Frederick-Godfrey Henry-Johann Gottfriedt Miller Evidence Chain

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Miller

Evidence Thread for G. Frederick-Godfrey Henry-Johann Gottfriedt Miller Lineage

G Frederick Miller (1797-1886) Godfrey Henry Miller (1753-1831) Johann Gottfriedt Miller (abt.1730-abt.1753)

There are multiple Frederick and Godfrey Millers in Pennsylvania/New York during the 17-1800’s. Why is this particular Frederick the son of this particular Godfrey’s son the son of this particular Gottfriedt? The pertinent source records are as follows:

1) Obituary of Frederick Miller, Northumberland County Democrat, 25 June 1886:^[1] Besides some important vital information, Frederick’s obituary contains some stories about his father, unnamed, and his grandfather, Henry, that are clearly erroneous or difficult to verify. Clearly erroneous is the story of grandfather Henry immigrating from Germany to New Amsterdam during the early part of the 16th century, e.g. the 1500’s. Given that Frederick was born in 1797, there would have to be more generations in there to cover a span of 175+ years. Difficult to verify would be the story about Frederick’s unnamed father’s friendship with George Washington and escape from the British soldiers. However, there are several bits of information that will prove to be invaluable:

a. The unnamed father, was living in Northampton County at the time of his death.

b. The unnamed father died from a fall from a pear tree.

c. The unnamed father was born AFTER the death of his own father, whoever that was.

d. The unnamed father spent some amount of his early life in Philadelphia, disregarding how he got there.

e. The unnamed father was a Revolutionary War veteran.

f. Frederick was born in Northampton County in 1797.

2) The 1880 US Census:^[2] This shows the place of birth for Frederick’s father to be New York.

3) "Guide to the Old Moravian Cemetery of Bethlehem, PA, 1742-1910"; Schultze, Augustus; Lancaster, PA; 1912:^[3] This reference lists all the people buried in this cemetery and provides some biographical information for many. Among them is a Godfrey Henry Mueller (headstone still exists) and among the information provided is:

a. Born in March 1753.

b. Born in New York City. This ties into item 2 above.

c. Farmed at Nockamixon.

d. Died (or at least is buried) in Northampton County. Ties into 1a.

e. Died falling from a pear tree. This ties into 1b and is far too unique to be coincidental.

f. Was married to Julia S. Krause. Julia is also buried her and her bio says:

i. Name Juliana Salome Krause.

ii. From Nockamixon, Bucks County, PA.

iii. After the death of her husband, she lived with her (unnamed) son at Saucon (Lower Saucon is a township of Northampton County).

4) Obituary Esther Miller Warner, Allentown Democrat, 18 Jan 1882:^[4] This obit provides a critical link between Esther, her parents Godfrey Miller and (Juliana) Salome Krause, her brother Frederick Miller, and sister Mrs. (Anna Catherine) Weil in Allentown. Important data:

a. Esther’s parents were Godfried and Salimona (nee Krause) Miller. This ties into 3.

b. Born in Northampton County in 1791. Ties into 1e, 3b and 3fiii.

c. Brother Frederick and sister “Mrs. Weil” (aka Anna Catherine Miller Weil, 1801-1887) were between 80 and 90 years of age at in 1882. This is accurate for both the Frederick above and Anna Catherine.

d. Frederick was “from Pottsgrove, Northumberland County” at the time of Esther’s death in 1882. Two years earlier during the 1880 census, Frederick’s home was in Montour County, however, he had lived in Northumberland County at the time of the 1850 census. Also, Frederick’s daughter was living in Potts Grove and at his age, by 1882 his health may have been deteriorating and he may have been staying with her; certainly we know from her death certificate that Frederick’s wife, Julia, was living with this daughter as she approached the end of her life and died at her daughter’s home in Potts Grove. So I’m confident we have the correct Frederick-Esther-Godfrey connection.

5) "New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962", Baptisms from Kirchenbuch of German Lutheran Church of New York City.^[5] Listing on p. 3 shows:

a. Child Gottfried Henrich Miller. Anglicized version, Godfrey Henry Miller, born 3 March :1753 in New York City. Ties into 3a and b.

b. Parents Gottfriedt and Maria Miller.

c. Father died 6 months prior to birth of son. This ties into 1c and is too unusual to be coincidental. It further strengthens this father-son-grandson chain.

d. Witnesses Leonhard Riegler and wife Catharina, Catharina wife of Andreas Riegler.

e. Listing on p. 1 shows Johann Friderich Miller, born 1751 in New York City:

i. Parents Johann Gottfriedt Miller and Anna Maria Remelin. Ties into 5b.

ii. Witnesses Johann Friedrich Ries, Mathias Knecht and wife Maria Magdalena, Catharine the wife of Leonhard Riegler. Parents match as do one of the witnesses for each child. Catharine Riegler, wife of Leonhard, ties in to 5d.

