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 Caroline RAYNOR (Jonathan Norton, Joseph, Joseph, Josiah, Joseph, Thurston) was born on May 20, 1832 at East Moriches, Long Island, NY, the eldest of six children born to Jonathan Norton and Emma (Wines) RAYNOR.

  On September 8, 1852 Caroline married John Conkling MILLER, who was born on July 27, 1830 in East Moriches, the son of Enoch and Amy (Conkling) MILLER of East Hampton, Long Island, NY. Caroline and John later removed to Kenton, Ohio.

  John and Caroline Raynor MILLER were the parents of two children:

  • Henry Jay MILLER was born on April 14, 1855 in East Moriches.  On October 13, 1880, in Kenton, Ohio, he married Emma Cornelia NORTON, born November 22, 1856 in Marseilles, Wyandotte County, Ohio, the daughter of Anson and Rachel (Hooker) NORTON of Kenton, Ohio.  Henry and Emma (Norton) MILLER were the parents of two children:
    • William Norton MILLER, born July 28, 1881 
    • Raynor MILLER, born September 13, 1894 


  • Emma Wines MILLER was born November 9, 1862 in Kenton, Ohio.  On October 14, 1885, she married Ralph Waldo RAREY, born September 17, 1859 in Kenton, Ohio, the son of Benjamin RAREY and Mary D. BERGSTRESSER of Columbus and Kenton, Ohio.  Ralph Waldo and Emma Wines (Miller) RAREY were the parents of three children: 
    • Frank Benjamin RAREY, born July 7, 1886 
    • Amy Conklin RAREY, born May 27, 1889 
    • John Miller RAREY, born January 15, 1894 

Miller-Raynor Family Reunion
East Moriches, Long Island, NY 
Sept. 15, 1906 

  A notable social event here was a reunion of the older members of the MILLER family, and the RAYNOR family, at the residence of Capt. and Mrs. I. K. CHICHESTER, Tuesday.

  Early in the last century Enoch MILLER came from East Hampton and established a boot and shoe shop and tannery in their village.  For a generation he had practically the whole shoe trade from Bellport west to Sag Harbor east.  His wagon went over that route every week for many years.  He employed a dozen or more men and his leather had a wide reputation.  Some of his cowhide hip water boots are yet in existence.  He had seven grown sons and one daughter.  Two of the sons, Charles 11, and Erastus, have died, the others are yet living, the youngest, Enoch, being 64 years old.  One of the sons, James L., now owns a shoe store at the old stand, and one, John C. MILLER, has an extensive shoe business under the firm name of J.C. MILLER & Son, at Kenton, 0hio.

   Capt. Norton RAYNOR came from "The Manor", now Manorville, in 1832, and built the first smack ever built expressly to carry live eels, and followed that trade until the Long Island Railroad and the practice of storing ice, came into vogue, and he gave up that business and bought a farm.  His first homestead here, was what's now the Prospect House, East Moriches.  He, too, had quite a large family, all of whom are yet living, the youngest, Mrs. L. L. DAVIS of Morristown, N.J., being now fifty-seven years old.
   Enoch MILLER and Norton RAYNOR were close friends and one the older of the MILLER boys, John C., married one of the daughters of Capt. RAYNOR.
   There was a big gathering of relatives in September, 1852, to attend the marriage of "John and Caroline", and at the old place, Tuesday of this week, fifty-four years after the wedding, there was another big dinner, and some pretty big appetites to fit it, too.  The party spent the greater part of the day on the portico and lawn at Capt. CHICHESTERS, and were photographed by the Brooklyn Times, while together.

Caroline Raynor MILLER and her three RAREY grandchildren:
John, Frank and Amy.

  Since the first inter-marriage of the two families, there have been others, among which may be mentioned J. M. REEVE grandson of Enoch MILLER married Martha RAYNOR, a granddaughter of Capt. Norton RAYNOR. J. H. MILLER, a nephew of Enoch, married Ada, daughter of Laban RAYNOR, and a son of Laban, Winfield, married May MILLER another granddaughter of Enoch MILLER, so the two families are now more than ever united.

  All of the living children of Enoch MILLER, and all save one of Norton RAYNOR’s children were at the reunion Tuesday.  If the grandchildren and great-grandchildren had been present, none of the houses in East Moriches would have afforded sufficient accommodations for the occasion, but as only the older members were included, accommodations were easily provided.

  Many tales of boyhood and girlhood were brought to mind, humorous, pathetic and otherwise. One of the MILLERS told about getting in "the old orchard" owned by Squire OSBORN, father of the present Squire OSBORN, and getting a thrashing by the old "squire".

    "Now," said the squire, after the thrashing, "if you want any apples, at any time, you ask me and I'll give you some."

    "Please, Mr. OSBORN I'd like some now," responded the boy, and got the apples . . . . . 

  It was interesting to hear the older ones tell about grinding bark, in the tannery and soaking hides, and how it felt to get tripped over into the soaking vats.  And how as boys and girls they went to the beach on picnics, and to parties.  Five of the MILLER boys married girls of this locality, and some of the "girls," too, had good recollections of the fun of early days.  The Rev. Dr. GEDDES, almost as good at reminiscences of army life and stories as he is at preaching, was very interesting, but all things end, and the day, like newspaper space, is limited and must come to an end.

  Those present were:


Mr. and Mrs. J. C. MILLER, of Kenton, 0hio;

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert L. MILLER, of East Moriches;

Mr. and Mrs. Elisha C. MILLER, of East Orange, N.J.;

Mr. and Mrs. Enoch G. MILLER, of East Orange, N.J.;

James L. MILLER, of East Moriches;

Mrs. Charles H. MILLER, of East Moriches; 

Mrs. Amelia REEVE, of East Moriches;

Mrs. Bertha MILLER, of East Moriches; 

Mr. and Mrs. J. M. REEVE, of East Moriches; 

Capt. and Mrs. Austin RAYNOR, of East Moriches; 

Mrs. and Mrs. E. U. OSBORN, of East Moriches; 

Mr. and Mrs. Ezra MILLER, of East Moriches;

Mr. and Mrs. J. M. RAYNOR, of East Moriches;

Mrs. I. K. CHICHESTER, of East Moriches; 

Miss Marion MILLER, of East Moriches; 

Mr. and Mrs. J. H. MILLER, of East Moriches;

Mrs. George W. WHALEY, of East Moriches;

Mr. and Mrs. Jay CHICHESTER, of East Moriches;

Mr. and Mrs. Usher B. HOWELL and Miss Marion HOWELL, of Riverhead;

L. L. DAVIS of Morristown, N.J.;

Mr. and Mrs. J. S. CULVER, of Westhampton Beach;

all of whom are directly connected with two families of MILLERS and RAYNORS. 

  The local pastors were invited and the Rev. Messrs. GEDDES, of the Centre Moriches, and the Rev. Mr. KELLOGG, of the East Moriches Presbyterian Churches, and the pastor of the East Moriches M. E. Church, The Rev. Mr. Shirer.

  John MILLER of Appquogue, Easthampton - 6th generation of the MILLER Family had eight sons: John, Daniel, Enoch, Asa, Jacob, George, Elias, Ezra; and four daughters: one the wife of John PARSONS, one the wife of David PARSONS, and Mary, wife of Joshua TERRY and Temperance, wife of James C. HOE, of New York City.


 © Copyright 1999
Genealogical information provided by Dr. Stuart P. Howell, Jr.
Photographs provided by William Paul Penney 
(great grandson of Horace Merry Raynor, brother of Caroline Raynor Miller). "Miller-Raynor Family Reunion" article from the Brooklyn Times
provided by Van R. Field.