Our American Roots (Maternal Ancestor No. 30)
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Samuel McMillen
b. April 21, 1803 in Conococheague, PA
d. February 10, 1883 in Orion, WI
Parents:Father: Daniel McMillenFamily:
Mother: Sarah OliverSpouse: NancyFamily History:
b. 1810 in PA
On November 2, 1850 Samuel McMillen, 47 year old farmer born in PA with $400 worth of real property; Nancy, 40 year old born in PA; Sarah J., 21 year old born in PA; Rachel, 19 year old born in PA; Marg Ann, 17 year old born in PA; Ammazella, 15 year old born in PA; Alvin M., 12 year old born in PA; Martha, 10 year old born in PA; Samuel O., 8 year old born in PA; Ann E., 6 year old born in PA; Joseph, 1 year old born in PA; were living in household 68 at Sandy Creek Township, Venango, PA. Ammazella, Alvin, Martha, and Samuel had all attended school within the past year.Family:
On June 19, 1860 Samuel McMillon, 57 year old farmer born in Pennsylvania with $1000 worth of real and $250 worth of personal property; Nancy, 42 year old born in Pennsylvania; Martha, 18 year old born in Pennsylvania; Ann E., 14 year old born in Ohio; Oliver, 18 year old born Pennsylvania; Martin, 22 year old born Pennsylvania; Joseph, 11 year old born Pennsylvania; Daniel, 9 year old born Pennsylvania; were living in household 838 at Orion, Richland, WI. All of the children except Martin had attended school within the past year.
On August 3, 1870 John McMillen, 67 year old farmer born in Pennsylvania with $800 worth of real and $226 worth of personal property; Nancy, 62 year old housekeeper born in Pennsylvania with a father of foreign birth; Joseph, 21 year old farmer born in Pennsylvania; Maria, 20 year old housekeeper born in Pennsylvania; Armeda, 1/12 (May) year old born in Wisconsin; were living in household 102 at Orion, Richland, WI.
In 1874 Richland County Atlas of Orion, Township 9 North, Range 1 East of the 4th Principal Meridian, shows Samuel McMillin owned 40 Acres, on which he had donated and built School No. 3 on the NE corner. Several of his children also lived in the same area: Joseph owned the 40 Acres directly to the south; Rachel's husband owned the 40 Acres directly to the northwest; Sarah's husband owned the 40 Acres directly to the southeast of Joseph.
In April 1879 Samuel, resident of Orion, began receiving a father's pension of $8.00 per month in recognition of his deceased son's service during the Civil War.
On June 5, 1880 Joseph McMillan, 32 year old farmer, born in Penn; Maria A., 29 year old house keeper born in Wis; Samuel, 77 year old father born in Penn; Nancy, 70 year old invalid (chronic encephalitis) Step Mother born in Penn with father born in Ireland and mother born in Penn; Almeda, 10 year old born in Wis; Eva M., 8 year old born in Wis; Rachel L., 5 year old born in Wis; Anne E., 1 year old born in Wis; Samuel Bugher, 21 year old nephew laborer born in Wis; were living in household 30 at Orion, Richland, WI. Joseph's daughters were all attending school. Joseph had been unemployed 4 months, Maria 1 month and Samuel Bugher 6 months during the previous year.
There has been some question as to the identity of the mother of Samuel's children since the 1880 census identified Nancy as Joseph's step mother and her estimated age and birth place is equivalent to that of Nancy of the 1850 census. However, both the 1860 and 1870 census would indicate that this Nancy was 2 years older than the one in the 1850 census. Nancy's father being indicated as of foreign birth in 1870 would correlate with her father being born in Ireland as indicated in the 1880 census, which would make her the step mother. Considering only the census data of 1850 and 1880, it would appear that Samuel's first wife died during, or as a result of, Joseph's birth and Samuel immediately remarried; thus indicating that the youngest child, Daniel, would have been borne by the second wife. If, as 'The History of Richland County' states, Samuel's "aged and estimable partner in life" passed away ten years before him, then the Nancy of the 1850 census would have died in 1873 and Samuel would have had to have then married the Nancy mentioned as the stepmother in 1880, thus indicating that it was just coincidence that both wives were named Nancy, born about the same time and in the same state, and had a father of foreign birth. Until a birth or death certificate for one of the children, a record for one of Samuel's marriages, or some other document is found detailing facts about his first marriage, we can not know for certain that the Nancy's are two separate people. In light of the above history being published in 1884 and the deaths occurring within the time that would be familiar to the author, it is prudent to consider his account to be correct; however the coincidences are such that it is highly questionable. It is my opinion from reviewing all of the data that both wives were named Nancy, the first being born in 1810 and having died sometime prior to the 1855 move from PA to WI, possibly during childbirth of Daniel, and the second born in 1808 and being the Mrs. Samuel McMillan who died in 1881. Samuel's estimated age is consistent between all of the censuses and Nancy's estimated age is consistent between the 1850 and 1880 and the 1860 and 1870. In general if a woman were to misstate her age, chances are that she would shave years to appear younger not older. Also, it is probable that the 1880 census was stated by Joseph as head of household, especially considering that Nancy was an invalid at that time with what would appear to be chronic encephalitis which would affect her mental faculties, whereas the earlier census data would have been when she was younger and of a fresher mind. Margaret's marriage certificate to Lewis Williams states that she is the daughter of Samuel and Nancy McMillan and Ammazetta's pension application states that she is the daughter of Sameul McMillon and Nancy, his wife.Photos:
May 9, 1865 Pension
April 30, 1866 Marriage Certificate
1874 Atlas
1884 "History of Richland County" {Page 938, Col. II & Page 939, Col. I}Relevant Family Papers of Hazel Edna Marx:
Children:
Spouse: Nancy
b. 1808 in PA
d. 1881 in Orion, WI
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Copyright 2001 Richard Joseph Bucknum