Few families have accurate records of their ancestors, dating back nearly 1000 years, which is the case in the Isaac Miller, William Loy and Peter Griffey families who came to Page County in 1852 and settled in Tarkio Township. Since that time their descendants have intermarried into the Annan, Hills, McMichael, Nordstrom, Sperry, and many other families, so there are probably several hundred descendants in the various families now living in Southwest Iowa.

John Miller, the ancestor of this family in America, came from England in the early 1740's, exact date indefinite, settled in extreme south of Virginia and Guilford Co North Carolina. The name of his wife is not given, but they were the parents of four children. He served in the Revolutionary War, and was killed by the Tories.

Their son, Capt. John miller, was born in 1747 at the family home in North Carolina (formerly in Virginia). In 1776 he married Eva Whitener, who was born in 1755. He was a Captain in the Revolutionary Army. In the early part of the 1780[s he disposed of his property in North Carolina and together with the family of his wife's parents they mvoed to the eastern part of Tennessee, about 20 miles north of what is now the city of Knoxville. He was influential in that community and statistics show that he left 600 acres of land, or its equivalent, to each of the ten children. Two of the daughters married into the Loy family. (We were unable to get a history of the Loy FAmily.)

Isaac Miller, the son of Capt Miller, was born May 12, 1791. He married Susan Clayton and to this union 7 children were born while the family lived in Tennessee. They were John, George, Elijah, Wolfe, Robert, William brownlow and Hannah, who never married. The family moved to Platt County, Missouri in the 1840's, where they settled in that area, then Isaac, his wife and a part of their family, moved to Page County, Iowa, settling in Tarkio Township, in 1852; which has since been the home of many of the descendants of this pioneer family.

George Miller married Aletha Hill and aside from taking aprominent part in the community they likewise deeded the land for Baker's Cemetery. He was the famther of 14 children. His second wife was Catherine Preo. John married Mary Loy, Elijah married Alethea Loy, and Robert married Edna Loy, all daughter of Rev William Loy who came to Page County with his family in 1852. Hannah never married, and William Brownlow Miller married Elizabeth Dutton.

Elijah Miller married Althea Loy July 4, 1852. Prior to that ime he had traveled extensively for that period, and even started west with the '49'ers, but after traveling through Southwest Iowa he returned to Missouri and persuaded his realtives and friends to move to Page County. Elijah was well educated for his time, and was the first teacher in Clarinda. Likewise was a doctor. He was elected surveyor and with his brother-in-law George Loy, laid out the town of Clarinda. He likewise served as County Superintendent of Schools. this couple were the parents of 6 children, all of whom moved to other localities and states.

William brownlow Miller married Elizabeth Dutton November 4, 1877, and they settled on a farm in Tarkio Township and were the parents of six children, Vera, Alva, Arin, Fred, Harlen and Irma, all of whom settled in that locality.

Alva D. Miller married Miss Louella Andrews March 16, 1904 and they were the parents of one son, Kenneth, and two daughters, Esther, who married Earl Fishbaugh, Jr and after his death married C.M. williams, and resides in Shenandoah. Frances who married John Beckett, lives in Illinois. they have three children, and four grandchildren, which comprise the 7th generation of this family.

Kenneth Miller was married August 26, 1932 to Mildred Fanning and to this union were born four daughters, Connie, Marilyn, Beverly and Diane, all of whom are married and live elsewhere. Mildred died Jan 16, 1973. They had seven grandchildren, who are again in the seventh generation of this family. Kenneth was married a second time to Jennie E. Stevens, December 30, 1973, and they now make their home in Shenandoah. Kenneth still supervises his extensive farm interests.

Frederick Isaac Miller married Essie O. Maxwell and to this union five children were born. Ruth died at the age of six years. Ruby Miriam Elizabeth who married Elton Whitemore, and are the parents of two sons. In 1939 Kathryn married Darrel D. Ketcham and they are the parents of 3 sons and 2 daughters.

In 1940 Max Miller married Florence Mildred Darland, who parents descended from early pioneers of southwest Iowa. They live on a farm adjoining Norwich, which has been in the family over 100 years, and are the parents of 2 daughters and 3 sons who are the last direct male descendants of John Miller from England in this area.

The Darland family are likewise early pioneers of Western Iowa. The Darland family came from Holland in 1665 settling in New York, but leter some went to Kentucky and others to Indiana in the early 1800's. Isaac Morrison Darland, was married in Park County, Indiana and he and his wife moved to Western Iowa. Their son, Isaac Newton Darland, Mildred's grandfather, and he married Eva Mary jackson whose parents were likewise pioneers. They bought a farm in the northern part of Fremont County.

Their son Don Leo Darland married Florence May Eacrett and her father Horace Greeley Eacrett came to Mills County at the age of seventeen, and broke virgini soil in that area. The Millers are truly pioneers on both sides of the family.

The boys are William Brownlow, Jonathan Mas, and David Mark, comprising the 6th generation which has continued to make their home in Page County. Mr and Mrs Miller are the proud possessors of a large family Bible which is over 200 years old, contains many family statistics, and has gone trhough fire and flood.

Irma Miller married theo Nordstrom and they spent their married life on a farm east of Shenandoah where they had extensive interests. They adopted Lorane Coy, and also raised her brother Floyd, who preferred to keep his family name. After Theo died Irma purchased a home in Shenandoah, and is active in church and social affairs.

As far as we have been able to learn, the only other living members of the fourth generation in the Miller family are Ted Miller, and his wife, Lenore, who reside in Clarinda. However there may be many connections of this family who have not been reported to us.