A study of John Miller who married Lucy Spiker. Information within [ ] is evidence from other records or comments. Data from a marriage license of John Miller who married Lucy Spiker 11 December 1865 with a return by Elder George Shaver. [I have found no marriage bo nd or consent; therefore no signature for this John Miller.] John Spiker was the son of William Miller & Mary ____ John was a widow age 55; Lucy single, age 49. [His birth year was ca 1810] [He probably did not marry before 1830] [I do not find in my collection of marriage bonds a Miller bride or groom who has a father John] [There are a few possibilities of brides who were daus of a John Miller listed in Vogt & Kethley; these Miller daughters & husbands records should be checked.] [Deeds of land or other items from named parents. Survey calls identifying adjacent owners.] [Census - looking for a widowed parent in the household or married children in the parent(s)' household or living adjacent. as well study censuses of all Miller families to connect as many as possible] [Wills and deeds of all Millers looking for association; One never knows when parents died. There can be interesting records of probate including guardianship if any child was not of legal age when the parent died leaving property and/or valuables that needed tended to.] [Check surrounding counties for John Miller & ___ ____ marriages and check as well as William Miller & Mary ____ ] John Miller residence in 1865 was Strasburg; [The 1850 and 1860 census may well identify his 1st first wife and any children. Check for these children's marriages.] [1860 Shenandoah Co., VA Census no William Miller indexed is old enough to be this John Miller's father.] [1850Shenandoah Co., VA Census no William Miller indexed is old enough to be this John Miller's father.] [1840 Shenandoah CO census has one William Indexed at Ancestry.com He is age 30-40 [born ca. 1760- 70. He could be this John Miller's father.] [ The only marriage in Vogt & Kethley Shenandoah Co VA Marriage Bonds, 1772-1850 is William Miller and Mary Copenhaver, bond date 25 April 1797; bondsman John Boyle. [1795 June 23 John Boyle was bondsman for Jacob Yost to marry Catherine Baker, dau of Michael Baker.] [Note: On the marriage license John Miller was a carpenter. Jacob Yost was a joiner; this is from an apprentice record. Samuel Spiker was a carpenter; he was listed in the 1787 Shenandoah Co., VA Personal Property Tax in the household of Jacob Yost. There is a slight association but weak as to identifying your John Miller.] [If the census 1840 Shenandoah Co., VA census is a completer listing of all residents, this William Miller may be the only candidate. Lucy Spiker was born ca 1816, the dau of Joseph Spiker and Ann_____. Lucy's residence in 1867 was Maurertown. [1850 census - Lucy, age 32 [b.ca 1818] is in the household of Anna Spiker age 79 [b.ca 1771] in VA . If Lucy is the daughter of Anna, Anna was age ca 47 when Lucy was born. >From my research I can not identify/connect Lucy's father as Joseph Spiker. Lucy should be the daughter of Samuel Spiker and Anna Hockman.] [1860 Lucy Spiker is not found in the Ancestry.Com census index. [Look for identification help using the evidences known about the association: Marriages between one or more Miller families and Spikers. By following those marriages one might be able to put the families together based on the marriage bonds. I have none in my files that name a William Miller or Mary Miller as the parent. But I have had no reason to copy all Miller marriage bonds, deeds, probate, etc.] Let me know if this helps. Phyllis Vannoy Spiker ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour