Frances Saunders Miller, 1809-1876

SAUNDERS, MILLER, MCKAY

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 2/21/2013 at 16:38:31

DEATH OF MRS. MILLER.

We take the following notice of the death of an old resident of Iowa from the 'Mt. Pleasant Journal'. Mrs. Miller was the mother of our townsman, C. Miller, Esq. [Note:Probably step-son]:

We are indebted to one of the friends of the late Mrs. Miller for a few items from which we make the following statement: Mrs. Miller, although modest and retiring in her nature and habits, was well known to most of our citizens, and her loss will be keenly felt by many who had learned to love and highly esteem her for her purity of character and her many christian virtues.

Frances Miller was the daughter of Gunnell and Mary Saunders, and was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, February 21, 1809, and died September 24, 1876, and was therefore 67 years of age. In 1828 she, with her father's family migrated to Springfield, Illinois, and on August 20, 1830, she was married to David K. McKay, by whom she had one son, who died at the age of eighteen months. Mr. McKay died in November of 1832.

In the year 1852 she was married to Elder Arthur Miller, who was for several years pastor of the Christian church in this city, and who died in March, 1865.

When about twenty-two years of age she made a profession of religion, and united with the Methodist Episcopal church, in which relation she continued till about the year 1834, when she, with her mother and other members of the family, united with the Christian church, and since that time has ever been a zealous and consistent member of the same.

She leaves four brothers to mourn her loss, to-wit: Jonathan R. and George M. Saunders, who reside at Springfield, Illinois; Presley, who resides at this city, and Alvin, who resides at Omaha, Nebraska. The two latter, with their families were with her during her last days and watched over her with the interest and care that was due a beloved sister and friend. She has been sick for a long time and some weeks since made up her mind that that was to be her last sickness, and often spoke of her approaching dissolution as calmly as if it were to be only a short journey on earth.

['Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye', September 29, 1876, page 8]