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Signature of Robert P. Miles, found in probate
paperwork for Absalom Jackson's estate (his father-in-law).
Copy found in probate file, in
Chambers County Estates Box 16, Folder 43 |
It may be hard to read, but this is the signature of my 4th great grandfather, Robert P. Miles. His signature was found on some probate papers in the estate of his father-in-law,
Absalom Jackson. The paper it is from is very hard to read, but I believe it has something to do with the sale of some property that Absalom owned. The page is dated in the year 1840, and has the signatures, or marks, of each of his unwed daughters and the husbands of his married daughters.
Robert P. Miles was born around 1799, probably in Georgia. I speculate he was born somewhere around Hancock County, GA. His father is thought to be John Miles and was on the tax rolls of Hancock County, GA from 1895-1805. There is a book that discusses John Miles called
Your Inheritance, Vol. II, by Robbie Lee Gillis Ross, Matthews, NC, Delmar Print Co., 1972 (pages 231-236). In the book it states John Miles was a Commissioner from Montpelier, and was a Justice of the Peace for Baldwin County, GA. John's wife, and Robert's mother, is said to be Margaret (Peggy) Warren.
According to this same book, Robert P. Miles had one draw in the Third Lottery Act of 1820, set up by the Georgia Legislature. This can also be seen in the
Historical Collections of the Georgia Chapters, Daughters of the American Revolution, Volume IV, Back Matter on
Ancestry.com if you have a subscription. If you don't have a subscription, a copy of the index is found at
USGenWeb. His name can be seen in Ellis' District.
Robert is next found in the will of his father, John. John left his son a slave named Daniel, a feather bed, and furniture. I find the idea of having another human being as part your property reprehensible, but this was common in the south at this time. It is sad what these people had to endure, and my heart goes out to them.
A large part of John's estate was left to his wife, Peggy. When she died in 1826, it was divided to their children. At her death, the estate had 18 additional slaves. These slaves were divided up into Lots of 2 each. Each heir of the estate drew a lot. Robert drew lot number 7, which meant he was given 2 slaves by the names Sucky and Selilia, which were appraised at $450 together. You can find these papers on
Familysearch.org: Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990, Baldwin County, Returns 1813-1831, page 139 in the book, but page 493 of 664 of the digital copies.
I'm unsure where Robert was living in 1830, but by 1833 he is shown marrying
Palmira Jackson in Meriwether County, GA. Palmira Jackson was the daughter of Absalom Jackson, who was living in Meriwether County, Ga when the 1830 census was taken.
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Marriage record of Robert P. Miles and Palmira Jackson May 16, 1833, Meriwether
Co., GA
Image found on Familysearch.org, "Georgia, County Marriages,
1785-1950"
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Robert and Palmira had 9 children that we know of. They are as follows:
- Elizabeth b.1834, d.after 1891 - married John H.M. Vines
- Lucinda b. 1835, d.1908 - married William M. Beckett
- Margaret (Maggie) b.1839, d. 1917 - married Holland Middleton Bell
- Matilda Ann b.1840, d. 1857 - married William Green Stowe
- Absalom Jackson b.1841, d.1862 - never married
- John W. b.1841, d.1918 - married Victoria P. West
- Alevia b.1844, d.unknown - don't believe she ever married, can't find her after 1880 though
- Robert Paul b.1847, d.1930 - Married Monica Bell (sister of Holland M. Bell)
- William H. b.1849, d.1918 - never married
In 1840, there is a R. Miles living in Huey's District, No. 3, Harris County, GA, according to the 1840 Federal Census. In the household it shows the following members:
1 male age 20-29; 2 females under the age of 5; 2 females age 5-9; 1 female age 30-39; 1 male slave under the age of 10; and 1 female slave age 10-23
We can assume the male and older female are Robert and Palmira, however, the age of Robert would be incorrect. The two females under the age of 5 could be Matilda Ann and Margaret, while the two other females could have been Elizabeth and Lucinda. It's unknown whether the older female slave could have been Sucky or Selilia. The male slave under the age of 10 would have been too young to have been Daniel, so I'm not sure what his name was.
In 1843, Robert Miles can be found in Harris County, in the
Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892, found on Ancestry.com. He is located in the Dagnol District. I can't quite make out what each item is they listed, but I can see he still had 2 slaves in his household.
The 1850 Federal Census has been frustrating for me. I have looked and looked for this family in this census, but cannot find them anywhere. It's quite possible they were still in Harris County, GA, but on May 1, 1849, there was a land grant recorded for a Robert Miles of Tallapoosa County, Alabama. This can be found on Ancestry.com as well in the
U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907. The following piece of land is shown in the grant:
"The North East quarter of the North West quarter of Section Twenty Eight in Township Twenty Three of Range Twenty Four, East, in the District of Lands Subject to Sale at Montgomery Alabama containing forty Acres and eight and a half hundredths of an Acre."
We also know that his oldest daughter, Elizabeth Miles (my 3rd great grandmother), was married in Tallapoosa County, AL on February 13, 1849, to
John H.M. Vines. You can see the marriage details here on
Familysearch.org. It is my assumption, that the family had moved to Tallapoosa County, AL by this time.
We can't find the family in the 1850 census, but Alabama had a state census in 1855. On Ancestry.com in the
Alabama State Census, 1820-1866 records, we see a Robert Miles living in Beat 13. In the household, it shows the following:
4 males under 21; 1 male over 21; 4 females under 21; 1 female over 21; and 2 slaves.
