Charles McMillen

Charles McMillen was born about 1772 in Pennsylvania.  

The first official record we find of him is the 1800 US Federal Census.  He is living in St Clair Township in Allegheny County, in a household headed by himself, with a wife and 2 young girls.  He is listed near the families of Couch, Murray, Tidball and Fife, which puts him in the neighborhood of upper McLaughlin Run.  
Our Charles is listed on this census as 'Charrels McMullan'.  There is also a single woman living nearby, Elizabeth McMillen, in the age range of 16-25.  

The next record we have of Charles is the 1810 US Federal Census.  He had moved to Robinson Township, and is now in a household with a wife, a son and 4 daughters.  He is listed near the families of McCurdy, Nickel, Baldwin, Thornburgh, and a Thomas McMillen, which puts him in the area of Robinson Township adjacent to Campbell's Run, a tributary of Chartiers Creek.  
On the following census page is listed James Obeny (also seen as Obney), whose two sons married two of Charles's daughters, Mary McMillen being married to James Obney Jr and Elizabeth McMillen married to William Obney.  

In 1811, we find a deed, on record in Allegheny County Deeds, Volume 102, page 132, which records Charles and his wife Agness purchasing 21 acres of land from Alex McCurdy.  This piece of land is adjacent on the southwest to property owned by Thomas McMillen.  I believe Thomas McMillen is Charles's uncle, but have been unable to directly prove this.  Yet.  
Charles's wife appears variously as Agness or Nancy, which was a common nickname for Agnes.  

This area is located in Robinson Township, off Keiners Lane, and is still called McMillen Road.  

The next official record of Charles McMillen is the 1814 Tax List of Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, a list of all the Taxable Persons of the age of Twenty-one years and upwards, Residing within the Township, with their respective occupations.  Taken agreeably to an act of the General Assembly passed Twenty-first day of february, AD 1814.  

This list includes:

Charles McMullin, tanner

Thomas McMillan, farmer

Matthew McMillin, farmer

The original of this tax list is currently located in the Special Collections at the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.  I have not been able to see it, they don't seem to want to even tell anyone it's there, but I do have a transcribed copy of it, thanks to Bill Riddle.  

The 1820 US Federal Census shows Charles still living in Robinson Township, with his wife, a son, and five daughters.  He is listed as Charles Muckmullen.  His oldest daughter Mary had married James Obney before 1820 and is not listed in this household.  

In 1822, Charles and Agnes sold their parcel of land in Robinson to Isaac Keating.  There is no record of them buying any other land until 1835.  

The 1830 US Federal Census shows Charles and Agnes McMillen still living in Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.  A number of young children are included in the household, which probably are their grandchildren by their daughter Mary (McMillen) Obney.  By 1830 Mary had a daughter Nancy and 3 sons Charles, John and Alexander, but seems to have been separated from her husband James Obney.  

In 1835, Charles and Agnes/Nancy McMillen bought 150 acres of land in Hopewell Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, this area later became Independence Township.  In 1836, William and Alisana Marks, who had been neighbors of Charles McMillen in Robinson Township, sold an additional 187 acres to Charles McMillen and his now son-in-law, William Obney.  William Obney had married Charles's daughter Elizabeth Obney.  

Charles McMillen appears on the 1837 Tax List of Hopewell Township, Beaver County Pennsylvania.  He is shows as owning 102 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows and a saw mill.  

I am unable to locate him on the 1840 census, but he is in Independence Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania for the 1850 US Federal Census, living with his wife Nancy (Agness) in a household headed by his son-in-law Archibald Ralston, who was married to Charles's daughter Rebecca (McMillen) Ralston, and their children Nancy, John and David Ralston.   Next-door is the household of Charles Obney, grandson of Charles McMillen (by his daughter Mary McMillen Obney)

Charles McMillen died June 19, 1855 in Independence Township.  I have not been able to locate his burial place, not that of his wife Nancy/Agness.  

He did not leave a will, so his estate passed through probate.  His son John McMillen filed as follows:

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And now to wit, August 17, 1855,

T he petition of John McMillen, a son and one of the heirs of Charles McMillen, late of Independence Township in said County, deceased, was presented setting forth that your petitioner’s said father lately died intestate, leaving no widow but issue, to wit, 

Mary Obney, formerly Mary McMillen, widow of James Obney, deceased, of the age of fifty-four years, 

John McMillen, your petitioner, of the age of about fifty-three years, who are residents of Beaver County, 

Rebecca Ralston, formerly Rebecca McMillen, intermarried with Archy Ralston, of the age of about thirty-nine years, who resides in the state of Ohio, in what part of the state is to your petitioner unknown,

Susan Chambers, formerly Susan McMillen, intermarried with William Chambers, of the age of forty-four years, who resides in Beaver County, 

Martha Wisman, formerly Martha McMillen, intermarried with Levi Wisman, of the age of thirty-four years, who resides in the state of Ohio, in what county it is to the petitioner unknown, 

And grandchildren, to wit,

Susannah Wisman, intermarried with Wisman, formerly Susannah Obney, residing in Williams County Ohio,

John Obney, residing in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania,

William Obney and

Thompson Obney, residing in New Castle, Ohio, children of Elizabeth Obney, formerly Elizabeth McMillen, dead, who was the oldest child of said Charles McMillen, and 

William McMillen

Amanda Watt, formerly Amanda McMillen, intermarried with William Watt,

John McMillen and

Anna Mary McMillen children and heirs at law of Charles McMillen, Jr, deceased, son of said Charles McMillen, deceased, whose ages are in order of their names, and who reside in Middletown, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, John and Anna Mary being still in their minority.

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This summarizes Charles McMillen's family as it was in 1855: 

His living children Mary Obney, John McMillen, Rebecca Ralston, Susan Chambers, and Martha Wiseman.

And his grandchildren, heirs by way of his two deceased children, were Susannah Wiseman, John M Obney, William Obney and Thompson Obney, (children of Elizabeth McMillen Obney who died in 1839), and William McMillen, Amanda Watt, John McMillen and Anna Mary McMillen (children of Charles McMillen Junior who died in 1841).

Charles McMillen was my greatx5 grandfather.  

Feel free to send me an email, jdynbttn@gmail.com