands, having had no repairs until 1926 when a new roof was put on.
In 1810, he secured a large tract of land on Thorne (Miller) Hill where
he built a large two-story house and where he spent the remainder of his
days. He died in 1832 and was buried in the Clifford cemetery.
He was twice married, his first wife died in 1816. For a second
wife, he married Deliverance Foster; their chldren were: Emily; Redman, who
died in the Civil War; John; Merrick; Samuel, also died in the Civil War; and
Gould, whose son Wellington, is now in possession of the original homestead.
He was a devout protestant of the Baptist faith, was baptized in the
year 1802; his grandson, Wellington, now has his old family Bible, it is a
highly cherished relic.
His ancestry has represented nearly every branch of our local social
and business life; the ministry, the missions, the legal, the educational,
professional, the mechanical and the industry; of the latter, the ____, the
Wells, the Douds, the Bennetts and Chamberlins, of Clifford, are examples.
Having given the subject considerable attention, I am convinced of
the fact that Adam Miller was the first white man to make a real settlement
in the county; the first to buld a log house in the county; the first to
settle on his own land in the county; and the first to build a frame barn in
the county.
It is highly appropriate that Brooklyn erect a marker, or better, a
monument to his memory.
With personal regards, I am
Most sincerely yours,
F. I. Lott
PS. Special mention should be made of his wife, Eleanor. She was a most
remarkable woman, both physically and mentally. Although of high social
birth, she cheerfully conformed to all conditions of pioneer life. She
carded the wool, spun the yarn and wove the cloth for much of the family
clothing. But few men could compete with her handling a sickle in a grain
field. While living at Clifford, she was known to walk to Dolph Corners, a
distance of 8 miles, to attend an afternoon prayer meeting. F.I.L.

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