My Genealogy Hound

Lea H. Miller, farmer, of Phelps County, Mo., was born in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1826, and is a son of John C. and Nancy (Dudley) Miller, who were born in Tennessee and North Carolina in 1798 and 1810, and died in 1867 and 1870, respectively. They were married in the father’s native State, and in 1827 moved to Indiana, thence to Illinois in 1830, and took up their abode in Crawford County, Mo. (now Phelps County) in 1835. They came to this State overland, with ox teams, and bought out a settler, Mr. Newberry, and entered the land, 120 acres. John C. Miller served as justice of the peace for several years, and was also judge of Pulaski County, Mo., for four years. At the early age of fourteen years he enlisted in the War of 1812, and served three years, being crippled by a four-horse cannon wagon, which wound finally caused his death. He was a participant in the battle of Horse Shoe Bend. The following are the names of his children: Lea H., Chesteen, William W., George K., Mrs. R. A. Love, Mrs. Matthew Wynn, Mrs. John Welch and Mrs. E. P. Ferrill. The grandfather, George Miller, was born in Ireland, and was a harness maker and saddler. His wife, whose maiden name was Aggie Conley, was born in East Tennessee, and was of German descent. The maternal grandfather was a farmer. Lea H. Miller, whose name heads this sketch, was reared in his native county, and began life for himself at the age of twenty-three years. He was married in 1852 to Miss Nancy Jane Love, who was born in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1830, she being one of the children born to the marriage of Pleasant M. Love and Dialtha Armstrong, natives of Tennessee, in which State the father served as justice of the peace. He was a farmer, and at an early day moved to Missouri. Lea Miller’s wife died in 1859, having borne two children: Letitia, wife of John Welch, and T. W., of Springfield, Mo. In 1865 Mr. Miller married Mrs. Mary (Holloman) Hawkins, a daughter of Edmund B. and Mary (Barrett) Holloman, who were born in North Carolina in 1773 and 1783, and died in 1843 and 1858, respectively. They moved to Tennessee in 1807, thence to Missouri in 1812, at the time of the great earthquake and sinking of that portion of the State. The father was a farmer, and at the age of sixteen years was drafted into the army to serve in the War of 1812. Mrs. Miller had one child by her first husband, Mrs. Mary E. Welch, of Rolla, Mo. She and Mr. Miller have one son, Lea E., who still makes his home with his parents. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and Mr. Miller is a Republican, and cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont.