For a long, long time I have sought to find out the parents of Frederick Miller, who was born in Maryland in 1782 and died in Hopkins Co., KY in 1853. Miller is such a common name, and in Miller families there were so many of the same first names, like Jacob, Henry, Martin, David, George, etc., that it is difficult to sort them out into proper families.

A breakthrough finally came from researchers on the line of one David Miller (1799-1867), who seems to have been a younger sibling of Frederick Miller. One of those researchers in the line of David Miller found Revolutionary War pension application papers for one George Miller and for his widow, Judith Wesner Miller, seem to prove David to be a son of George. Other information points to Frederick as David's brother.

Here is the collected evidence that points to George Miller and Judith Wesner being the parents of Frederick and David.

1. Revolutionary War pension papers of George Miller and his widow, Judith Wesner Miller. These papers reveal the following facts:
 

(1) George Miller was born ca 1756, according to his affidavit, which said he was 67 yrs. at time of application, May, 1823, in Crawford Co., ILL.

(2) In 1823 he had been a resident of Crawford Co., ILL about 2 1/2 yrs., indicating he must have arrived there about Dec., 1820.

(3) On 26 Mar 1825 he applied to have his pension sent to him in Missouri, "to which he had lately removed," --Franklin Co., MO.

(4) Judith Miller, applying for widow's pension, said George Miller died 15 June 1830.

(5) She declared they were married in May, 1777, in Hagerstown, MD, her home being about 2 miles away, in Funkstown. They were married in the German Reformed Church, by a Rev. Wm. Wymer.(Unfortunately his record book could not be found.)

(6) Affadavites indicated she was 16 yrs. old at the time of marriage in 1777. This would make her birth date ca 1761.

(7) She presented a family record page from a German Bible which recorded their first child Elizabeth, born 2 Mar1780. (Friends had testified they were married some time before their first child was born.) This page recorded a tenth child, David, b. ca 1799.

(1) George and Judith bought land in Washington Co., MD, in 1785. (Washington was formed from Frederick in 1776. )

(2) They sold land 10 years later in 1795.

(3) Tax assessment lists of Muhlenberg County, KY show the following on a George Miller:

July 6, 1799, no land, 1 male over 21 (himself)

Aug. 22, 1800, no land,1 male over 21, plus I male 16-21 (This male 16-21 could well be Frederick,18 yrs. old. We know from his tombstone and from administration papers in Hopkins Co., KY, he was born in 1782 and died in 1853. This would place him 2nd child in the family as Elizabeth was born 1780.

1801 - Lists hard to read.

Mar. 22, 1802 - George has 200 acres on Sand Lick Fork.

Apr. 12, 1803, Frederick Miller appears, no land, 1 male/21
Frederick would have been 21 in 1803. This coincides with birthdate of 1782. Census records record MD as his place of birth.

Apr. 13, 1803 - George Miller still on his 200 acres on Sand Lick Fork, 1 male/21.

The dates of these two assessments being very close means they lived close to each other. Also the male 16-21 in George Miller's home isn't there in 1803, but Frederick Miller shows up 1 male/21 makes a possibility George was Frederick's father.

Mar. 21, 1804 - George Miller and Frederick Miller were assessed the same day. These two continue separately on tax lists for several years.

 1805 - George Miller has 300 acres on Pond Creek, original survey to him.

Mar. 1, 1808 - Frederick has 100 acres on Sand Lick Fork, which had been patented to George Miller, showing he had bought half of George's 200 acres.

July 11, 1808 - George is now shown with only 100 acres on Sand Lick Fork.

1815 - A George Miller, Sr., and George Miller, Jr. (1 M/21) are shown, George, Jr. on Sand Lick Fork by George, Sr., indicating a son come of age. Note: Muhlenberg Co. Deed Book 4, p. 245, Oct. 26, 1815 shows George Miller & wife, Judah selling land pat. to him on Dec. 14, 1805, and land he now lives on.

After 1815 George Miller, Sr. is no longer shown on the Muhlenberg Co., KY tax lists.

3. A marriage record in Franklin Co., MO of Michael Shuckman, Sr., married to Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, wife of Frederick Brown, deceased, and daughter of George Miller. The date of this marriage was 4 Dec. 1838.

There is a marriage record of Frederick Brown to Betsy Miller, Aug. 1812 in Muhlenberg Co., KY. Given that Elizabeths are sometime nicknamed "Betsy" this information fits, as George Miller was shown still to be in Muhlenberg Co., KY, by the tax lists.  Given this "Betsy" is George's first child, Elizabeth, born in 1780, she would have been 32 years old at the time of her marriage to Frederick Brown. This would seem a bit old for a first marriage, as girls married much younger in those days. A probable explanation may be found in those Muhlenberg Co. tax lists.  In 1807, 1808 and 1809 Frederick Miller is listing land on Long Creek, original survey by Elizabeth Adams. Her name is not on the lists after that.  It could be that Elizabeth Miller had first married an Adams, he died, the land is in her name. And then in 1812 she married Frederick Brown.

4. Frederick Miller named a son Frederick WESNER Miller,  making a tie to Judith Wesner Miller as his mother.