Baldwin and Amanda Pennell Millikan
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There is a biography of Baldwin Millikan in Past and Present of Mercer County Illinois, Vol II (Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1914). The information in the biography fits fairly well with other research on the Millikan family. He arrived in Mercer County from Ohio in 1855, while Rachel Woodward Welch and family arrived in 1856 from Indiana, thus our comment above that they might not have known that they were fairly close relatives. . There is a 1907 History of the Families Millingas and Millanges which also contains much Millikan information although it has some flaws
According to the 1914 History above, Baldwin Millikan was born at Washington Court House, Fayette County, Ohio, February 24, 1831, and was a son of Jesse and Lydia Barrett Millikan, members of the Society of Friends [Quakers]. For information on his further ancestry see the Web Page above on his grandparents, Samuel and Ann Baldwin Millikan, on our Woodward Web Site
What his biography does not tell us is that Baldwin's father died in 1836. His family continued to live in Fayette County, Ohio, where his mother and two sisters are found in 1850 in Union Township: #234 Moses Rawlings, 35, born Oh, exchange booker; Eleanor [Millikan], 26, Oh; Clara 7/12, Oh; Lydia Millikan, 60, Virginia; Lydia Millikan, 15, Oh.
Baldwin and his brother, Samuel Millikan, are not found in the 1850 census. According to the 1914 History in 1850 Baldwin "made an overland trip to California with a train of teams and seventy-two men, who started from St. Joseph, Missouri, with their outfit on the 19th of May of that year. They crossed the plains and the Rocky Mountains and finally arrived at Placerville, California, September 15, 1850" [thus missing the 1850 census]. We know his brother Samuel probably accompanied him as Samuel died in California in 1850. Baldwin had followed the blacksmith trade in Ohio and then been employed in a flouring mill before his trip to California. He mined in California for about a year and then returned by ship through the Isthmus of Panama to New York and then to Ohio where he resumed the milling business.
The History continues "there he married on the 23rd of January, 1853, to Miss Amanda Pennel, who was born in Maryland but was principally reared in Ohio. To this worthy couple were born the following children: C. W., who is a train dispatcher living at Galesburg [Illinois]; William E., a metal worker now located at Seattle, Washington; Wyatt C., agent and operator for the railroad at Viola [Mercer Co]; Lydia at home; Lizzie, the wife of John Henry, a ranchman of Montana; Fred, deceased; Annabelle, who died in 1877 at the age of twenty-three years; Jessie V., who also died at the same age; and Cora, who married Joseph Sales and died in Seattle in 1900 at the age of forty-one years."
Baldwin Millikan arrived in Mercer County in 1855 and spent the first winter in New Boston. He purchased a farm in Green Township and worked it for two or three years, then moving to Viola and purchasing a blacksmith shop. In 1877 he was appointed agent for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad at Viola and was also an agent for the Adams Express Company. He was succeeded in those positions by his son, Wyatt C. Millikan.
The 1880 census bears out the information in the History. Baldwin and Amanda and family are found in Viola, Mercer County; Baldwin Millikan, freight agent, 49, born Ohio, father NC, Mother Va; Amanda Millikan, 47, Md, parents born Ma; Lydia, 25, Oh; Willard, telelgraph operator, 22, Il; Cora, domestic servant, 20, Il; Elmore, tinsmith, 18, Il; Jessie V., daughter, 16, Il; Wyatt, 13, Il; Lizzie, 11, Il; Joseph Calhoun, grain buyer, 34, born Oh, father Oh, mother NY.
Son Wyatt Curran Millikan married Vinnie Ream Gilbert, daughter of John Gordon Gilbert in Mercer County. Wyatt and Vinnie are buried in Viola Cemetery: One stone Wyatt 1867-1937 Vinnie 1872-1952.
Baldwin and Amanda are buried in Viola Cemetery: One stone Baldwin 1831-1921 Amanda 1833-1923. Daughters Anabel and Jesse are buried next to each other in Viola Cemetery: Anabel 1853-1877 Jesse 1864-1887. There is a stone for Willard but no date on it.
