John Miller (1810 - 1903)

Born Oct 1810 in Eday, Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Peace) Miller — married 1833 in Eday, Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom

Died 31 Jan 1903 at age 92 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

The youngest child of Peter Miller (1769-1857) and his wife Margaret (Shearer) Miller (abt.1768-1860), John was born in October 1810, in Eday.

John MILLER married Margaret PEACE in Eday in 1833.^[1][2]

1841 Census - Eday, District: 1, Property No: 26 - South House:

1. John Miller, (M), 30, Ag Lab Fisherman, Orkney.
2. Margaret Miller, (F), 30, wife, Orkney.
3. Isabella Miller, (F), 6, Orkney.
4. Margaret Miller, (F), 4, Orkney.
5. Mary Miller, (F), 1, Orkney.
6. Barbara Liddle, (F), 65, Orkney.
   

Note: John’s parents Peter MILLER & Margaret SHEARER, were also at South House in 1841, in a separate household.

1851 Census - Eday, District: 4, Property No: 58 - Carrack:

1. John Miller, M, 39, Head, Mar, Farmer of 25 acres Employing 3 Labourers, born Eday.
2. Margaret Miller, F, 38, Wife, Mar, (nee Peace), Stronsay.
3. Margaret Miller, F, 14, Dau, Eday.
4. Mary Miller, F, 11, Dau, Scholar, Eday.
5. Ann Miller, F, 9, Dau, Scholar, Eday.
6. Betsy Miller, F, 5, Dau, Eday.
7. Jane Miller, F, 2, Dau, Eday.
8. John Miller, M, 0, Son, (3 months), Eday.
9. Isabella Peace, F, 73, Mother in Law, Wid, Formerly Farmers Wife, Stronsay.
10. Andrew Seater, M, 21, Son in Law, Mar, Teacher, Westray.
11. Isabella Seater, F, 18, Dau, Mar, Employed at Home, Eday.
12. John Seater, M, 0, GrandSon, (1 month), Eday.
13. James Gullion, M, 17, Servant, S, Farm Labourer, Eday.

1854 - John MILLER was evicted from the crofts of Vinkquoy and Neuks by Robert HEBDEN [the land owner of the farm of Carrick which was divided into rented crofts].^[3] Others evicted at the same time were: Robert SCOTT from Dykeside; James SHEARER from Moss; James MILLER from South Linkertaign [he went to Refuge, Harray]; and Thomas SINCLAIR from Skaill.

Not found in Orkney in the 1861 or 1871 census.

raymillar.co.uk notes: Migrated to Australia via Liverpool on 22 Nov 1854 aboard "Indian Queen". Passenger list is as follows (but very poor to read); John MILLER 44, wife Marg 44, spinsters (children): Marg 17, Mary 13, Ann 13, ....., Jane 7, John 3; Andrew SETTER 32, Isabella 30, John 3; W. HARCUS 25, Peter HARCUS 23.

Death:^[4] MILLER. -On the 31st January, at the residence of his son-in-law, 415 Punt-road, Richmond, John Miller, late of Carrick, Eday, Orkney, in his 92nd year. (No flowers, by request.) Orkney papers please copy.

Death of his wife: MILLER.—On the 16th November, at Fairview Cottage, Molesworth-street, Hotham-hill, Margaret, the beloved wife of John Miller, late of Carrack, Eday, Orkney, Scotland, aged 70 years.^[5]

Letter to the editor:^[6] Sir - An item has been sent to me from Australia. It may be of interest, as it outlines the story of an emigrant from Eday. Melbourne’s first cemetery was officially established on Crown Land and portioned out to Church of England, Roman Catholic, Independent, Jews, Society of Friends, and Wesleyan. At a later date half of the section allocated to the Society of Friends was set aside for aborigines. The burial ground site was later in great demand as the activities of the town expanded and the nearby market ousted all other claimants to a part of the ground. This was justified by statements that in the area taken over there were not many burials. Subsequently it is recorded that 45 of those buried there were exhumed, placed in 22 coffins, and reinterred in the Melbourne General Cemetery. Market extensions followed and further exhumations and re-interments. It is noted, “It is clear, however, that the programme of exhumation was not a rigorous one as many[…]” […] but a limited number of some interest are available. One Presbyterian family recorded as relocated in another burial ground in the Old Pioneers Section bears the names Miller, Seater and Liddle. The inscription reads: “Erected to the memory of Margaret, dearly beloved wife of John MIller of Eday, Orkney, died 16th November 1881, aged 70. also their children Ann Millar [sic] died 22nd May 1855, aged 13. John Millar died 30th July 1879 aged 28. And their grandchildren Peter Seater died 25th June 1856 aged 3 months. Peter Miller died 29th July 1858 aged 4 months. John Miller, husband of the above died Jan 1903 aged 92.” “Erected by Peter Liddle in memory of his beloved wife Christina Omond born 10th April 1826, died April 7th 1851.” Notes in the General Indexes show John Miller, 415 Punt Road, Richmond, Melb, born Orkney, Scotland, buried 2.2.1903 cause Old age; permission to bury given to his son H. H. Miller; husband of Margaret Miller; father of Ann and Peter Millar [sic]; grandfather of Peter Seater and Peter Millar [sic]. Margaret Miller, Moleworth Street, Hotham Hill (in 1881), born Orkney, died 16.11.1881, aged 70. Peter Millar grandson died 1858 aged 4 months. Peter Millar [sic] son, died 1879, aged 28, Ann Miller daughter died 1855, aged 13. John Miller, Greeves St., Fitzroy, occupation saddler, born Orkney, died aged 28, buried 1879 in Liddle grave, son of John Miller. Mary Ann Liddle or Miller, 144 Bridge St., Richmond. Peter Seater died 1856 aged 3. Christina Omond Liddle born 1826, died 1851, wife of Peter Liddle. All the above has been culled from “The Old Melbourne Cemetery 1837-1922”. One could wish to hear more about this long-lived John Miller from Eday, and of the children who died so young. Their story would no doubt tell us much about the early settlers in Melbourne and of the privations of their time. Yours etc., Betty A. Ashby, “Sixpenny Jack’s”, Yetholm, Kelso, Roxburghshire.

Sources

• Online resources of Orkney Family History Society for census returns.

1. ↑ Orkney Family History Society online resources - Marriage: 28704 01/01/1833 Marriage of John Miller & Margaret Peace, 1833, Eday & Pharay [IGI/OPR Index: 1833-015]
2. ↑ raymillar.co.uk notes: 1833 marriage shown in Old Parish Register but no date given.
3. ↑ Mylne, Christine & Colin, “Reflections: Glimpses of Everyday Life Past and Present”, Manpower Services Commission, Kirkwall 1987
4. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne) Monday 02 February 1903
5. ↑ Illustrated Australian News (Melbourne, Vic.) 30 Nov 1881 p22.
6. ↑ Possibly to the "Orcadian", date unknown - cut out letter viewed in the files of Johan ROBERTSON, Eday, in 1917