Miller Cemetery
Millersburg, Linn County, Oregon, USA
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Get directions 5817-5899 Woods Rd NE
Millersburg, Linn, Oregon, 97321
United StatesCoordinates: 44.69780, -123.07610 - Cemetery ID:
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This cemetery is situated in Section 17, Township 10 South, Range 3 West in Linn County, Oregon. It is a small tract of land from the north-east corner of the land claim of George Miller Sen. And lies in the southwest angle of two branching roads at that place....
The Miller Cemetery received its name from a very prominent Miller family, or group of families, who settled in this neighborhood in the year 1848. The heads, or elders of these families were Abraham Miller Sr., born in 1794, and George Miller Sr., born in 1785. The latter was the father of twenty-four children, therefore the Miller tribe became very prominent in this neighborhood. They gave their name to the cemetery as well as to the small country community of Millersburg.
George Miller Sr., and his wife, Mary Ann Miller, deeded the land for this cemetery on September 24, 1857. It is apparent, however, that the ground had been used for burial purposes considerably previous to that date. The deed given by the Millers reads, in substance, as follows- "George Miller Sen., and Wife To Little Bethel Church of Regular Baptists. "For the purposes of building a meeting house and burying ground." "Consideration one dollar and the respect they have for said church." [NB: followed by a description of the land...]
The trustees of the above Little Bethel Church at the date given above were Exum Powell, Abraham Miller, Jr., and John Crooks. The history of the church, being linked closely with that of the cemetery, and besides being most interesting, is here quoted at considerable length:
Little Bethel Church of Regular Predestinarians of Old School Baptists was organized at the home of Exum Powell, in the Millersburg district in 1848. The Miller families and especially Abraham Miller Jr., were guiding spirits in the organization. At that time it is believed that there was only one other church organization in Linn County, namely, the Santiam Baptist Church at Sodaville.
This new church received its name from Little Bethel Church in Lincoln County, Missouri. Its articles of faith were adopted from those of a church at Spoon river, Illinois. Their doctrines were most conservative; The eleventh article reads as follows: We believe the mission system, Sunday schools and temperance societies to be unauthorized by the Word of God. And as such we declare a non-fellowship with them all in their various branches."
At its organization the church consisted of the following members- William Alphin, John T. Crooks, Abraham Miller Jr. Exum Powell, Elizabeth Powell and Louisa McClain. John T. Crooks was the first clerk and Abraham Miller Jr. the first deacon. Elder Joseph Turnidge became the first pastor, although the first sermons here were preached by itinerants from further down the valley. Meetings were first held in the homes of settlers. Indeed, although the present cemetery plot was deed "For the purpose of building a meeting house and burying ground", it appears from local tradition that no church building was ever actually erected here but that the services continued to be held in private homes and school-houses only.
Little Bethel Church seemed from its beginning to have been divided into factions by internal strife. The slavery question, among others, greatly bothered them. Late in the 1860's it was split into two factions each claiming to be "The Church". By 1870 the membership was so reduced that there was talk of dissolving but in the another, and unique plan was evolved. Certain members of the church were planning to leave the neighborhood and move to the gold mines of Southern Oregon. These moving families were permitted to go, but to take the church with them, while those who remained behind were given letters of dismissal. This unique church procedure empowered George Miller Sr., Abraham Miller Jr., and Elizabeth, the latter's wife, to take the church and church records with them wherever the went.
Since the Church, from that time on, left Linn County, its history is immaterial here. Enough to say that it held sway thereafter at such various and distant places as "Pine Opening, Cascade Mountains", "Woody's Schoolhouse", "Bear Creek Valley, Jackson County," "Southern Oregon", "Antelope Schoolhouse", "Jackson County", "Hockensmith's Schoolhouse", :root's new Meetinghouse", "Bish's Schoolhouse", "Plimire's Schoolhouse", "Bell's Schoolhouse", "Antelope", "Chimneyrock", "Phoenix", and "Ashland". In 1885 a branch church was organized on Williams Creek in Josephine County.
Because of its various wanderings throughout southern Oregon this church became popularly known as "The Church Which Traveled".
Before leaving Linn County the records show that the services of this church were held in the following places- "Exum Powell's home" (where it was organized), "the Forks of the Santiam", "Dickey's Schoolhouse", "Tharp's Schoolhouse", "Allphin's Schoolhouse". Dickey's Schoolhouse was in the Scio region. Allphin's and Tharp's Schoolhouses were in the Millersburg region.
Preachers who held forth before the little Bethel congregations in its Linn county days were Turnidge, Simpson, Gregg, Stipp, Cranfill, Beebe, and Abraham Miller Jr.
The first burial in the Miller Cemetery, according to local tradition, was the above Elder Turnidge, first pastor of the church. No stone marks his grave and the facts could not be positively verified. The first burial of record was William McClain who died in 1850, the second burial of record was Mary, wife of Jacob M. Miller on Sept. 16, 1855 and the third of record was Mary Ann Miller in December 23, 1857. This last was the wife of George Miller Sr., the man who gave the land for the cemetery. Her death occurred only ninety days after she signed the deed of conveyance.
Early birth dates are numerous in this cemetery. Those found of especial note, and all occurring in the 1700's are- George Miller, 1785. Abraham Miller, 1794. William McClain, 1796. David Bensley, 1799.
The present size of this cemetery and the distribution of burials indicates that there have been late additions to the original plot. The original land deeded by the Millers probably comprised Sections 1 and 2, while sections 3 and 4, increasing the area almost twice, are as yet but little filled.