6) Will of Godfrey Miller, died 1752.^[6]

a. References wife Mary which ties into 5b and 5ei.

b. References son John which ties into 5e.

c. References “my child which is at present unborn” which ties into 5c and 1c.

d. Executor Philip Henry Rapp.

e. Executor Mathias Knecht which ties into 5eii.

7) Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989, New York Marriages, 1686-1980:^[7] Records the marriage of Maria Miller, “born Remelin and widow of Johann Gottfriedt Miller” to Reverend Philipp Henrich Rapp at Christ Lutheran Church, New York, New York, New York on 31 March 1753. This ties into Maria in item 5 and Philip in 6d.

8) The Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol XIV, pp 166-167, Muster Rolls and Papers Relating to the Associators and Militia of the County of Bucks:^[8] Lists Godfrey Miller as a Corporal in the Nockamixon Company of Bucks County. This ties into 1a, 3c and by association, 3fii.

9) The Pennsylvania-German Society, vol XXXI, “Ministry of Rev. Philip Henry Rapp, 1765-1772”.^[9]

a. Biographical information places Rapp in New York from 1751 to the end of 1753. This ties in with 6d and 7.

b. Married to Anna Maria and with her two sons by Johann Gottfriedt and a couple daughters of their own, the bio places them in Germantown (a part of Philadelphia) from 1 Jan 1754 to 1762. This ties into 1d.

c. After that, the bio has him serving in Bucks County and residing until his death in Nockamixon township. This location ties into 3c, 3fii and 8.

d. A transcript of Rapp’s will shows it witnessed by Godfrey Miller. His step-son? Ties into 3c and 8.

Sources

1. ↑ Obituary: Obituary of Frederick Miller: Northumberland County Democrat, 25 June 1886; Newspapers.com by Ancestry; https://www.newspapers.com/image/511705191
2. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880"
   citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
   FamilySearch Record: MWNP-53L (accessed 2 June 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YBF-L7H Image number 00252
   Frederick Miller (83), married, Retired Farmer, head of household in Liberty Township, Montour, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in Pennsylvania, United States.
3. ↑ Book: "Guide to the old Moravian cemetery of Bethlehem, Pa., 1742-1910"
   https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/552492-guide-to-the-old-moravian-cemetery-of-bethlehem-pa-1742-1910 (accessed 2 June 2023)
   Identifier: 2544928; Creator: Schultze, Augustus, 1840-1918; Language: English; Subject: United States, Pennsylvania, Northampton, Bethlehem - Cemeteries; Page Count: 222; Owning Institution: Houston Public Library; Publisher Digital: FamilySearch International; Access Level: Public.
4. ↑ Obituary: Obituary of Esther Miller Warner: Allentown Democrat, 18 Jan 1882; Newspapers.com by Ancestry; https://www.newspapers.com/image/74765511
5. ↑ Baptism: "U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989"
   Holland Society of New York; New York, New York; Baptisms NY Lutherans, Vol 2, Book 86
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6961 #227622 (accessed 2 June 2023)
   Gottfried Henrich Miller baptism (born 3 Mar), child of Gottfriedt Miller & Maria, in New York City, All Boroughs, New York, USA.
6. ↑ Probate: "New York, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999"
   Record of Wills, 1665-1916; Index to Wills, 1662-1923 (New York County); Author: New York. Surrogate's Court (New York County); Probate Place: New York, New York
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8800 #865934 (accessed 2 June 2023)
   Godfrey Miller probate on 21 Jan 1753 in New York, New York, USA.
7. ↑ Marriage Record: Dutch Reformed Church Records from New York and New Jersey. Holland Society of New York, New York, New York.
   U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.; https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6961/images/42037_1521003239_0797-00060
8. ↑ Book: The Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol XIV, pp 166-167, Muster Rolls and Papers Relating to the Associators and Militia of the County of Bucks
9. ↑ Book: Proceeding and Addresses of The Pennsylvania-German Society; Vol XXI; “Ministry of Rev. Philip Henry Rapp, 1765-1772”; pp 345-350
   HathiTrust Digital Library; https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3505717&view=1up&seq=481