Elias Miller and Cecelia Marsh

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Husband Elias Miller ¹

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           Born: 10 Jun 1814 - Moore Twp, Northampton Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: David Miller (1786-1866) 2
         Mother: Barbara Reichner (1791-1875) 2

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       Marriage: 

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   Other Spouse: Amanda Grimes (      -      ) 3

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Wife Cecelia Marsh ⁴

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           Born: 24 Sep 1814 - Moore Twp, Northampton Co, PA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 9 Apr 1886 3
         Buried:  - Reformed Church Cemetery

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         Father: John Marsh (      -      ) 3
         Mother: Polly Deemer (      -      ) 3

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Children

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1 M Harvey Miller ⁵

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           Born: Abt 1842
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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2 M Benjamin F. Miller ⁴

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           Born: 28 Feb 1844 - Ferguson Twp, Centre Co, PA 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Hannah C. Schmeltzer (1847-      ) 5
           Marr: 1867 - Brush Valley, Centre Co, PA 5

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3 M Gideon Miller ³

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 3 Nov 1863 3
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - Elias Miller

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The schools of the early days afforded but meagre opportunities for an ambitious boy, but his help was needed at home too much to admit of any extended course of study. He was a willing worker, strong for his age, and chopped many hundreds of cords of wood. At thirteen he was hired out with the understanding that he should have two months' schooling each year; but this bargain was not observed, as his employer kept him at work all the time. He was eighteen at the time of the removal to Centre County, and he remained at home working for his parents until he was twenty-three years old lacking three months. In the meantime he had made numerous journeys on foot to Northampton County, 175 miles each way, to visit an early friend. In the fall of 1836 he started on foot to claim his bride. His clothes were poor, and he had in his pocket less than $2.50, half of which had been secured by working at fifty cents per day at husk-ing corn, and the rest had been saved, a few cents at a time, from chance earnings.
There was a young man in Northampton County who wished to go to Centre County with the young couple and board with them while working in the woods for Mr. Miller, and through an advance of $20, to be repaid in board, Mr. Miller was greatly assisted at this critical period in his fortunes. After his marriage he walked back to his home to make arrangements for bringing his bride, and early in December, 1836, he returned for her with a covered wagon. A heavy snow fell, and the roads becoming almost impassable with drifts, the trip, which should have been made in nine days, occupied six weeks. For a part of the way the wagon was transformed into a sled, and when the snow melted, the wheels, which had been strapped to the load, were again put in place, and thus the journey was finished. By this time Mr. Miller's funds were exhausted, but youth, health, and a definite purpose in life seemed a guarantee of success, and so they proved. He rented a small house in Ferguson township, Centre County, and began chopping wood in "The Barrens" for the Pennsylvania Furnace, managing to save a portion of his earnings. He built a small house on land owned by the company, and later leased a tract of timber land from them for twelve years. In eleven years he cleared 300 acres, the company putting up buildings for him. Before the lease expired he bought 115 acres of land, incurring a debt of nearly $4,000. This was the first home of his own, and six years were spent there. During that time he bought 209 acres from the company, and cleared nearly 100 acres of it, building a plain but good house. In 1855 he bought the "Old Musser farm" of 130 acres in Brush Valley, and in the following spring settled there, remaining eight years, when he went to Madisonburg and bought a hotel. It cost him $3,000, and he made many improvements from time to time. For several years he rented the hotel, but for the greater part of the time he conducted it himself. He bought other property in the town, on which he erected new buildings, and came to own two places there and fifty acres of mountain land. At one time he owned three farms in Brush Valley, but this land was either sold or given to his sons.

1 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 219, 420.

2 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 420.

3 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 421.

4 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 219, 421.

5 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 219.