Johann Michael Mueller, Jr. (1692-1771/83)

B6 Johann Michael Mueller, Jr., born May 10, 1692 in Grötzingen, Alb-Donau-Kreis, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, died 1771 in Ash, Maryland; married January 4, 1714 in Ohmbach, Kusel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, Suzanna Agnes Berchtol, born October 3, 1688 in Krottelbach, Kusel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, died 1791 in Conococheague, Washington, Maryland. Suzanna's parents were Hans Berchtol (born 1641 in Krottelbach, Kusel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, died 1711 in Washington, Maryland) and Anna Christina (born 1655 in Krottelbach, Kusel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, died in Germnany-date unknown).

Michael Miller and his wife Suzanna Agnes Berchtol, came to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Colony, 2 October, 1727, on the the ship Adventure Galley, with several children and accompanied by Jacob Berchtol, her brother and Jacob Stutzman, Jr., his step brother. They left Germany because of their opposition to military conscription of the times.

There is also another date of arrival which has been found. The second date is 23 September, 1732, on the "Adventurer". It is thought that perhaps he returned to his mother country to get settlement of his father's estate and returned in 1732. No record can be found of the settlement of the estate, but soon after the date of 1732, Michael and Susanna began to look for land. He is recorded as paying tax for land in Chester County, Coventry Township, Pennsylvania, for years 1732-1740. He took out a warrant for 200 acres of land in 1737 but never obtained a patent for the property.

On 7 February, 1744, Michael Miller, Nicholas Garber, Samuel Bechtol, Hans Jacob & Elizabeth Bechtol, (who also lived in Chester County, Pennsylvania), purchased a tract of land consisting of 400 acres, northeast of Hanover, Pennsylvania, in York County. This was before the Mason Dixon line had been established and boundaries were different from what we know them today.

They settled in Rapho Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Colony. Later they moved to Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania Colony and in 1744, to the Little Conewago Congregation Church. They were early settlers of Frederick County, (later to become Washington County) Maryland.

In 1745 he purchased from John George Arnold, 150 acres of land, NW of what is now Hagerstown, Maryland. The property was then called "Ash Swamp". This land holding was later expanded to 290 acres.

In 1749 Michael Miller, yeoman, of Frederick County, purchased "Skipton-on-Craven" from Colonel Thomas Cresap.

Michael Miller, married (second wife) Elizabeth Garber, widow of Nicholas Garber. She had four children from her former marriage: Samuel Garber (a non-associator in the Revolutionary War; he was one of several Miller family members who chose not to pay the War Taxes or participate in the War Activities, due to the non-violent principals of the Brethren Church), Elizabeth Garber, Ann Garber, Martin Garber (also a non-associator).

He and Elizabeth, had a grant of land surveyed for him in 1749. It was granted to him in 1754 and it was located between "Skipton-on-Craven" and "Resurvey of Well Taught" and contained 36 acres that he called "Miller's Fancy".

Land records help us understand the mind and spirit of this wealthy land owner and great family man. He resided for many years in the vicinity of Leitersburg near the mouth of Little Antietam. Here he owned at one time seven hundred acres of land, now embraced in the Ziegler, Hartle and Stockslager farms.*

In 1755 Michael Miller bought 409 acres of land from George Poe. This was a portion of land known by the name of "Resurvey on Well Taught".

In 1760 he was Constable of Upper Antietam Hundred.*

In 1765 John Reiff (another non-associator) purchased from Michael Miller 117 acres of land, part of "Skipton-on-Craven", where on John Reiff then lived.* Michael, was a resident of the district and a neighbor to Jacob Leiter. By successive purchases he eventually acquired more than four hundred acres of land, southwest of Leitersburg and on both sides of the Antietam and the turnpike, much of which was doubtless reduced to cultivation and improved by him.*

In 1765, Jacob Good (another non-associator), purchased from Michael Miller, 163 acres part of "Skipton-on-Craven".*

There is a rather strong possibility that most of the Brethren bearing the name Miller, sprung from this Michael Miller line. There have been many Ministers and Elders in these families and almost all were devout church members and they always took their church with them when they moved into a new territory. There are more Brethren Church members with the name Miller, than any other name.

Known Children of Michael Miller and Suzanna Agnes Berchtol:

C? John Peter Miller
C2 Hans Jeremiah Miller
C3 David Miller
C4 Hans Michael Miller
C5 George Miller
C? Lodowich Miller
C? Philip Jacob Miller
C8 Hans Michael Miller II
C9 Barbara Miller
C10 Jacob Miller