MILLER FAMILY ~ Houston, Jr. and Martha

Here is a photo of the same couple from my previous post but taken many years later: Houston Ray (Jr.) and Martha Ann Miller. My cousin Bonnie posted this on our "My Family" site a few years back.
 

When I first saw the photo I was determined that it could not be Houston Jr. and his wife, that it must be Houston Sr. and his second wife Mathilda. Today I sat down and compared the two and now believe Bonnie is right, this is Houston Jr. and Martha. Amazing how a few decades can change a person!

No date on the photo, maybe someone out there can give an educated guess with these facts:  

1. Houston Ray Miller, Jr. born: October 1839 died: May 29, 1908

2. Martha Ann Gregory born: February 7, 1841 died: July 18, 1904

3. As mentioned in the previous post, they married November 3, 1861 (Houston 22 yr old, Martha 20 yr old)

I'm guessing this was taken while they were in their forties, perhaps the late 1880's? They both have dark hair, no visible greying except Houston's beard. Houston's beard really throws me, it is something men wore in the early to mid 19th Century.

My Brickwall ~ Miller's of Crawford County Indiana

Many years ago my Great Uncle Don Miller sent me a copy of this photograph along with brief family history. Over time he sent information and photos along with the "brick walls" he had hit trying to unearth our family genealogy. Thanks to Uncle Don I was hooked and have spent my spare time over the past two decades taking up the search as well as searching other family lines.

The couple in the photograph are my Great,Great Grandparents, Houston Ray Miller, Jr. and Martha Ann Gregory, this was a photograph taken on the day of their marriage at Crawford County, Indiana on November 3, 1861.

As you can imagine, Miller is not an easy family name to research. My research goes back to Houston Ray Miller, Sr. who was very active in politics in Indiana, however finding him before he came to Crawford County, Indiana has been the challenge.
Here are the clues I have regarding Houston Ray Miller, Sr. prior to his move to Indiana in the late 1830's:

• He was born in Overton County, Tennessee in 1809.
• The portion of Overton Co, Tennessee that Houston Miller, Sr. was born became Cumberland Co, Kentucky when when the two states settled the dispute regarding the Walker Line. Here is a link with an explanation of this dispute Echos from the Past by Judy Maupin, Boundary Disputes: http://www.westernkyhistory.org/trigg/maupin/boundary.html
• He married a Nancy or Cynthia (Sinthia) Cummins - she was Houston, Jr.'s mother. I have not found a marriage record in Tennessee or Kentucky. Her name was mentioned in a letter from one of Houston Sr.'s sons to Governer Wm. English.
• According to family history when he left Tennessee he traveled with several families, one with the surname DICUS
• Houston Sr. father's name may be either William, James or David and his spouse may have had the maiden name of Ray or Rae.

I'm hoping someone out there is related to a sibling of his who perhaps stayed in Tennessee, or has ANY clues - please contact me!
As I learn how to blog, I will continue to post photos and try to provide links for research.
Updated: June 2, 2012