Sarah Millikin, widow of Jonathan Walden, died in 1896 and she was buried in the Pierce-Mathers Cemetery in Jackson County, Ohio, with her husband and a Mrs. Jane Millikin. It is likely that Jane Millikin is her mother. The death date on the marker is 1868.
Census Record Review
A review of census records for Jane Millikin from 1830-1860 and related names highlight the following familial connections.
Jane’s husband most likely died prior to 1840, as John Millikin (age 20-29) is listed as the head of household in Liberty Township, Jackson County, Ohio in 1840. Living with John are three females, one age 50-59 (likely Jane) and two other adult women age 20-29, likely two sisters. There is a younger male age 15-19.
In 1850, Sarah Millikin is living with her husband in Lick County TWP and not with the Millikins. John Millikin, again head of household with wife and children, is also living with his mother, Jane, and his sister, Margaret, still in Liberty TWP. All of them, Jane, John and the inferred sisters, Margaret and Sarah, are listed as born in Pennsylvania.
In 1860, Sarah is living near Margaret Henry, a widowed seamstress. This is Margaret Mullikin, who had married James Henry in 1853 and who died in 1858. John and his family with his mother are still living in Liberty TWP.
A search of the 1830 census for Jackson County, Ohio, identifies “James Milligan” with a wife, and three daughters and one son. This is fairly consistent with the 1840 census, which has Jane living with four offspring. The gender of the unnamed child is different in each census; however the age and gender of Sarah, John and Margaret are consistent across the census records.
Military Warrant for Land
This inference regarding the family of Jane Millikin is confirmed by a Military Warrant issued to “Jane Milliken, widow of James Milliken or Milligan, Private in Captain Wallace’s Company, Pennsylvania Militia War 1812” (MW-0729-257; glorecords.blm.gov). The patent was issued in 1853 for 40 acres in 8N-19W NW1/4 of NW1/4 in Section 36 of the Ohio River Survey and assigned to John Millikin. This land is in the southeastern most corner of Jackson Township, along the northern border of Liberty Township, near Salt Creek.
The pay-roll of Capt. John Wallace’s company of Pennsylvania volunteers, attached to the First regiment, Second detachment, Pennsylvania militia, under the comment of Brig. Gen Richard Crooks (1812-1813) includes the name “James Millagen”. The pay-roll was signed at Indiana, Pennsylvania. (Pennsylvania Archives, 1880 p 496 | google books). Wallace was in the Fifth Company of the 1st Regiment under Joel Ferree. The company was drawn from Indiana and Armstrong Counties. Indiana County, Pennsylvania is in western part of the state, west of the mountains. Immediately south of it is Westmoreland County.
In 1820, a “James Milegan”– spelling similar to militia roll– was listed in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, with a wife and three children. The ages of the children are consistent with Sarah, James, and Margaret; however the genders are not. He is residing in Allegheny Township which is in the northwestern most corner, along the border of Armstrong County.
Preliminary Conclusions
This would suggest that Sarah is the daughter of James and Jane Milligan from Western Pennsylvania, information consistent with the census records. She was born prior to her father’s service in the War of 1812, and her siblings were born after her father’s service. They moved west in the 1820s to Jackson County, where her father sought land through a military warrant. He died in the 1830s and his widow and son worked the land, obtaining the patent in the 1850s.
Finding the Yellow Bricks 