The families time was short in Tallapoosa County. By 1860, the family can be found in Fayette County, Alabama. The 1860 Federal Census shows the family living in East District, Fayette Co., AL. The surname is spelled Myles and it shows Robert as age 60, occupation a farmer, value of real estate as $2,000, value of personal estate of $1,500, and he was born in Georgia. The people living in his household are as follows: Palmira, Margaret, John, Absalom, Aleva, Robert, William, Green Stoe, Wm. C. Manases, Sarah A. Manases, Davens J. Manases, James H. Manases, and Dorphus Manases. I don't think the Manases family was related to the Miles, but
"Green Stoe" is actually William Green Stowe, Robert's widowed son-in-law. He was married to Matilda Ann Miles on September 9, 1856, and she died December 27, 1857 in Tallapoosa County. She probably died in childbirth, and is buried with their son Robert A. Stowe.
We can also see Robert in the
1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedule on Ancestry.com. He is shown having 2 slaves in his household and one slave house. One is listed as a female age 30, while the other is listed as a male. The age of the male is hard to read. The person who indexed this typed in 29 years, but I think it looks more like 21 years. Either way, there is a mark next to the male, which means he was a
"fugitive of the state." What that might mean, I'm not sure. Did he run away? Attempt to get his freedom? The ages show they could be the same two that were living in the household in 1840 as well.
Robert Miles can also be found in the Selected U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedule for the year 1860. He is shown with the following for his farm:
- Acres of land improved: 135, unimproved: 425
- Cash value of farm: $200
- Value of Farming Implements and Machinery: $20
- Livestock on June 1, 1860
- Horses: 4
- Milch Cows: 4
- Working Oxen: 2
- Other Cattle: 3
- Swine: 40
- Value of Livestock: $775
- Bushels of Wheat: 100
- Bushels of Rye: 20
- Bushels of Indian Corn: 1,000
- Ginned Cotton Bales of 400 lbs each: 18
The Civil War then came and brought a lot of changes to the Miles family. At least three of Robert and Palmira's sons, and their son-in-law, went off to war. Only two returned. Their son Absalom Jackson Miles died of sickness near Richmond, VA, and their daughter, Elizabeth's, husband John H.M. Vines died of sickness in Mississippi. Their son John Miles was injured, but made it back home.
The 1866 Alabama State Census found on Ancestry.com shows the family living in Fayette County still. There is a total of 14 people living in the household. This would be Robert, Palmira, John, Alevia, Robert Jr., William, and their widowed daughter Elizabeth Miles Vines along with Elizabeth's 7 children: Mary Ann, Nancy Elizabeth, Lucinda, Susan, Matilda, Robert Javis, and George W. This census also contains an area to mark whether anyone in the household was killed in the war, died of sickness, or disabled. In Robert's household they have marked 2 for died of sickness and 1 for disabled. The 2 that died were Absalom and John H.M. Vines, while the disabled soldier, I believe was John.
In 1870, we see Robert, age 71 years now. He is still living in Fayette County, according to the 1870 Federal Census, he is in Township 17. In his household were his wife, Palmira, and two of their children, Alevia and William. Next to them on the census is their daughter Elizabeth with 5 of her children. Her oldest daughter Mary Ann Melvina Vines was married by this time and living in Tallapoosa with her husband, Jonathan Beckett. Elizabeth's daughter, Nancy Elizabeth was living with Mary Ann and her family too.
Another Selected U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedule was done in 1870 as well, and can be found on Ancestry.com. There is an R.P. Miles listed on it with the following:
- Acres of land improved: 100, unimproved: 564
- Cash value of farm: $200
- Value of Farming Implements and Machinery: $10
- Livestock on June 1, 1870
- Horses: 2
- Milch Cows: 5
- Working Oxen: 2
- Other Cattle: 10
- Swine: 19
- Value of Livestock: $467
- Bushels of Indian Corn: 400
- Bushels of Oats: 100
It's similar to what he had for the 1860 census. Not too much had changed. Robert didn't own a large plantation, so the war may not have affected his business as it did some people.
August 30, 1873, Robert passed away. He is buried in the Old Section of the Fayette City Cemetery. His wife Palmira and their grandson, Robert Calvin Miles, are buried next to him. I've seen on record that there is a CSA soldier buried next to them, but there isn't a stone that we have found for him. Not sure if this CSA soldier could be their son, Absalom Jackson Miles or not. My mom and her husband have taken a couple of trips to the Fayette City Cemetery and have taken photos of the gravestones. Interesting find, behind the old gravestones that are deteriorating from age, are two small white stones with just their initials on them. They must have been added afterwards, but not entirely sure. Robert's was found inside the cement curb that surrounded one Bell family stones. Palmira's was found lying on the grass just behind the Bell stone. I need to contact the people in charge of this section of the cemetery to see why this is.
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| Gravestones of Robert P. Miles, Palmira Jackson Miles, and Robert Calvin Miles |
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| Second, smaller, stone with Robert's initials found in Bell plot |
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| Photo of "RPM" stone lying inside Bell plot (on the left). Palmira's second stone is lying in front. |
Robert died intestate, and the probate of his estate was handled by his son-in-law, Holland Middleton Bell, who would eventually work as probate judge for the county. Copies of his probate paperwork can be found in the Fayette County, AL Probate Court Minutes: Vol.2, Pages 285-287, 783-784, 798-799; Vol. 3, Pages 24, 315, 342-343, 352-354; Vol. 4, Pages 43-44; and Fayette County, AL Probate Court Records, Vol. 2, Pages 401-408.
If you have any questions, or concerns, about any of the information listed
above, please leave a comment. I'd be happy to provide any additional
information. Thanks for reading!!
