1.MarthaJaneReed, born February 01, 1864 in Whitley Co., IN; died September 16, 1886 in Nappanee, Elkhart Co., IN. She was the daughter of 2. MartinVan BurenReed and 3. MaryR.Souder. She married (1) GeorgeBarronMiller March 20, 1884 in Nappanee, Elkhart Co., IN. He was born September 08, 1864 in Mt. Pleasant, PA, and died March 30, 1937 in Roanoke, Huntington Co., IN. He was the son of John Murray Miller and Elizabeth Barron.
Notes for Martha Jane Reed:
Previously called the Pippenger Cemetery. Her tombstone indicates that
she died at age 22 years, 8 months and 15 days.
Born in Whitley County, Indiana, Martha Jane moved to Kosciusko
County with her family a few years later as they resided there by
1870. Her father's property was on the border with Elkhart County, and
very near Nappanee.
Her marriage to George Miller was attended by her brother, Jacob W.
Reed, her sister Mary Alice Reed Wysong and her husband Daniel Wysong.
The book Cemeteries of Elkhart County, Indiana, indicates that she
died at the age of 22 years, 8 months and 15 days. She is buried in
section 1, Row 19, of Union Center, West, Cemetery, along with her
parents and her sister Lavina May.
More About Martha Jane Reed:
Burial: Abt. September 19, 1886, Union Twp., Elkhart Co., IN
Notes for George Barron Miller:
His death certificate shows that he was born in 1864 and the
internment records show he died at age 72.
His death certificate indicates that the principal cause of death was
"diabetis swelitus" and that the duration was 12 years. It also
indicates that he was a divorced white male, but that his wife was a
Jennie Miller.
The record of George's burial can be found on page 2667 of Volume 9,
M, of the Lindenwood internment records.
In the early part of the year 1836 comparatively few settlers were
located within the bounds of what is now DeKalb County. Joseph MILLER,
the first surveyor of DeKalb County, and his father, transported their
goods by way of Fort Wayne to Shryock's Mill, and from thence to the
farm about a mile below Auburn. (It is possible he may have been
related to our MILLERs.) They were forced to cut their path through
the dense forest. They left most of their goods and their families on
the Maumee and penetrated the woods, going East, by means on a small
pocket compass, to the Saint Joseph. Circling the worst and impassable
swamps they cut a road back, a distance of 12 miles, in order that
their wagons might pass, and also had to bridge a tamarackswamp on the
route. This road was afterwards known as "Miller's Trace," and served
as a highway for many immigrants. It was located where the road ran
westward from the St. Joseph river at the place of Judge Widney's. The
area was so wild that as late as October 1874, a bear was killed in
Richland Township. By 1874 the construction of the Chicago Division of
the B & O was nearly completed and the Baltimore Land and Development
Improvement Company sent a special agent out to locate a suitable
division point. A total of 604- acres was bought by the agent for the
site of Garrett. He negotiated with farmers and closed the contracts
for their lands before they were aware he was buying all the land
around for a purpose. He purchased a total of 12 farms. The 50 acres
upon which Garrett was laid out cost $17,000 and within six months a
total of $90,000 worth of lots were sold from it. Garrett became the
Division headquarters for the B & O, the primary business being coal.
In June 1876, a new township was formed and named Keyser after William
KEYSER, then second vice president of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
(Could he be part of our KEYSER family?) The original platt of Garrett
was recorded at Auburn on April 9,1875, and was named in honor of John
W. GARRETT then the president of the B & O, the first common carrier
in America. The first Garrett fire department was organized in 1884 by
B. & O. apprentice boys. The fire apparatus was a hand pumper and a
hose cart. The water was furnished by a pump in the B & O engine room.
The Interurban System was an important part of the development and
growth of Garrett. The Toledo and Chicago Interurban Company began
regular service to Garrett May 10, 1906. It was the fourth line out of
Fort Wayne.
George Miller came to Indiana in the mid-1870's. He lived somewhere
around Nappanee in Elkhart County, where his brother Jerimiah was
living. His marriage record shows that at the time of his marriage to
Martha Jane Reed, he was 20 years of age and a farmer in Jefferson
Township, Kosciusco County. The marriage record also indicates that he
was born in Fayette County, PA, and that his parents were John Miller
and Lydia Barrow. In the next few years, after the death of Martha
Jane in 1886, he moved to Garrett, in Dekalb County. His death
certificate indicates that he joined the B & O Railroad in 1890. Both
the US census records for 1900 and 1910 indicate that he was employed
by the B & O. The 1900 census indicates he had been married to
Caroline for 11 years. The 1910 census indicates they had been married
for 23 years and listed George's age as 47. When Carline died in 1914,
they were living in Altona, DeKalb County. The 1920 US Census
indicates that he had a third wife, Addie, whose father was born in
Missouri and mother in Indiana. The Census indicates that they were
living at 516 West King Street in Garrett and that George was still
employed by the railroad as a Distributor. On September 21, 1922, his
son Grover applied for a marriage license. He indicated thereon that
his father was George Miller, born in Pennsylvania, occupation
Railroader, and living in Garrett, Indiana. He also listed the name of
his mother as Caroline (deceased), although this was actually his
step-mother.
His third wife, Addie, died in December 1928, at their residence at
516 West King Street, a property that George purchased on February 25,
1929 (DeKalb Co. Quit Claim Deed #4375, recorded March 16, 1929). The
same property was sold by George Miller on July 19, 1935 (Warranty
Deed #3911). The deed of sale indicates that George was unmarried and
living in Allen County. He then married Jennie in October 1935, but
was thereafter divorced. Their marriage certificate stated that his
father was John Miller and his mother Lizzie Barron.
His obituary in the Huntington "Herald-Press," indicates that he was
living in Roanoke with his daughter (actually his step-daughter
Myrtle), Mrs. Robert Akom. His death certificate indicates that he had
been living with her for a period of seven months, and that he died at
the age of 72 years, 6 months and 22 days. It also states that he had
been a Boilermaker for the B & O Railroad and that he had last worked
at that occupation in 1930. It also confirms that he was divorced and
that his wife's name had been "Jennie Miller."
George is buried next to his wife Addie. Both graves are unmarked.
More About George Barron Miller:
Burial: April 01, 1937, Fort Wayne, Allen Co., IN
