I found the family of Philip Williams and Catherine Miller to be a bit ironic. Back when I was researching my husband’s Williams family, I came across Philip Williams and, for a while, I thought he might be connected to some of the lost branches of the Williams tree because of places where he lived. Eventually, I determined that Philip most likely had nothing to do with Dave’s millions of Williams people so I forgot about him.

Surprisingly, I came back to Philip and found out his family is, indeed, related to Dave’s family, but the connection isn’t through the Williams line. Philip married Catherine Miller, the sister of his ancestor, Martin Miller, who eventually settled in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky!

Catherine, the daughter of Revolutionary War pensioner Jacob Miller and probably his wife Sarah (maiden name unknown) was born about 1792. I believe the Millers had left Pennsylvania about that time, so it is also possible she was born in Botetourt County, Virginia. I haven’t done much original research of much of this particular line, but I have seen accounts claiming she died in the early 1840s in Jackson County, Alabama.

However, I believe that she died between 1830 and 1840, based on those census records. The oldest female in Philip’s household in 1840 was only 30-39 years old, too young to be Catherine. I further believe she could have died in Franklin County before her husband and children moved to Alabama or she might have died soon after they moved.

Philip Williams was born about 1790. It is said that he died in 1842 in Jackson County, Alabama, but I have no documentation to support that. It is a fact that his apparent son, Philip M. and daughter Elizabeth, were living with his son, Hardy Williams in Osage County, Missouri in 1850, lending credence to the idea that Philip died before then. It appears he married (2) Unknown, between 1830 and 1840.

The first eight children almost certainly are the children of Catherine. There was a male in the 1840 household born in the 1830’s and also a female born during that decade. Right now, there is no evidence to prove who the mother of those children was.

i. Jacob Marion, b. 14 October 1814, Franklin County, Tennessee; died reportedly on 26 July 1898, Jackson Co., Alabama. Jacob is found in the 1880 census with wife Rebecca (probably Crouch) and several children. She was born about 1821, North Carolina; died after 1900 when she was a widow living with son Thomas’s family.
ii. Hardin, born 1816, Franklin County, Tennessee; died before 28 October 1855; married Jemima, c1839, probably in Franklin County, Tennessee. Jemima married (2) Nathaniel Stubblefield, 28 October 1855, Osage County, Missouri.
iii. William Jefferson, born about 1818, Franklin County, Tennessee; died after 1880, probably Osage County, Missouri; married Elizabeth Stubblefield, 1 June 1838, Franklin County, Tennessee. She was born about 1822 in Tennessee; died after 1880, probably Osage County, Missouri.
iv. Daughter, born 1816-1820; no further record
v. Daughter, born 1821- 1825; no further record
vi. Daughter, born 1821-1825; no further record
vii. ?Rebecca, born about 1826, Tennessee; died 1881, Osage County, MIssouri; married David Griffith. They lived next door to William Jefferson Williams in Osage County in 1860. Others have said that this Rebecca is a daughter of Philip Williams. However, a Rebecca BAKER married David Griffith in 1843 in Osage County. I can’t find a marriage record for a Rebecca Williams to a Baker and the only tie I find to the Williams family is that the Griffiths were next door neighbors. Perhaps there is a family connection that someone else has discovered that proves Rebecca was a Williams, but I haven’t found it.
viii. Philip M., born 4 November 1826, Franklin County, Tennessee; died 3 January 1890, Pulaski County, Missouri; married Margaret Agnes Glasgow, 6 August 1851, Osage Co., MO. She was born 1 June 1833; died 15 January 1893, Pulaski County, Missouri. Philip lived with Hardy’s family in 1850 and his wife was their next door neighbor.
ix. Elizabeth, born c1833, Tennessee; lived with Hardy’s family in 1850. She married William J. Stafford, 26 February 1851, Osage County, Missouri. Since Elizabeth was born after 1830, I have no idea whether she was Catherine’s child. No further record of the Staffords has been found other than their marriage.
x. Son, born 1831- 1835; no further record

I am always looking for more cousins. If you are descended from Philip Williams and Catherine Miller, please leave a comment.