Charity Miller (abt. 1802 - bef. 1851)

Born about 1802 in Thomaston, Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States

Wife of George Washington Miller — married about 1823 (to before 22 Oct 1851) in Maine, United States

Descendants

Died before 22 Oct 1851 before about age 49 in Camden, Waldo, Maine, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rosa Lane [send private message]

Biography

Charity Miller was born about 1802 in Thomaston (now Rockland), Lincoln (now Knox) County, Province (now State) of Maine. Charity's approx. birth year is calculated from her age of 48 enumerated in the 1850 Fed. Census. Her place of birth is noted in her children's vital records as well as presented in an extensive biography in her daughter's [Dolly Goodhill (Miller) Withington's] Memorial # 202663257 in U.S., Find A Grave Index (link below).

"Miller" is reported as Charity's birth name in two death records of her children, namely that of Dorothy G. d. 1896 in Rockland and that of Sarah M. d. 1912 in Boston, both independently reported by informants with several years between associated death events and two states apart.

Charity may have been the daughter of James Miller, who was the only Miller living in Thomaston in 1800 and 1810. His household in 1810 and 1820 each had a female member within age range commensurate with Charity's age. Note: The town of Rockland was later entirely setoff from Thomaston.

Sometime about 1823, George married Charity Miller. Charity is deemed to be the mother of all but one of his children, this one child being Eliza Maria b. in Camden on September 9, 1853 and per vital record of that town her parents are identified as "Washington Miller and Wife." In 1850, Charity is listed as a member of George W.'s household at age 48; but on October 22, 1851 George Washington Miller filed his intention in Camden to marry Miss. Sarah Bailey. Therefore, Charity is assumed to have passed away before October 22, 1851, and Eliza Maria daughter of George Washington and his 2nd wife Sarah (Bailey).

Per Hampden's 1830 Fed. Census, the household of [Geo.] Washington Miller included seven (7) members as follows: one male under 5 years (James), one male 10-15 years (Unknown 1), one male 30-39 years (self); two females under 5 years (Dorothy, Unknown 1), one female 5-10 years (Unknown 2), and 1 female 15-19 years I believe this oldest female was not enumerated correctly and her age range should have been in next column, i.e. age 20-29. This is because Charity is reportedly mother of Dorothy G. who was b. August 1825 and Charity's age is commensurate with an enumerated female within George Washington's household per the 1840 Fed. Census, i.e. female, age 30-39.

Also of note are children enumerated within George Washington's household in 1830, who may not have been born to George Washington, i.e. male Unknown 1, age 10-15 years old; and two females, one under 5 (female Unknown 1) and another 5-10 years old (female Unknown 2). Note: George Washington's father, Robert Miller Sr., had passed away some months earlier (in 1829) and may have had grandchildren residing with him at the time of his death, and George W., an uncle living within his father's family compound, may temporally have provided a home to these three children: male (Unknown 1), age 10-15 years; female (Unknown 1), age under 5; and female (Unknown 2), age 5-10 years.

As enumerated in Hampden's 1840 Fed. Census, [Geo.] Washington's household of 8 included 1 male age 10-14 (James), 1 male 40-49 (self), 1 female under 5 (Elonia), 1 female 5-9 (Sarah), 2 females 10-14 (Dorothy, Lovicy), 1 female 15-19 (perhaps "Unknown 2" from the 1830 Fed. Census), and 1 female 30-39 (assumed to be wife Charity).

Sometime about 1843, Geo. Washington, a shoemaker, and family removed from Hampden to Camden, Knox County, Maine. A vital record of Camden documents the birth of one child, Mary, born to Washington Miller on January 5, 1844, hence an inferred date of relocation. Note: The mother's 1st name provided in this vital record is noted as "Clarissa," not Charity. Because this same child reported being born in Camden and her parents identified as "Washington and Charity Miller" in her 2nd marriage record (Lynn, Massachusetts), it is presumed her mother was in fact Charity. Also, "Charity" is noted in children's death records, i.e. Dorothy "Dolly" (Miller) Withington and Sarah M. (Miller) Nutt, these two children born previous to 1844, and with "Charity" enumerated in the 1850 Fed. Census, it is deemed that "Clarissa" is either Charity's middle name, which may have been utilized at the time, or an error in reporting, or an otherwise misinterpretation of a handwritten entry.

Per the 1850 Camden Census record enumerated on August 19, 1850, George W. (age 50) and Charity (age 48) had the following children living within their household: James age 23, Lovicy age 17, Sarah age 14, Elonia age 12, Alfred age 9, and Mary E. age 6. One other child of George W. and Charity is their daughter Dolly Goodhill (Miller) Withington born on August 4,1825 (Dolly namesake for her paternal grandmother), Dolly having married in 1848. Eliza Maria, as above described, was born on September 9, 1853 to a different mother deemed to be George Washington's 2nd wife, Sarah (Bailey).

As above presented, Charity passed away in Camden sometime before October 22, 1851, this date being when Washington filed his intention to marry "Miss Sarah Bailey." Details of Charity's death are pending ongoing research.

Sources

• DAUGHTER'S (DOLLY'S) FAG MEMORIAL WITH EXTENSIVE BIOGRAPHY: U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-current; Memorial ID 202663257; Accessed on March 23, 2022 by Rosa Lane; Created on Sept. 2, 2019 by "jbsweet" and maintained by same, contributor 47731621: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202663257/dolly-goodhill-withington

• Maine, Death Records, 1761-1922 for Dolly G. (Miller) Withington (daughter of George Washington and Charity Miller), Knox County, Maine, 1896, W. [Repository: Ancestry.com. Maine, Death Records, 1761-1922 (database on-line, Frame #83 of 92). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Maine Death Records, 1761-1922. Augusta, Maine: Maine State Archives. Maine Death Records, 1761-1922, Maine State Archives, Augusta, Maine, USA.] (parents' names included in their child's death record)

• 1810 United States Fed. Census; Maine, Lincoln, Thomaston; for household of James Miller. [Repository: Ancestry.com. 1810 United States Federal Census (database on-line, frame #7 of 12). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Third Census of the United States, 1810. (NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls). Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.] (potential father and household with 3 females under age 10)

• 1820 United States Fed. Census; Maine, Lincoln, Thomaston; for household of James Miller. [Repository: Ancestry.com. 1820 United States Federal Census (database on-line, frame #3 of 4). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fourth Census of the United States, 1820. (NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.] (potential father and household with 2 females age 16 to 25)

• 1830 United States Federal Census for [Geo] Washington Miller, Maine, Penobscot, Hampden. [Repository: Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census (database on-line, frame #19 of 26). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fifth Census of the United States, 1830. (NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.] (household/family data)

• 1840 United States Federal Census for [Geo] Washington Miller, Maine, Penobscot, Hampden. [Repository: Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census (database on-line, frame #6 of 29). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. (NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.] (household/family data)

• 1850 United States Federal Census for George W[ashington] Miller, Maine, Knox, Camden, Enumerated August 19, 1850. [Repository: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census (database on-line, Frame #44 of 98). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.] (Residence: Camden; George W. Miller age 50, head of household; wife Charity age 48; six children]

• Groves, Marlene A. (trans. and ed.). Vital Records of Camden/Rockport, Maine; Maine Genealogical Society, Special Publication No. 49; published by Picton Press, Rockland, Maine, p. 545.