BY JOHN R. DEBERGH

BY JOHN R. DEBERGH

RappahannockNews Writer

Fifty years ago on April 15, 1950,1 purchased at an auction on the Courthouse steps in Washington, the W.G. Wood “Harris Hollow Place.” This farm was really the farm of Samuel Miller, which had gotten out of the ownership of the Harris family.

Samuel Miller lived on his farm located at the head of Harris Hollow. He was the son of Henry Miller II who was the son of Henry Miller I and his wife Susannah Sibberrine Sibly.

According to John W. Miller of Rappahannock County, who was 93 years old on March 23, 1901, copied March 23, 1901 by Edward T. Jones. Henry Miller I came from Germany about 1748, settled in Philadelphia, and married a German lady, Susannah Sibberrine Sibly.

He remained there some time, two of his daughters married and lived in that city. He came to Virginia and settled near Washington, Rappahannock County about the time of the Revolutionary War. Before he came to this country, he was on the staff of Frederick of Prussia and was insulted by a superior officer whom he knocked down and had to leave the country on account of this rash act.

Samuel Miller married Delilah Bywaters and they had one child, a daughter named Elizabeth. On Dec. 19,1834, Elizabeth married Richard Harris HI who was living at Ivy Clifts. On Sept. 8,1837, Samuel Miller gave Richard and Elizabeth Harris his home place containing about 200 acres. He bought the adjoining tract of land from Richard Major containing about 205 acres and gave Richard and Elizabeth that farm. He also gave them all of his slaves, horses, cattle, farming equipment, and household and kitchen equipment.

Richard and Elizabeth moved to the second farm now called Pleasant View and started housekeeping in a log cabin. As the family grew, the house increased. First the log cabin was increased, then a stone addition was built. Just before the Civil War, the brick addition was completed and where many years