The third weekend in July, Millers from all over the country will descend on Union County for another Miller Reunion. Here’s a little history about what they celebrate. For the most part the people at the reunion will be descendants of Martin Luther Miller, who was born in 1758 near Heidelberg, Germany, came to America and settled for a time in Alamance County (Orange County), North Carolina.. He served in the Revolutionary War; and after marrying Elizabeth Giddens in 1798 in Wilkes County, North Carolina , they moved about 1801 to the part of Claiborne County that in 1850 became Union County . Martin, who died in 1838, and Elizabeth, who died in 1860, were buried in Browning Cemetery at Sharps Chapel but were reinterred in Skaggs Cemetery at Maynardville because of the Norris Dam project. The huge tombstone, which their children had erected for them in 1917, was moved as well. Over the years memorial services have been held to honor this Revolutionary War soldier, and I surmise that they were all reunions of sorts. Martin fought at the well known battle of Kings Mountain. He enlisted December 22, 1776 and was discharged January 27, 1780 at Halifax Courthouse, N. C.; served under Captains Cook and Alexander Mebane as well as Colonel Clark. His residence at enlistment was Granville County, N. C. He died in Claiborne County, Tennessee; at the time of his death, his pension was $80 per year. Elizabeth executed her pension application September 2, 1850 when she was seventy years old and a resident of Claiborne County.
Martin Miller had given the land for Union Primitive Baptist Church at Sharps Chapel and a monument was placed there in his memory: The program for the day’s events was:
Unveiling of Monument
In memory of
Martin Miller
Union Church, Sharps Chapel
Union County, Tennessee
Sunday, October 20, 1917
The Program was: Invocation . . Rev. Ousley; Response. . . Dr. Max E. Miller; Opening Song, America, was directed by J. C. Nicely; Welcome Address. . Dixie Miller, Jr.; Address, "Early Settlers of East Tennessee," . . The Honorable H. Fulkerson; "Just before the Battle, Mother" . . Local Quartette; Original Poem and Autobiography of Martin Miller . . C. N. Miller; Unveiling of Monument by little Miss Ruby Miller; "Church in the Wildwood" . . Local Quartette; Address, "Past Memories" . . T. J. Miller; Recitation . . by little Miss Winnie Palmer; Address, "General History" . . The Honorable John Miller; Short talks by the following: Judge A. L. Evans, Prof. I. M. Shelby, Rev. A. S. Ousley, Mance Miller, Duck Miller, Dick Miller, Dave Miller and C. C. Miller.
At this 1917 gathering C. N. Miller, prominent Middlesboro businessman and grandson of Martin Miller, paid eloquent tribute to his revered ancestor, recounting the causes which impelled men to patriotism in those days, with no hope of reward except establishment of democracy for their posterity. He concluded by reciting, in a style that would do justice to elocutionists, verses he had composed as tribute to his grandfather.
The Miller Reunions are held the third Saturday of July each year and recently have been held at the Sharps Chapel Senior Center. This is a covered dish dinner under the able direction of Pat Baker, Ruby’s daughter, of Sharps Chapel. Plates, cups, knives forks and spoons are provided.. All friends and neighbors are always cordially invited. Sarah Hampton, 701 Walker Road, Thaxton, MS 38871 is in charge of the mailing list. If you would like to be added, send Sarah a note. There are tall tales, funny stories, exchanging genealogy notes and charts, pictorial albums and an all-out good time visiting with friends and family. Glen Miller generally comes from Grand Junction, Colorado, to guide a boat trip down the lake to Martin Miller’s home site. This trip is a must for anyone who has not previously viewed this history. Glen can be contacted at 970-245-4347 for information and reservations.
Now–it seems unusual to me to have four Revolutionary War soldiers by the name of Miller choose to come to Union County without some prior connection. Frederick Miller is said to have fought with Washington at Yorktown. Frederick Miller and his wife, Elizabeth Sharp Miller lived in Big Valley and later moved to Preble County, Ohio. An old history of Preble County states Frederick was originally from Rockbridge County, Virginia. This couple was among the first white settlers in Preble County. (Source: Joseph H. Vance letter to Beatrice McClain Pope).
