William Millikan1

M, (circa 1720 - 1805)

Charts Pedigree for Stanley Russell McKinney
Relationship 6th great-grandfather of James Jay McKinney.
Last Edited 30 Jul 2003
Reference MMMMFFFMMC
Researcher 0
Unrelated 0

(Witness) Document 

Document(s):

  • Genealogy of the Wheeler - Millikan and Allied Families. Extracted the Millikan portion - see Wheeler for complete book. Compiled by Louise Horton, 1970 (Note Wheeler Genealogy copies its Grubb information from the Beeson genealogy, i.e. it copies a page from the Beeson and inserted it into the Wheeler)

, Principal=Margaret Millikan, Principal=Nathan Wheeler 
(Witness) Document© 

Document(s):
, Principal=Margaret Millikan, Principal=Nathan Wheeler 
Occupation* The Scotch Irish of Dremore County were a linen-weaving people. William Millikan and his son Samuel were weavers. (From "Notes on the Millikan Family" by Willard F. Hudson)1 
Birth*circa 1720 Dremore, County Down, Ireland, I'm not sure about County.1 
Note*between 1739 and 1758 Chester Co., PA, He was of Scotch descent and it is believed that he came to Pennsylvania when a younger man with one or two brothers. His name first appears in the list of Taxables of Chester County in 1739 and last in 1758, showing a residence in Pennsylvania of twenty years.

His being a Quaker as well as the unusual spelling of the name seem to have been exceptional.

From the list of Taxables and a lease of land to him by John Buffington in 1740-50, it appears that in 1739 he lived in West Bradford Township, Chester County. In 1747-49 in East Bradford. In 1750 in West Bradford. In 1757 in East Marlborough, and in 1758 he joined the great southward moving hegira of Quakers and removed to North Carolina. (From "Notes on the Millikan Family" by Willard F. Hudson)

1 
Marriage*before November 1742 Chester Co., PA, Principal=Jane White1 
Marriage*19 June 1759 Rowan Co.?, NC, It is not known what relationship the two Rowans were. (This information was given in Catherine Teague Jackson papers of the Daughters of the American Revolution, National 241,147), Principal=Hannah Rowan1 
Marriage*circa 1775 It is not known what relationship the two Rowans were. (This information was given in Catherine Teague Jackson papers of the Daughters of the American Revolution, National 241,147), Principal=Jane Rowan1 
Note8 March 1779 Randolph Co., NC, Willard F. Hudson in his "Notes on the Millikan Family" states that the William Millikan home was near Johnsonville, now Ashborough, the present County seat of Randolph County, North Carolina. He was a prominent figure in the early settlement of that region; was one of the Justices of Randolph County upon its formation in 1779 and was the first Register of Deeds,served as Deputy Surveyor.

The following is taken from Gideon Tibbett Ridlon's "History of the Millikan Family" published in 1907 at Esar, Maine. "....at the organization of Randolph County, which was composed of Rowan and Gilford Counties, March 8, 1779, William Millikan was chosen one of the Justices for holding Court, and at the same time was elected Registrar of Deeds. He also served as the Clerk of the Court for his County."1 
Note10 March 1782 Randolph Co., NC, He was a patriot, but of course being a Quaker, a non-combatant. During the Revolution he was so abnoxious to the Tories that on March 10th, 1782, Colonel David Fanning took the trouble to burn his house and barns with all their contents. Colonel Fanning at the time tried to hang his son, Benjamin.

The following is taken from Gideon Tibbett Ridlon's "History of the Millikan Family" published in 1907 at Esar, Maine. "During the Revolution, William Millikan was living on the west side of the "Plank Road" south of New Market, but after the burning of his house by the Tories on Sunday March 10th, 1782, he took up his abode with his son Samuel. He was a zealous Quaker, and advocate of liberty and took an active part in the affairs of the County. He enjoyed in an eminent degree the esteem and confidence of the public."

The following concerning the burning of William Millikan's home is taken from Ridlon's History in which he copies from "A Character Sketch of Colonel David Fanning" written by the Rev. E.W. Carutbera. "On Sunday, March 10th, 1782, Fanning went to the house of William Millikan, Esq., who lived on Back Creek about two miles from Johnsville on the Old Croda Road. As Millikan was away from home (it is said that he was driving his cows home and discovered Fanning in time to hide) they burned his buildings and destroyed everything they could. While the house was on fire, Mrs. Millikan carried out a favorite feather-bed, but they carried it back and threw it upon the fire.

When the bed began to burn, they twisted a stick into the feathers and scattered them over the house. When the blazing feathers as they flew in every direction through the room caught into a bundle of yarn which was hanging on the wall, they taunted Mrs. Millikan and said, "Look to your yarn, old woman." When leaving Millikan's they compelled the son Benjamin to pilot them to the house of Col. John Collier. Fanning came up after night. Collier was asleep, but before he lay down, he put a young man out as sentinal on a pile of rails a few yards from the door. Fanning made Benjamin Millikan answer that they were friends. There is a legend that Colonel Fanning took Benjamin Millikan and the other young man out to hang them and that while they were stringing the young man up to a branch of a tree, Benjamin managed to escape."
Note: The Mrs. Millikan referred to in the above must have been Jane Rowan Millikan.1 
Note1788 Randolph Co., NC, Willard F. Hudson in his "Notes on the Millikan Family" states that in 1788 was appointed by the legislature one of the Commissioners of the newly established town of Johnsonville.1 
Death*1805 Randolph Co., NC1 

Family 1

Jane White
Marriage*before November 1742 Chester Co., PA, Principal=Jane White1 
Children

Family 2

Hannah Rowan
Marriage*19 June 1759 Rowan Co.?, NC, It is not known what relationship the two Rowans were. (This information was given in Catherine Teague Jackson papers of the Daughters of the American Revolution, National 241,147), Principal=Hannah Rowan1 

Family 3

Jane Rowan
Marriage*circa 1775 It is not known what relationship the two Rowans were. (This information was given in Catherine Teague Jackson papers of the Daughters of the American Revolution, National 241,147), Principal=Jane Rowan1 

Citations

  1. [S1] Louise Horton, Genealogy of the Wheeler - Millikan and Allied Families (n.p.: n.pub., 1970).