James Millikin
James Millikin, hardware merchant, Jefferson, is a son of James and a grandson of James Millikin. The latter was born in Ireland, of English parentage, and came to America in early life, with two brothers. He settled in Washington County, Penn., where he married Dortha McFarland, of Massachusetts. Both died in Washington County, Penn., he aged sixty-five years, and she aged about ninety years. Ten of their children became heads of families, viz., Daniel, Mary, James, John, Jacob (farmer near Plain City, Madison Co., Ohio), Samuel, William, Robert, Andrew and Abel. John, Abel and William were farmers. The latter died in his native State. Nine of the family came to Ohio. John located in Richland County, and Abel finally settled and died in Decatur, Ill. Daniel, Samuel, Robert and Andrew all settled in Butler County, Ohio. The three former were practicing physicians, and Robert, who had, joined with his medical skill, a good general knowledge, was also a politician and legislator. Andrew was a professional stock-dealer. James, the father of our subject, came to Madison County, Ohio, in 1830, and bought 600 acres of land for $400. He subsequently bought 1,600 acres more for less than $2 per acre. He was by occupation a surveyor, farmer and stock-dealer, and was more commonly known as Col. Millikin. His stature was large, and he had a strong constitution. He was frugal and industrious, and succeeded well. He possessed the sporting characteristics of the pioneer in general, and devoted considerable time to hunting. He surveyed the original lots of Jefferson in September, 1831, and also laid out the town of Amity, in Canaan Township. He was married, in the year 1800, when only eighteen years old, to Elizabeth Cook. He died aged eighty-six, and she aged seventy-five years. They raised a family of nine children, of whom our subject was born in Washington County, Penn., December 22, 1816, but, from fourteen years of age, lived in Madison County, Ohio. He remained on his father's farm in Canaan Township until 1840, when he married Rachel Cary, a descendant of an early pioneer family of the county. To this union six children have been given. He owns a good farm in Canaan Township, which he cultivated until 1879, when he moved to Jefferson and embarked in the hardware trade. He passed out of the office of County Commissioner in 1881, after having served two successive terms, to which he was elected by both parties, although he is a Democrat.
James Millikin, the third child of James and Dorotha (McFarland) Millikin, he a native of Ireland, and she of Massachusetts, was born in Washington County, Penn., July 12. 1782. He married Elizabeth Cook, and in 1830 with his family removed to Ohio, and settled in Canaan Township, Madison County. Col. Millikin, as he was familiarly known, purchased 700 acres of land where William M. Wilson now resides, in the vear 1826, and in the fall of 1827, he brought his two oldest sons, Samuel and Daniel who were then single, to his land, furnishing them with team and farming utensils. But they refused to remain, and returned with their father to their old home; but Mr. Millikin was not discouraged; he sold his old homestead and came with his family, and built a comfortable log house out of two old squatter cabins that were on the place and fenced in a large pasture; he bought more land, till in all he owned 2,200 acres; finally, gave each of his nine children 200 acres, reserving 400 acres for himself. The first purchase cost 75 cents per acre, and the balance $1.25 and $1.75 per acre. Mr. Milliken was a practical surveyor, and surveyed and laid out the town of Jefferson and the addition to the town of Amity, he served in many of the offices of his township, and was one of the most prominent and reliable farmers of Canaan Township. Their children consisted of six sons and three daughters as follows: Samuel, married Sarah Sutzer; in 1856, they removed to Iowa; Samuel died in 1877, leaving four children. Martha, the second child, married James Boyd, who died in 1831; his widow still resides here; she had four children—Robert, living in London; James and Daniel, in Plain City, and Mary, married Mr. Kilgore. Daniel, the third child, married Isabel Mullen, and in 1843 removed to Iowa, where he, his wife and two children died the same year. John, the fourth child, married Rachael Bane, had four children—James B., Robert, John and Annie, who all reside in this county; Mr. Milliken died in January, 18S2, aged seventy-five years. Jacob, the fifth child, married Sarah Gary, is a retired farmer, resident of Canaan Township, a wealthy man, with all this world's goods that heart need desire, with but two children, William and Sarah. Elizabeth, the sixth child, married Henry Alder, a son of Jonathan Alder, she died in 1874. Annie, the seventh child, married Solomon Cary, who died in June, 1882, and she is now a widow and resides in Plain City. James, the eighth child, married Rachael Cary in 1840, removed to Jefferson in 1879, where he is engaged in the hardware trade; they have six children. Andrew Milliken, the youngest child, married Sarah A. Armstrong, and now resides in Norwich Township, Franklin County, Ohio. He is in very prosperous circumstances, with his children all settled around him.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]
James Millikin, who resides on his farm on the East Pike, in Canaan Township, six miles south of Plain City, and half-way between that and West Jefferson, is an old and honored citizen of Madison County, and has been an important figure in its public life, holding one of its most responsible otlices for several years, besides assisting in the management of local affairs in various official capacities in the years gone by.