Captain John "Pleasant" Miller was also a Revolutioner, but we’ll have to talk about him another time. I do not know the connection among the Martin Luther Miller family tree, the Frederick Miller line and the Captain John "Raccoon" Miller family tree, but this is what we do know about another prolific Union County Miller line.
John "Raccoon" Miller was born in Newberry County, South Carolina, in 1749. As an adult, he migrated to Washington County, Virginia, and about 1777 came to the Hawkins County area that became Tennessee.
In June 1793, Captain John "Raccoon" Miller, veteran of the American Revolution, sold his lands in Stanley Valley north of Rogersville and moved into Raccoon Valley where he acquired much acreage. He had served under Col. Joseph Martin of Virginia; Sgt. Peters Company, North Carolina Regiment; also served in the Indian Wars and was appointed Captain of the Militia by Governor John Sevier. It is said that a Gavin Ousley (who came from Loudon County, Virginia) built Raccoon Miller’s Fort. It is also said that Ousley Cemetery was named for Gavin Ousley. Gavin Ousley may have been the first person to be buried in Ousley Cemetery. The name could also have originated from the fact that it was on land Raccoon deeded to his son-in-law, J. Christian Ousley. Raccoon’s log house was built where the late Jeff Wood later had a potato house (Roscoe and now Mike Heiskell property). Raccoon Valley Station was near the Miller home in Ailor Gap (where the Iccus and Fontella Miller home was). Dempsey Heiskell and maybe some of the other children of Jake and Sarah Heiskell were born in a log cabin at this site–which might have been the Raccoon Valley Station structure. Raccoon Miller died on his plantation on August 25, 1832 at his home on Ailor Gap Road. He is buried in Ousley Cemetery as is his son, John Miller, Jr. Raccoon Miller’s wife, Eve Widener, was born in North Carolina and was almost 102 years old when she died. She is also buried near the grave of her husband. A few years ago the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Union County Cemeteries Association placed a stone for Eve . Land transfers show that Eve’s father and mother also came to Raccoon Valley. March 4, 1793 John and Eve Miller sold to John Weaver 150 acres of land on Possum Creek, adjoining Thomas Gibbons and Lewis Widener. Raccoon divided his land among his children–John, Jr., Jacob, Isaac, and Lewis–about 600 acres each. All married and settled on this land except Isaac, who sold out in 1843 and moved to Iowa Territory. Raccoon had so much land that it seemed to hold little value to him. Records show that he sold 1,000 acres in the Shannondale community of Knox County (Tazewell Pike) to Shannon Anderson for a rifle, a rooster and a bull. It is also said that he sold the site of the town of Middlesboro, Ky. for a jug of corn whiskey. Thirty-two slaves were named in his well written in 1829. Jacob Miller, son of John and Eve Miller, was a Methodist preacher and is reputed to have been a noted Bible scholar. He was born in 1800 and married Lucinda Sharp of Sharps Station/Fort. Jacob later married Catherine Davis. Alfred Miller, son of Jacob and Lucinda, wrote a manuscript about the family and from that old paper we learn that Jacob walked 12-15 miles to a Methodist camp meeting where he was converted to become a minister of note and founder of Miller’s Chapel Methodist Church. The first log house that housed his congregation was at the rear of the Emanuel "Mank" Miller home, later the Linville Kitts home and now the Twisted Gables subdivision.

Picture caption: This historic marker was placed near the intersection of Maynardville Hwy. and Ailor Gap Road in memory of Captain Miller. You will note the spelling of Eve’s maiden name on the marker as Whitener. It has been spelled Widener and Widner.–maybe even other spellings. Perhaps the most authentic spelling is on her father’s will–The Last Will and Testament of Lewis Widner.
.
As seen in the Union County Shopper July 2006