Peter Miller Sr.

  General Notes:

Much of the following comes from notes written by Clarence F. Miller. The original name spelling and some additional details concerning the ship (captain, etc.) were added by Mark Coller.

Clarence felt that Peter Miller's last name may have been spelled Mueller. A transcription of the passenger list spells the last name Müller.

On November 2, 1752 the ship Phoenix, captained by John Spurrier, arrived in Philadelphia carrying Peter Müller, Senior. The ship came from Rotterdam by way of Portsmouth. Peter was from the town of Carlsruhe (Karlsruhe), Baden, Germany. He was 11 years old and settled with his brothers George, Johannes and John in Olney, Berks County, Pennsylvania, about six miles from Fleetwood, Pennsylvania.

He and his wife Catherine raised 12 children, and one adopted daughter.
Moses married and settled in Montgomery County, Ohio. Adam married in 1825 and settled in Muskingum County, Ohio. John married and settled in Butler County, Ohio. Jesse married in 1825 and settled in Highland County, Ohio. Catherine married and settled in Highland County, Ohio. William married in 1807 and settled in Stark County, Ohio.


Peter was a private in Captain Burger Ball's Company of regulars 5th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel John Scott. He enlisted September 28, 1776 and was wounded and discharged May 31, 1777. During service he received $6 2/3 month. In 1802 he moved his family to Loudoun County, Virginia and bought 148 acres for 800 pound sterling. He died January 24, 1815 at the age of 74 and was buried in Rehobeth Methodist Cemetery near Lovittsville, Virginia. Evidently of considerable wealth, it required 19 deeds to settle his estate as outlined in his will as follows:
To wife Catharine, his farm of about 50 or 60 acres on the side of the Short Hill, also stock, utensils and Negroes. The balance divided between his sons Peter, William, Aaron, John, Daniel, Moses, Adam, Jacob, Jesse and daughters Peggy (Margaret) Shoemaker, Hanna Hatcher, Catharine DePlane and adopted daughter Mary.

The 5th Virginia Regiment was formed on February 13, 1776.

Catherine died at Highland County, Ohio in 1851, age 95 years.

The Millers went to Ohio thru "Snickers Gap". Descendants were Methodists. ¹¹⁵

Peter married Catharine Sheeler about 1775. (Catharine Sheeler was born in 1756 in Loudoun County, Virginia and died on 7 Jul 1851 in Highland County, Ohio.)