Re: Margaret Prosser Miller
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In reply to:
Re: Margaret Prosser Miller
Barb Schneider 10/16/02
According to the will of Symon Miller which he signed 16 February 1679 he named the following children:
Son Symon Miller Son William Son John Miller daughter Susanna Miller, daughter Isabella Miller and daugnter Margaret Miller...a mare foale given to my wifes son Anthony Prosser. The will was present for probate 22 My 1684 but indications are that Symon died sometime before that date as Margaret his wife leased a farm/planttion to Andrew Harrison in November 1683.
This is what I have written for my genealogy of the French Family.
How he came to the attention of the widow, Margaret (?), Prosser Miller is not known. Her second husband, Simon Miller was a Boatwright, living on the frontier of the colony, where there was much trade with the Indian tribes to the west. She appears to have been firmly established on the Rappahannock River side of the peninsula.
Margaret (?) made her last appearance in the records of [Old] Rappahannock County, as the widow of Simon Miller on 5 March 1684/85.At a court held in [Old] Rappahannock County, on 6 May 1685, a reference is made to Hugh French who married the relict of Captain Symon [sic] Miller.Hugh and Margaret were married sometime between 5 March 1684/85 and 6 May 1685.These dates become important when examining the ages of their children, and reconciling them with other records, in order to prove the children named in Hugh's 1701 will, were his and Margaret's. This will be discussed in further detail in the biography of Hugh2, their son, who has been assigned to a hypothetical first marriage of Hugh's.
The twice widowed Margaret brought considerable economic advantage to the marriage. In order to get an accurate picture of what she controlled the wills of both Symon Miller and John Prosser must be examined. John Prosser, her first husband signed his will 28 August 1673. In it he gave
...my Wife that now is, I meane my loving Wife Margarett five hundred acres of land on the North side of the River joyning to Five hundred acres sold to Thomas Pannell to her & her heirs & assigns for ever, & one halfe of my moovable Estate my Debts and funerall charge being paid; & if my moovable Estate will not pay my Debts, then so much of my land back upon Pewmansin to be sold by her as will fully satisfie all. She I doe hereby make my full & whole Executrix to execute my whole Will...
In addition to the five hundred acres he gave her outright, he gave her
...his plantation of the Golden Valle & the land in the neck, during her Natural life & then to fall to my eldest son, John Prosser and his heirs forever.
John further directed that he be buried next to his first wife, Martha. He named his children, including a son Anthony, who is identified in the will of Simon Miller, as Margaret's child. Prosser’s will was presented for probate 30 June 1677. The exact date of Prosser's death is not known. The family lived on the frontier of [Old] Rappahannock County, where there was an Indian massacre on 25 January 1675-76.There was a higher than usual number of wills submitted for probate in [Old] Rappahannock County, in 1677. It is felt by many that this can be explained by Bacon's Rebellion.However, Dr. Lorena S. Walsh in a letter to the compiler 15 February 1995, thinks there was an epidemic in the region that caused this increase in deaths, because the phenomenon occurred in Maryland also.
It can not be established exactly when Margaret married Simon Miller. Not only is exact date of John Prosser’s death not known, but neither is the date of Symon Miller's first wife. Margaret probably did not remain a widow too long. A widow with property did not have a hard time finding a husband. Simon had several motherless children, and Margaret had at least one of her own, and three stepchildren to care for. Symon [sic] Miller, boatwright sold four hundred and forty acres to Roger Cleveland, November 1679. Margaret signed with an M for her mark.Thomas Hoskins Warner in his History of [Old] Rappahannock County, Virginia, has the following to say about Symon Miller:
...During the summer and fall of 1676, Major Simon Miller, who was in command of Bacon's forces in the upper Rappahannock...devoted his efforts to fighting the Indians and keeping them under control. His lands lay on the south branch of Puemendson Run, sometimes called Mill Creek: and later on he lived on Golden Vale Creek above Port Royal. Miller's lands adjoined those of Cadwallader Jones and were within the area of the massacre of January 25, 1675-76. So great was the service of Symon Miller in protecting the settlers when their homes and lives were imperiled by the red men that even his nominal enemies joined with his friends in petitioning the Governor to look upon him with an eye of favor.
Cadwallader Jones wrote when it appeared Miller might be hung, along with others who participated in Bacon's Rebellion,
...because of the good he hath done to protect this section from the Indians and keeping them under control.
Simon Miller wrote his will 16 February 1679. He was seven and thirty years old then. In it he lists the following children; Simon, William, John, Susanna, Isabella, and Margaret. He mentioned Anthony Prosser and called him his wife's son. Later on in his will he included provisions for the sons of Mr. Prosser
...every one of them to have a heifer delivered to them one after another when they come to Eighteen years of age ...
He left his wife Margaret the plantation and house they lived in for her natural life. But he included a stipulation that
if she should marry one that should let the house and orchard go to ruin, then she is to return her Third
Miller's will was accepted for probate 7 May 1684.It was dated several years before his death. Margaret entered into a lease agreement with Andrew Harrison, 30 November 1683 as the widow of Simon Miller. Some of the witnesses to Miller's will may not have been present in the area when Margaret presented it the first time for probate. It was accepted in May 1684. It is apparent from the November 1683 lease agreement, that Miller was deceased by that date.
When Hugh married the twice widowed Margaret, she owned 500 acres of land given her by her first husband John Prosser, plus life time use of a plantation from him. She also had lifetime use of land from Simon Miller, as long as the land was kept in good order. She had at least nine step-children, and children of her own.
More Replies:
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Re: Margaret Prosser Miller
Barb Schneider 10/20/02
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Re: Margaret Prosser Miller
Margaret Amundson 10/20/02
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Re: Margaret Prosser Miller