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History of Orange County
Town of Montgomery
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As it respects the character and general reputation of this, individual, all knowledge and tradition of him unite in saying that he was an honest, upright Dutchman—a pious, praying, conscientious man:—that he was the usual umpire in settling the disputes and controversies of the neighborhood, and his decisions were generally acquiesced in:—that, in the destitute condition of the country as regarded settled ministers, Miller was frequently called on and sent to pray with the sick, and administer words of consolation to the dying, than which no more heavenly and responsible office can be discharged on earth—to give counsel to the dying sinner, which may be found true or false at the bar of God in a single moment, is no mean office.
Mr. Henry Crist of the last generation, who lived on the bank of the kill opposite the village of Montgomery, when about eighteen years of age was taken very sick, and thought he was about to die. Miller was sent for to come and see him in his critical condition, and impart such instruction and consolation as the case might warrant, he came and prayed with and for him in high Dutch. Crist recovered, and lived to be an old man, and during his life was often heard to say that, under God, he attributed his recovery to time prayer and intercession of Miller.
The consequence of this unexpected death was, that it deprived the family of its natural head and protector at a time, when, from the age of the children, the disturbed condition of the country verging daily to an outbreak with the mother country, his protection and presence could be illy dispensed with; and the care of the mother and children instantly devalved principally upon Johannes, the eldest son, then a mere lad. He was born in 1760, and we have the pleasure and satisfaction to say from all we have learned upon the subject, that the duties of the father were performed by his son in a becoming and filial manner, alike beneficial to himself and the family generally. Being thus cast early in life upon his own resources, with the responsibility of a family to care for, and support, doubtless, had its proper influence in forming and confirming those habits of carefulness, industry and general attention to business for which he was noted in after life. The family were Lutheran, and so remained until after the Revolution and until all the families of that denomination of Christians in the settlement at the place, were swallowed up by, or merged into other denominations. As remarked when speaking of the early settlement of the town, this locality was settled by Lutherans, and their church and burying grounds were on the lands of Mr. Miller. At this day there is not one of that faith, as far as we know, in the town at large. The church was blown down shortly after the war, and the Lutheran’s faith expired with the temple.
Mr. Johannes Miller was not liberally educated, but instructed only in the elementary department of a slight English education. Indeed, when he ought to have been at school, he was industriously laboring to support his mother and sisters; or on duty as a militia man guarding the frontiers against the incursions of the Indians. The war continued from the time he was sixteen till he was past the age of twenty-one, and he had little opportunity to leave home for educational purposes. This deficiency of an early education he endeavored to supply by after reading and observation.
For a short period after he was fifteen years of age, he was boarded out at the old stone house of William Bull in Hamptonburgh, where he attended a school taught by an Irishman, and learned reading, writing, arithmetic, surveying, etc.—Soon after the commencement of the war, and when about sixteen or seventeen years of age, his brother-in-law, Hendrick Van Keuren of Montgomery, commanded a company of militia, in which he was orderly sergeant; and when it was called out into service went with it. Notwithstanding the troubled and hostile condition of the country, he had the moral courage to enter a service for life, and made Miss Eve Mould, Mrs. Johannes Miller, on the 17th of March, 1779, and moved into the old stone house on the hill at the Walkill. Here he had the patriot satisfaction of entertaining a troop of horse at his expense a part of one winter for the benefit of the country, and of paying a continental tax of three hundred and fifty bushels of corn.