Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-22
NO. 1O2.
PIONEER PIEDMONT PRINTERS.
The MiIIers Of Psndlston Printed the
First LIN. Countrv Newananer.

The MiIIers Of Pendleton Printed the
First up-country Newspaper.
News and Courier.
In the history Of the old Stone
Church, recently published by the Old
Stone Church association, there Is an
paper by Mrs. Julia Miller
Browne on John Miller and his De-
scendants." This pioneer Journalist
Of the up-country, who established
and published the first newspaper in
this section. 1.-The Pendleton Messen-
ger" was an interesting character.
and the sketch Of his descendants
is given below for the benefit Of the
readers of the Sunday News:
Three John Millers are buried at
the Old Stone Church; father, son
and grandson. The first John Miller
was born in London, England, about
1880; he was one Of the fifteen parties
who owned and published the Lon
don Evening Post and the Advertiser
at the time that the famous "Junius
Letters" were published in those pa
pers. He, with two other partners,
Henry Sampson Woodfall and Mr..
Almon, were tried for libel before
the General Assizes in London In 1875
for publishing these letters. History
says that the largest crowd ever seen
in the house and In the
streets Of London during the trial ana
evinced the greatest enthusiasm when
they were found not guilty. These
three men, Henry Sampson Woodfall,
Mr.. Almon and John Miller, no doubt
knew who was the author Of the Ju-
MUS Letters, but the secret died with
them. Many believed that John Mil
Ter himself was the author, as his
and that Of the Junius
Letters were very much alike. John
Miller's penmanship Is very neat and
peculiar. as Is shown by the ledger
kept by him of the London Evening
Post from 1859 to 1878, which ledger
Is well preserved and is in the pos
session Of his descendants In this VI
cinity.
In 1852 he came to America, land
Ing at Philadelphia. From there he
came with his family to Charleston.
s. c.. in 1888, and began the publi-
cation Of the South Carolina Gazette
and Advertiser, one Of the first papers
ever published In the state. After
the treaty with the Indians In this
part of the country. he was given
q grant of land OF $40 acres by Gov
ernor Benjamin Pendleton and In
the site on which the Old
Stone Church now stands. He, or
his son, Crosby Miller, decided the
site to the trustees Of Hopewell
church. After getting this grant of
land, he and his family moved from
Charleston to Pendleton in 1885;
this was then known as Pendleton
district. He then commenced the
publication Of the Pendleton Weekly
and continued to own and
publish 1t until his death in 1909.
1t was the first paper published in
upper Carolina.
After his death his son, the second
John Miller, took possession OF the
paper and published it until his death
In 1922. The second John Miller was
born in the city OF London in ITO,
and came with his father to Charles
ton in 1888. He married Jane Gray
In 1871; to them were born twelve
many of whom are buried
beside himself and his wife in the
Old Stone Church yard.
The third John Miller was one OF
these twelve children. He was born
In Pendleton in 1894. He was for
forty years a printer in the Pendle-
ton Messenger Office, and was known
as Printer John Miller. In
1918 he married Lydia Ann Perdreau,
ward and adopted daughter Of Col.
Samuel Warren, who was brave SOL
dier in the revolutionary war and
man Of wealth and culture.
John and Lydia Miller had siZ chill
dren; he died in 1862, and she in
1875. Both of them, with four chill
dren, are buried at the Old Stone
One Of their daughters, who
Is buried there, married Patrick ].
Miller, one Of the Scotch-Irish Millers
Of Abbeville, in no way related to
the English Miller family.
Crosby Miller and two of his wives
are buried there; he was the son
Of the first John Miller. These Millers
are buried in the northeast corner
Of the church yard, nearest the
church. Only a few Of the graves
have tombstones.
The Sarah Calhoun Miller buried
near the center Of the grave yard
was first married to Mr.. Ledbetter,
and was the mother Of Col. Daniel
Ledbetter, of Orr's regiment, who was
killed at the second battle Of Ma
nassas. Her last husband was John
c. Calhoun Miller, a descendant OF
the Scotch-Irish Calhouns and Mil
lers Of Abbeville, and one Of the
signers Of the Ordinance Of Secession.
as a member of the legislature from
Pickens and Oconee counties.
Note by the Editor.-Mrs. Browne
writes in a private letter: ''The in
formation 1 give you is reliable, GULL
ed from data in my possession.
am the Observation-Disclosures Of
the first John Miller, a great grand
daughter Of the second John Miller,
Of the third John Mil
Ter, and daughter Of Sarah ]. Miller,
all Of whom are buried in the Old
Stone Church yard. My mother mar
ried Patrick ]. Miller, my father, who
was a brother Of John Calhoun Miller,
whose wife Is also buried in this
grave yard"
81, to io1 ~ nonnrnh har IA