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| William Millikan Sr
(1720-1793) |
William Millikan Sr
ID: I2701 Name: William MILLIKAN , Sr. 1 2 Sex: M Birth: 6 APR 1720 in Dromore, County Down, Ireland 3 4 Birth: ABT. 1720 Death: DEC 1793 in Randolph Co, NC 3 5 Residence: 1739 Chester Co., PA 3 Residence: 1772 Guilford Co., NC. Residence: 1782 On Back Creek, Randolph Co, NC 3 Event: Moved To 1758 Rowan Co., NC. 3 Event: Public Office Justice, Register of Deeds, Clerk of Courts 3 Burial: South of Greensboro, Randolph Co., NC. (Centre Quaker Cemetery) 3 Reference Number: 2701IND Note: From the book "Jefferson Co., TN Family & History 1792-1996: The great majority of Milligans/Millikans in Jefferson and the surrounding counties descend from William Millikan Sr., a zealous Quaker who was born in Northern Ireland about 1720. Ireland was being ravaged by a great famine in 1740. The year before, in 1739, William Millikan appears in Chester County, Pennsylvania. By 1741, he had married Hannah Rowan and started a family. In 1758 they migrated south to Rowan County, North Carolina. Hannah had died sometime after 1768. In 1772, William Millikan was residing in Guilford County with his new wife, Jane White. The children of William Millikan by his first wife were: Samuel, William Jr, who moved to Jefferson County, Tennessee, Alexander, Benjamin, Sarah, Mary and Hannah. Being a Quaker, William Millikan was a non-combatant during the American Revolution, but his sympathies were pro-patriot which placed him on a death list. In 1782, William Millikan was living on Back Creek in Randolph County, near the Guilford county line. On March 10, a band of Tories came to his farm. Finding William absent, they burned his house to the ground. Still, William Millikan was never caught. He served Randolph County, North Carolina as a Justice, Register of Deeds, and Clerk of Courts during the Revolution. William Millikan died in 1804. In the 1920's, Mrs. J. S. Welborn, a D.A.R. Regent, found William Millikan's grave and original tombstone at Centre Quaker Cemetery south of Greensboro. She reported that his tombstone disappeared several years later. From the book "Saco Valley Settlements & Families" by Rev. G. T. Ridlon published 1895/ Page 1069: Millikans of Randolph County, N.C. This was a Quaker family early settled in Pennsylvania, and the ancestors of the North Carolina branch were among the earliest patentees of land grants in Randolph county, as the records show; their settlement there was long before the Revolution. Their homesteads are among the oldest in the state. Few members of this family have attained prominence in the state, being of the retiring disposition characteristic of the Quaker faith. They were patriots during the Revolutionary War, but non-combatant. William Millikan, who was the first clerk of the court after the organization of Randolph county, was the man whose house was burned by the Tories under Col. David Fanning in 1778. Although the Millikan connection has been numerous in the county, there is not a case in all the records there entitled State vs. Millikan. Benjamin Millikan was a bold and fearless leader of the anti-slavery movement in his state, and many were the acts of heroism in defense of the principles he advocated. The whole race to a man were loyal to the Federal cause during the Rebellion, and not one fought under the Confederate flag, while a number escaped and enlisted in the Union army. Quite a number have held places of honor and trust, being elected to offices either as Whigs or Republicans, and in 1894 T. C. Millikan was the Republican nominee for Congress in his district against a heavy Populist element. Benjamin Millikan, of Asheboro, N.C., is ex-sheriff, and his son, J. M. Millikan, clerk of the Superior court of Randolph county. A brother of the latter, H. F. Millikan, of Santa Fe, KS. is register of deeds for Haskell county. The family hold the tradition of a Scottish ancestry. From geneology research by Sandy Taylor: "After his settlement in Rowan Co., NC, William Millikan was called to fill positions of trust commensurate with his abilities. We know he was justly held in high esteem for his estimable character. Through his friend, James Marshall of Chester Co., PA, he had purchased instruments and expected to have renumerative employment under Earl Granville who claimed to own one-eighth of the Province, as surveyor. At the organization of Randolph Co, which was composed of parts of Rowan and Guilford Counties, March 8, 1779, William Millikan was chosen as one of the Just---? Courts and at the same time was elected Register of Deeds. He also served as Clerk of Courts for his county. The tradition in the family calls him "a lawyer" and has some foundation in the fact of his doing considerable business as acting agent or attorney. The land upon which William Millikan lived as a "Squatter" for many years was part of the territory claimed by Earl Granville, but his right was disputed, a controversy respecting the validity of his title arose, there was a resort to arms, the war of the Revolution ensued, the case was determined and all issues turned in favor of the Colonists; then all lands remaining unsold became a part of the public domain and was subject to entry. After the Revolution, Nov 2, 1784, William Millikan secured a land grant comprising four hundred acres on Back Creek. This became his farm. Two years previously his house was burned by ___? and the following abstract from a character sketch of Col. David Fanning written by Rev. E. W. Caruthers, will be of interest to the Millikan family. On Sunday, March 10, 1782, Fanning went to the house of William Millikan Esq., who lived on Back Creek, about two miles from Johnsonville, on the old cross road. As Millikan was away (it is said he was driving his cows home and discovered Fanning in time to hide) from home they burned his buildings and destroyed everything they could. While the house was on fire, Mrs. Jane Millikan carried out a favorite feather bed, but they carried it back and threw it on the fire. When the bed began to burn, they twisted a stick into the feathers and scattered them over the house. When the blazing feathers, as they flew in every direction through the room, caught in a bundle of yarn which was hanging on the wall, they taunted Mrs. Millikan and said: "Look at your yarn old woman". When leaving Millikan's, they compelled his son, Benjamin to go along and pilot them to the house of Col. John Collier. Young Millikan was used to tell the sentinel at Collier's that they were friends. There is a tradition that Col. Fanning took Benjamin Millikan and another young man out to hang them, and that while they were stringing the other up to the branch of a tree, Benjamin managed to escape. During the Revolution William Millikan was living on the west side of the "Plank Road", south of New Market, but after the burning of his house, he took up his abode with his son Samuel. He was a zealous Quaker, an advocate of liberty, and took an active part in civil affairs of the county. He enjoyed in an eminent degree the esteem and confidence of the public. William Millikan m: Jane White who was probably a daughter of Alexander White of Chester Co., PA. Transcribed from Randolph County, NC. court records: Randolph County, NC - Court - William Millikan Estate Sale - 1793 December Term 1793 Samuel Millikan, Administrator of the Estate of William Millikan, deceased. Returns the inventory found with the account of sales of said estate: Amount of the sales of personal estate 39.10.7 (pounds) Account of sundry notes of hand 60......5 Cash on hand 106.11.8 Book debts 14.00.0 -------------------------- 220..7.3 5 notes on James Robbins for indian corn amounting in the whole to two hundred bushels. Father: Samuel MILLIKAN </cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:1607525&id=I2843> b: 1694 in Ireland
William married Jane White, daughter of Alexander White and Jean (Joan), in 1740 in Chester, PA. (Jane White was born in 1724 in Chester, PA and died on 7 Jul 1759 in Chester, PA.) |
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