John Milligan of Ireland
John Milligan was born 1754 in County Donegal, Ireland, and died 2 August 1839 in Washington County, Pennsylvania. He married (1)June Neeley who died before 1790. He married Jane Kincaid after 1790 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She was born 1764 in Chester County, Pa and died 1850 in Pa. John and family immigrated to America in 1790. From the History of Mercer County 1882: Left Ireland August 6, 1790 and after thirteen weeks' voyage landed at Newcastle. So nearly did provisions give out that each man's allowance was but one pint of water and two tablespoonfuls of oat meal every twenty-four hours. When they landed all were like skeletons and some ate till they died.
The children of John Milligan and June Neeley were: Mary Milligan, born 19 Sep 1782, County Tyrone, Ireland and Robert Milligan, born Sep 1785 County Tyrone and died 1863 in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The children of John Milligan and Jane Kincaid were: John Milligan, born 9 Sep 1791 in Pennsylvania; Jane Milligan, born 11 Mar 1793 Pennsylvania, married Joseph McDowell; William Milligan, born 17 Sep 1797, Pa; Alexander Neely Milligan, born 23 Feb 1799, Pa; Elizabeth Milligan, born 4 Mar 1801, Pa; David Milligan, born 7 Dec 1806, Pa, died 4 Jul 1899, Mercer County, Illinois and buried Norwood Cemetery.
David and Rebecca Rollstin Milligan
David Milligan married Rebecca Rollstin, daughter of James Rollstin, on 1 December 1836 in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Son John F, Milligan served in Co C, 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry. The family came to Mercer County in 1866, arriving on October 19. They owned 479 acres of land in Sections 28, 13, and 3 in Ohio Grove Township and built three different houses (Hist of Mercer, 1882). They had children John F., Nancy, James R, and Elizabeth. Children Rachel, Rebecca, Joseph Warren, and Jane were deceased before the 1882 History. They are found in Ohio Grove Township in 1870: David Milligan, 63, farmer, born Pa; Rebecca, 52, Pa; John F., 26, farmer, Pa; James B, 24, farmer, Pa; Joseph W, 23, Pa; Jane, 20, Pa; Lizzie E, 12, Pa. Joseph W. Milligan died 8 May 1879 and is buried in Norwood Cemetery.
Daughter Nancy had married John M. Henderson and they are found in Ohio Grove Township in 1870: John M. Henderson, 34, farmer, born Oh; Nancy, 32, Pa; Rebecca, 6, Il; David, 3, Il; John C, 1, Il; Willard Hair, 21, farm laborer, Il. If Rebecca's birthplace is correct the Hendersons preceded David to Mercer County. In 1880 they are #75 in Ohio Grove Township: John M. Henderson, 49, farmer, born Oh, parents Pa; An C (actually Nancy), 41, Pa, parents Pa; Nettie R (Rebecca), 16, Il; David E, 13, Il; John C, 11, Zena, 8, and two boarders.
Son John is found in Ohio Grove in 1880: #157 John Milligan, 36, farmer, Pa, parents Ireland; Mary, 37, Pa, Pa, Pa; Lena R, 9, Il; Lizzie B, 5, Il; Mama (Marna?) B, 2, Il.
The balance of the family is grouped together: #141 David Milligan, 73, farmer, Pa, Ire, Pa; Rebecca, 61, Pa, Ire, Pa; Lizze E, 21, Pa, Pa, Ire; #142 on David's property and likely Joseph W's widow: Nettie Milligan, 30, Pa, Pa, Pa; Ella M, 5, Il, Pa, Pa; Eva M, 4, and Lela, 1. #142 next door: James Milligan, 34, farmer, Pa, Pa, Pa; Mary E, 30, Pa, Pa, Pa; Elmer P, 4, Il Arthur B, 2, Il; Clara M 2/12, Il. The youngest child is apparently Myrtle Milligan, born 26 September 1879 and died 20 October 1908. She is buried as Myrtle Vance in Norwood September but is given as daughter of J. R. & M. E. Milligan on her tombstone.
We did not find any of the Milligan marriages in the Illinois Marriage records which is probably a spelling problem.
Miscellaneous Milligans
There are two Milligans found in the 1870 census: Isabel Milligan, 65, housekeeper for Alexander Pollock at #23 Ohio Grove Township. She is given as born Il which is not likely.
The second is Mathew Milligan, age 10, born New York, living with an Edward Griffith fmily at #14 New Boston Township. In 1880 he is a laborer for the Vincent Lutz Family at #129 in Millersburg Township. He is age 21, born New York and parents born Ireland.
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