Mr. Millikin was born on Ten Mile Creek, Washington County, Pa., December 22, 1816, and is a son of Col. James Millikin, who was once a prominent citizen of that section of the country, where his birth took place July 24, 1782. His father bore the same name as himself, and was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1752. He came to America in 1771, and cast in his fortunes with the colonists of Washington County, Pa., locating on the banks of Ten Mile Creek. He was married March 31, 1778, to Miss Dolly McFarland, and located on a farm in his native county, and there both died at a ripe old age. The great-grandfather of our subject, who also bore the given name of James, was born in 1727 in Ireland, and there died in the fullness of time. His wife, Martha Hemphill, was born in 1729, and was also a life-long resident of Ireland. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Cook, was born on the banks of Ten Mile Creek, March 4, 1777. Her father, Stephen Cook, was a native of New Jersey, and was of German descent. January 20, 1801, is the date of the marriage of the parents of our subject in their native county. They established their home on Ten Mile Creek, and nearly thirty years of their wedded life were also passed there. In 1830, they came to Ohio, and their remaining. days were spent on a farm in Canaan Township, which the father developed from the wilderness ere he died in September, 1869, at a venerable age. His wife died February 26, 1853. They had six sons and three daughters, all of whom were born on Ten Mile Creek, lived to manhood and womanhood, and became residents of Madison County, the following being their names: Samuel, Martha, Daniel, John, Jacob, Elizabeth, Anna, James and Andrew. The father was a surveyor by occupation and became very familiar with the topography of this part of Ohio. He laid out the village of Amity, and also that of West Jefferson in 1831, and did surveying in every part of the county. He was a Democrat in politics, and at one time was a Trustee of the township. He and his wife were stanch members of the Presbyterian Church, and he was a strong anti-Mason man.
He of whom this sketch is written is the eighth child and fifth son of the family, and was a lad of fourteen years when he came to Madison County to live amid its primitive pioneer scenes. He had previously attended school in his native place, beginning when he was five years old, and he went to a school after he came here, the school being taught in a rude log house, roughly furnished, and lighted by greased paper windows. He staid with his father the most of the time until his marriage, late in the summer of 1840, and became well grounded in all that pertains to agriculture. He and his wife entered upon their wedded life on the farm which John Price now owns, whence they removed eight years later, in 1848, to his present farm, which he then bought. A log house was the only attempt that had been made at improvements, but in the busy years that followed his settlement upon it, Mr. Millikin has wrought a wondrous change, and now has a fine farm well fitted up with modern conveniences, and its two hundred acres under a good state of cultivation.
Mr. Millikin was married August 20, 1840, to Miss Rachel Cary, daughter of Abijah and Catherine (Jolmson) Cary. She was born January 6, 1819, in Canaan Township, of which her parents were among the first settlers. Her happy marriage with our subject has brought to them three daughters and three sons, as follows: John S., who was born August 13, 1841, and is now a prosperous Kansas farmer; Abijah C, whose sketch appears on another page; Cassia, born November 8, 1846, and now the wife of D. H. Harrington, of Union County; Jane, the widow of O. E. Lamb, who was born December 3, 1848; Mary D.,born August 27, 1856, who is a fine artist and a teacher in oil painting; and James, who was born August 25, 1861, was married December 31, 1890, to Miss Kittie Huddle, and resides on the home farm, which he assists his father in canning on, they being engaged in a thriving general farming business and raising a good class of stock.
Our subject resided on his farm until 1879, and then removed to West Jefferson, where he could better attend to his duties as County Commissioner, returning to his farm in 1887. He had been elected to that important office for the first time in 1875, and so well did he look after the finances of Madison County that he was re-elected in 1878 to fill the position another term, his popularity being shown by the fact that he is an uncompromising Democrat, while his constituency in this part of the State is strongly Republican. He has been a Trustee of Canaan Township, Land Appraiser and School Director, and in various ways has proved his public spirit and the worth of his citizenship.
From PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF FAYETTE, PICKAWAY AND MADISON COUNTIES, OHIO - Chapman Bros. [Chicago, 1892]