Edward Milner

  General Notes:

Will Probated 1/23/1832, Belmont, Ohio

  Research Notes:

Edward Milner (?1) was born about 1745 in England, and died December 30, 1831 in Morristown, Belmont County, Ohio. He married (1) Sarah Grammar before 1772, in England. She was born 1748 in England, and died before 1799. He married (2) Jane Updike November 3, 1799, daughter of John UpDyke and Sarah Carker. The marriage was performed by John Littlejohn a Methodist minister.

More on John Littlejohn, Methodist Minister: John Littlejohn was the Methodist minister who "returned" the marriage of Edward Milner and Jane Updike.

Prior to the Revolution, non-Church of England ministers were not authorized to perform marriages in Virginia. After the Revolution, they were allowed to give bonds to the Governor which authorized them to perform marriages. Littlejohn's bond is recorded as of 13 June 1786. Such a minister was required to "return" to the Court a record of his marriages. Edward and Jane Updike's marriage was "returned" on 3 November 1799. Littlejohn was an itinerant preacher, a saddler and also served as Sheriff of Loudoun County. During the War of 1812, he was entrusted with keeping the Declaration of Independence safe from the British. His church in Leesburg, Virginia, was the first property in the United States deeded for a Methodist Church (11 May 1776). The above information was researched by Sarah Bucchini, and was obtained from the Purcellville, Virginia Library, Purcellville, Virginia, and the Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg, Virginia.

Edward Milner, brother of our ancestor Joseph, is believed to have arrived in Loudoun County, Virginia about 1770, from where is yet to be proven. SILAS HART FAMILY stated both Edward and Joseph were born in England giving no source or proof. Edward first married Sarah Grammar, mother of his fourteen children. After her death he married in Jane UpDike/OpDyck, born 1762, daughter of John UpDyke by his second wife Sarah Carker. Between 1799 and 1804 they moved westward into Belmont County, Ohio, where they remained. Edward Milner died near Morristown, Ohio 30 December 1831, age 86, recorded in a Family Bible and is believed buried in a Quaker cemetery near the abandoned Pidgin Academy. Long ago, a Quaker Meeting House stood there with a cemetery, but all signs of graves are gone. Jane (UpDike) Milner's death is recorded in same Bible, 18 October 1834, age 74. Wills, deed, county records and histories establish Edward as early settler, who kept a hotel just east of Morristown in 1808-1809, on land he purchased the eastern half of Section 9, Union Township, Belmont County, Ohio, from Joshua Hatcher. The Hogue, Vaile and Hatcher families were early Quaker settlers allied to the Edward Milner family. In spite of the fact that no mention of Edward Milner exists in Quaker records, a strong family belief and tradition traveled with the generations through the years. Proof that Joseph Milner and his wife Susanna Brown were Quakers has been located in THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN QUAKER GENEALOGY, by William Wade Hinshaw. That they were all associated with Quakers has been proven.

Edward Milner's Will from record at court house in St. Clairsville, Belmont County, Ohio. Record of Wills, Vol. E, pages 275-277. Will probated 23 January 1832. Be it remembered on the Seventh day of the second month 1817: That I Edward Milner of Belmont co state of Ohio citizen do make ordain and declair this instrument which is written to be my Last Will and testament revok all other Wills-all my debts first to be paid and legatees hereafter bequeathed are to be discharged as soon as circumstances will admit. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Jane Milner one hundred acres of land whare I now live with mantion house all heriditments and appertenances thare unto belonging juring her natural life and all the moveable popity only excepting reserve hereafter mentioned. I give out of said movables to Mary Davis the wife of Patrick Davis one dollar also I give out of said moveables to my Daughter Hannah Garner Widow twenty-five dollars. I give out of said moveables to my Son Isaac Milner one dollar. I give out of said moveables to my Son Andrew Milner one dollar. I give and bequeath to my Son Jesse Milner forty dollars in a note I have against him. I give out of said moveables to my Daughter Eury Milner one dollar. I give out of said moveables to my Son Thomas Milner one dollar. I give out of said moovables to my Son Edward Milner one dollar. I give and bequeath to my Son Joseph Milner half of the ballance of my land of the homested place at the south west coner whare he now lives in fee simple forever. I give out of said movables to my Daughter Anglisha Pitchpatrick fifty dollars. I also give out of said moovables to my Daughter Deborough Milner fifty dollars and on bed and bedding. I give and bequeath to my Son John Milner the ballance of my land of the home sted place at the north west corner and the young gelding the spot colt in fee simple for ever. I give out of said moovabels to my Daughter Nancy Milner fifty dollard and one bed and bedding, and at death of my wife Jane Milner the hundred acres of the home sted place that I left her it is my Will and desire that Joseph Milner my Son and John Milner my Son inheirt the land that I left my wife Jane Milner in fee simple for ever, to be divided equally in callity and quantity shear and shear alike with paying Deborough Milner and Nancy Milner one hundred dollars a piece. And lastly I constitute and appoint my wife Jane Milner Exatrix and my friend Joshua Hatcher my Executor of this my last Will and testament in witness of all and of each of the things contained I have set my hand and seal the day and year above written. Signed sealed in the presents of us His
Asahel Hoge John Grimes Edward X Milner
John Hatcher mark
Proof of Will
The State of Ohio Belmont County ss. The foregoing Will of Edward Milner being brought into Court at a special term thereof begun and held at St. Clairsville the 23rd day of January AD 1823 Asahel Hoge one of the subscribing witness thereto being called came into court and being duly affirmed in open court, deposeth and saith that he saw the testor subscribe said Will that Witness subscribed the same as a witness in the presents of the said testor that the said testor when he subscribed the said Will was of sound mind and memory of full age and not under any restraint. I hereby certify that the foregoing testimony was taken in open Court at a special session thereof held as above stated, and by the court ordered to be recorded. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at St. Clairsville this 25th day of January AD 1832.
Peter Tallmak ck
(Note Letters testamentary on the Estate of Edward Milner, deceased were issued by the Court of Common Pleas of Belmont County on January 25, 1832, to Joshua Hatcher and Jane Milner as executors, and Joseph Pancoast, Samuel Hoge and Asahel Hoge were appointed appraisers.

WILL TRANSCRIBED BY S.C. McCONAHEY, OF MT.
PLEASANT, ONIO 1953, WHO WAS UNCLE BY MARRIAGE
TO REID T. MILNER
Many people signed with an X who could write and read. Their signature would appear only on the original which rarely became the recorded copy.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Religion: Quaker.

Edward married Sarah Grammer in 1772 in England. (Sarah Grammer was born in 1748 in England and died in 1799 in England.)

Edward next married Jane Updike, daughter of John Updike and Sarah Brown Carker, on 3 Nov 1799 in Loudoun, Virginia, USA. (Jane Updike was born in 1762 in Loudoun, Virginia, USA and died on 18 Oct 1834 in Ohio, USA.)