This cemetery is situated in Section 17, Township 10 South, Range 3 West in Linn County, Oregon. It is a small tract of land from the north-east corner of the land claim of George Miller Sen. And lies in the southwest angle of two branching roads at that place....
The Miller Cemetery received its name from a very prominent Miller family, or group of families, who settled in this neighborhood in the year 1848. The heads, or elders of these families were Abraham Miller Sr., born in 1794, and George Miller Sr., born in 1785. The latter was the father of twenty-four children, therefore the Miller tribe became very prominent in this neighborhood. They gave their name to the cemetery as well as to the small country community of Millersburg.
George Miller Sr., and his wife, Mary Ann Miller, deeded the land for this cemetery on September 24, 1857. It is apparent, however, that the ground had been used for burial purposes considerably previous to that date. The deed given by the Millers reads, in substance, as follows- "George Miller Sen., and Wife To Little Bethel Church of Regular Baptists. "For the purposes of building a meeting house and burying ground." "Consideration one dollar and the respect they have for said church." [NB: followed by a description of the land...]
The trustees of the above Little Bethel Church at the date given above were Exum Powell, Abraham Miller, Jr., and John Crooks. The history of the church, being linked closely with that of the cemetery, and besides being most interesting, is here quoted at considerable length:
Little Bethel Church of Regular Predestinarians of Old School Baptists was organized at the home of Exum Powell, in the Millersburg district in 1848. The Miller families and especially Abraham Miller Jr., were guiding spirits in the organization. At that time it is believed that there was only one other church organization in Linn County, namely, the Santiam Baptist Church at Sodaville.
This new church received its name from Little Bethel Church in Lincoln County, Missouri. Its articles of faith were adopted from those of a church at Spoon river, Illinois. Their doctrines were most conservative; The eleventh article reads as follows: We believe the mission system, Sunday schools and temperance societies to be unauthorized by the Word of God. And as such we declare a non-fellowship with them all in their various branches."
At its organization the church consisted of the following members- William Alphin, John T. Crooks, Abraham Miller Jr. Exum Powell, Elizabeth Powell and Louisa McClain. John T. Crooks was the first clerk and Abraham Miller Jr. the first deacon. Elder Joseph Turnidge became the first pastor, although the first sermons here were preached by itinerants from further down the valley. Meetings were first held in the homes of settlers. Indeed, although the present cemetery plot was deed "For the purpose of building a meeting house and burying ground", it appears from local tradition that no church building was ever actually erected here but that the services continued to be held in private homes and school-houses only.
Little Bethel Church seemed from its beginning to have been divided into factions by internal strife. The slavery question, among others, greatly bothered them. Late in the 1860's it was split into two factions each claiming to be "The Church". By 1870 the membership was so reduced that there was talk of dissolving but in the another, and unique plan was evolved. Certain members of the church were planning to leave the neighborhood and move to the gold mines of Southern Oregon. These moving families were permitted to go, but to take the church with them, while those who remained behind were given letters of dismissal. This unique church procedure empowered George Miller Sr., Abraham Miller Jr., and Elizabeth, the latter's wife, to take the church and church records with them wherever the went.
Since the Church, from that time on, left Linn County, its history is immaterial here. Enough to say that it held sway thereafter at such various and distant places as "Pine Opening, Cascade Mountains", "Woody's Schoolhouse", "Bear Creek Valley, Jackson County," "Southern Oregon", "Antelope Schoolhouse", "Jackson County", "Hockensmith's Schoolhouse", :root's new Meetinghouse", "Bish's Schoolhouse", "Plimire's Schoolhouse", "Bell's Schoolhouse", "Antelope", "Chimneyrock", "Phoenix", and "Ashland". In 1885 a branch church was organized on Williams Creek in Josephine County.
Because of its various wanderings throughout southern Oregon this church became popularly known as "The Church Which Traveled".
Before leaving Linn County the records show that the services of this church were held in the following places- "Exum Powell's home" (where it was organized), "the Forks of the Santiam", "Dickey's Schoolhouse", "Tharp's Schoolhouse", "Allphin's Schoolhouse". Dickey's Schoolhouse was in the Scio region. Allphin's and Tharp's Schoolhouses were in the Millersburg region.
Preachers who held forth before the little Bethel congregations in its Linn county days were Turnidge, Simpson, Gregg, Stipp, Cranfill, Beebe, and Abraham Miller Jr.
The first burial in the Miller Cemetery, according to local tradition, was the above Elder Turnidge, first pastor of the church. No stone marks his grave and the facts could not be positively verified. The first burial of record was William McClain who died in 1850, the second burial of record was Mary, wife of Jacob M. Miller on Sept. 16, 1855 and the third of record was Mary Ann Miller in December 23, 1857. This last was the wife of George Miller Sr., the man who gave the land for the cemetery. Her death occurred only ninety days after she signed the deed of conveyance.
Early birth dates are numerous in this cemetery. Those found of especial note, and all occurring in the 1700's are- George Miller, 1785. Abraham Miller, 1794. William McClain, 1796. David Bensley, 1799.
The present size of this cemetery and the distribution of burials indicates that there have been late additions to the original plot. The original land deeded by the Millers probably comprised Sections 1 and 2, while sections 3 and 4, increasing the area almost twice, are as yet but little filled.
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- Added: 1 Jan 2000
- Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 39137
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