John Addison MILLER was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, on April 28, 1829, the son of Henry MILLER (1786-1864) and Catherine (MONTGOMERY) MILLER (1792-1864). He married on August 28, 1852, Rockbridge County, Virginia, to his second cousin, Mary Malinda LEECH. They left in 1854 from Rockbridge County, Virginia, to Morning Sun, Louisa County, Iowa. They went by wagon to Wheeling, West Virginia; then by boat, to Burlington, Iowa, where they were met by their uncle, Henry Miller OCHILTREE, Sr., and then taken by wagon to Morning Sun, 3 miles distant. They lived for two years on land leased from Mr. OCHILTREE, and raised an immense crop of wheat.

The oldest son, Sydney Webster MILLER, was born in Rockbridge County. At Morning Sun, a daughter, Willie Ann, was born, died, and was buried there. In 1855 they left Morning Sun, for Ringgold County, Iowa, stopping for the winter in Lucas County, where Mary's eldest half brother James H. LEECH, (sic, James was an uncle) was living. There the third child, James Leech MILLER, was born in 1856. In 1857, they went on to Ringgold County, buying out a squatter, chiefly to get possession of a house, in which to live. In 1858, Mr. MILLER moved this cabin, to his own land. In 1860, twin daughters were born who were named Catharine Montgomery [Mrs. Charles WARREN of Kiona, Washington], and Rebecca Ochiltree [Mrs. Luther MILBURN of Boulder, Colorado].

In 1860, Mr. MILLER enlisted in the Federal Army as a Sergeant with Company G of the 4th Iowa Infantry. He was promoted to Full 1st Sergeant on September 5th of 1861. After 6 months of service, he returned home on a recruiting trip. He returned to his regiment in October 1862, and was killed, December 29, 1862, during the seige of Vicksburg. [American Civil War Solders' database states that Sgt. MILLER died during the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi.] He was thirty-two-years old at the time of his death.

A daughter, Mary Addie MILLER (later Mrs. J. B. DOUGLAS of Camlachie, Ontario, Canada) was born just before her father's death on November 12, 1862.

Mary Malinda (LEECH) MILLER, the daughter of John "Broad" C. J. LEECH (1793-1859) and Rebecca Boggs (OCHILTREE) LEECH (1799-1872), was born on June 5, 1832 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. She remarried in 1867 to Hezekiah Reed BURKS (died Feb. 20, 1869, age 40), and died June 1, 1904. Hezekiah and Mary were interred at Middle Fork Cemetery, Ringgold County, Iowa.

SOURCE:
RAILEY, Clementine (BROWN). History of the House of OCHILTREE of Ayrshire, Scotland p. 171. Bulletin Printing Co. Sterling, Kansas. 1916
American Civil War Soldiers Database, ancestry.com

Transcriptions & compilation by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009