A Short Miller/Carothers History

Amanda Miller was the daughter of Pamelia (sometimes spelled Pamela or Permelia) Caroline Carothers and Robert Richardson Miller. R.R. Miller was born in Virginia on 10 Apr 1809 and died on 25 Sept 1876. Pamelia Carothers was born in Tennessee on 14 Nov 1814 and died 6 Mar 1859. Her family was of Scot/Irish roots. Pamelia and R. R. were married 6 Jan 1831 according to an entry in the family Bible. In 1850 the family was living in Union Township of St. Francis County, Arkansas. By 1860, the Miller family had moved to Greene County, Arkansas and settled in St. Francis Township. After Pamelia's death in 1859, Robert Miller married again because the 1860 census listed his wife as Matilda. It also listed him as owning real property worth $3,000 and personal property valued at $1,800. $4,800 in 1860 would be $104,347 in 2002 dollars. In the 1870 census, R. R. was listed as blind, but he was obviously a man of some substance. Pages from the family Bible list the births and deaths of these children:

** Amanda Miller (24 Dec 1831- )

John Middleton Miller (9 Mar 1833- )

Martha Miller (23 Sept 1834- ) married Jacob "Jake" Swank, David's nephew, Oct 1852

Mary Miller (9 Aug 1836- ) married John Armstrong

Jane Miller (23 Aug 1838- ) married Noble J. Self, Oct 1861

Lucinda Miller (25 Feb 1840 - 29 Aug 1844)

Elisabeth Miller (7 Dec 1841- ) married Elisha Bobo, 14 Mar 1861 (?)

James Marshall Miller (16 Apr 1843-30 Jan 1854)

Jacob Morris Miller (6 Jan 1845 - 10 Jun 1931 ) married Rebecca Ann abt 1851

Virginia Miller (5 Dec 1846- ) married James Thompson 28 June 1866

Robert Carothers Miller (5 May 1849 - 14 Sept 1850)

William Samuel Miller (4 Apr 1851- ) married Mary Victoria Stepp

Amanda Miller was born on 24 Dec 1831 in Arkansas. A family story says that she was a good horsewoman (perhaps her Virginia heritage) and that she and David Swank met when he rescued her as she tried to ride across a swollen stream. Amanda and David Swank married in 15 March 1849. In the 1850 census, she was listed as living with her parents. That was because David was at the California Gold Rush. Their first child was born on 22 Dec 1849, but their second not until 24 Apr 1852 so either she lost a baby or David didn't get back from the California gold fields until the middle of 1851.

In 1980, a granddaughter of William Samuel Miller, Amanda's youngest brother, reminisced about her Miller ancestors. She remembered Jacob Morris Miller, "Uncle Jake," as being of very small stature, as were all the Millers, it seems. She remembered her great aunts Virginia Miller Thompson, whom she called "Aunt Vir" and Elisabeth Miller Bobo whom she called "Aunt Liz." Virginia named two of her daughters after her sisters, one being Amanda and the other Elisabeth, whom the granddaughter called "Aunt Lizzie." In later years, Virginia told stories about when her father lived in Virginia and owned slaves. "On Sunday mornings when they were preparing to go to church, they would have slaves put 'grease' (bacon?) on their faces so they would look well fed. Negroes tend to look 'ashey' when they are poorly fed," she explained. According to the 1830 census, Richard Miller had four slaves and William Carothers, Pamelia's father, had five. In the 1840 census, Mr. Carothers had nine slaves. Both Edward Miller Carl Sr. and Jr. were given the Miller name to honor Amanda's family.