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• Gender	Male
  Person ID	I5254	Brainard (Brainerd) / Foster / Fish
  Last Modified	16 Jun 2004 00:00:00
  Family	Hannah MERRY
  Children	> 1. Sally MILLARD, b. 7 Aug 1812
  Family ID	F2234	Group Sheet

• Notes

  FOUND_AT: http://www.lkwdpl.org/history/8biographyM-R.html FOUND_AT: THE FAMILY OF BENAJAH MILLARD EDWARD CHURCH SMITH 13520 Clifton Boulevard Lakewood 7, Ohio March 26, 1946 BENAJAH7 MILLARD (Matthew6, John5, Thomas4, Humphrey3, Jasper2, John1)* son of Matthew6, and Hannah (Merry) Millard, was born, Pittsfield, Mass. Feb. 28, 1778 (a); d. Rockport Township, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, September, 1839. (b) In 1812 he was living in Pompey, Onondaga County, N.Y. (c) By 1830, however, had settled in Rockport Township, where the U.S. Census for that year shows him living between Aaron Fox and Philip Jordan. This appears to locate him in Section 7, almost exactly where his younger brother, Royal Millard, settled in 1831. The queer fact is that there are no deeds of land on record to Benajah Millard, nor is there a will nor any administration docket for his estate in the county Probate files, But since it is known that Benajah Millard died at the house of his brother, Royal, in 1839, we conclude that he lived there at least part of the time. Perhaps he became an invalid and unable to operate a farm for himself. Since, however, Royal had purchased his farm as early as 1824, we may conclude that Benajah cleared and operated this farm some time before 1830, and had it ready for Royal to settle there when he came in 1831. (d) (e) Concerning the family of Benajah Millard we have only the following information, but it is well supported by the census record above noted. This shows him, aged 50-60 years, living with a wife 40-50, 1 son and 1 daughter 15-20, 2 daughters 10-15, 1 son and 1 daughter 5-10, and 1 daughter under 5 years of age. Our problem is to identify these persons. A study of Cuyahoga records discloses that there were no fewer than ten Millard young people who were married between 1820 and 1850, and since no Millards were living in Cleveland during this period, and none of these ten was a child of Royal Millard, some of them, at least, may well have been among Benajah's seven children enumerated in 1830. (f) Furthermore, a study of deeds of land in Rockport Township has shown the formation of a group of properties owned by various Millards, which for convenience we shall call the "Millard Settlement," located in the general neighborhood of Detroit Avenue and Riverside Drive in Lakewood. Whether this was a sort of joint farm or market garden enterprise, or whether the families actually lived there for mutual assistance or protection, we shall probably never know. But during the years from 1834 to 1841 the following Millards had land in Section 23 in the northwest corner of that part of Rockport which is east of Rocky River. Royal Millard, to be sure, had acquired 23 acres here in 1824. (e) But the first Millard settler here seems to have been one Harry B. Millard in 1834, as shown in detail below. Sarah (Millard) Brainerd was actually living here in 1836. Fidelia (Millard) Alexander had land here five years later. On Feb. 6, 1841 (which was after the death of Benajah) Royal and Anna Millard sold small pieces of land for one dollar to Harry B. Millard, Armelia Millard, Delilah (Millard) Harper, and six acres to Royal Millard 2nd. Since none of these was a child of theirs, it looks as though Royal and Anna were trying to help their orphaned nephews and nieces to establish homesteads of their own. Since Fanny (Millard) Andrews had land next to that of the Harpers, and since William Healy, husband of Susan Millard, witnessed several of the deeds, it looks as though these Millards were closely related, and probably among the children of Benajah Millard. And since one Alfred Millard of Dover Township near by appears during this period, we have included him in the detailed discussion which follows. From our study of dates and places of marriage, officiating Justices, their association in the "Millard Settlement," the evidence from census records and deeds, we offer the hypothesis that the following named persons may well have been among the children of Benajah Millard: I. Alfred, B. N.Y. State, abt. 1801; m. July 14, 1822, Lura Smith II. Fidelia, b. about 1810; m. 1810; m. Aug. 3, 1830, Chas. G. Alexander III. Harry B., b. about 1811; m. 1st Dec. 3, 1835, Polly Lockwood; m. 2nd Eliza Ann _____ IV. Sarah, b. Aug. 7, 1812, m. May 24, 1829; Hervey H. Brainerd V. Delilah, b. about 1814; m. Dec. 7, 1833, Charles Harper VI. Susan A., b. about 1816; m. Mar. 29, 1836, William S. Healy VII. Anna Armelia, b. about 1818; Unmarried in 1841 VIII. Royal Millard 2nd, b. about 1820 IX. Fanny M., b. about 1822; m. Nov. 14, 1840, Erastus Andrews X. Julia, b. about 1827; m. April 29, 1848, Charles Morrison The birth dates, for all but Alfred and Sarah, are estimated. Alfred is doubtful, though others who died may have been born to Benajah and his wife between 1801 and 1810. We know that Sarah lived at the "Millard Settlement" in 1836, and that Harry, Fidelia, Delilah, Armelia, Royal 2nd and Fanny, all had land there at one time or another before 1842. Susan's husband witnessed four deeds in 1841. Julia was evidently of proper age to fill the 10th place, but we have no additional evidence in her favor.