The Case for James H. McMillian

The Case for James H. McMillian(20 Jun 1812 12 Mar 1899)Evidence of Service as 1st LieutenantCompany E, Osage County Home Guard

Randal A. Burd, Jr., M.Ed.Commander, Sigel Camp #614, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War8 Feb 2012

CO E, Osage Co. INF., HOME GUARD, USACaptain: Charles D. Martin1st Lt.: James McMillen2nd Lt.: Zebedee Spearman Organized by authority of Major General John C. Fremont with companies forming in June, July, and August 1861. Duty in Camden, Miller, Hickory, Benton and Cole Counties, preventing organization of rebel companies, and captured powder distributed by agents of Governor C. F. Jackson. Until about the 15th of August active service was rendered at Jefferson City, and in the field until December, 1861, when the regiment was disbanded.94 men

MISSOURI VOLUNTEER FORCES IN THE CIVIL WAR with Federal Service (UNION): HOME GUARD UNITS . MILITARY ORDER OF THE LOYAL LEGION OF THE UNITED STATESMISSOURI COMMANDERY. Accessed 11 Jun 2011. http://home.usmo.com/~momollus/MOREG/HG.htm

Home Guards from the Saint Louis Public Libraryhttp://previous.slpl.org/libsrc/mocivilwar.htm

Raised in June-December 1861. The men were to be armed by the federal government, but would only be paid if called to active duty. Several thousand were called to three months active duty during Union General Nathaniel Lyon's advance on Springfield, Missouri in late summer 1861. At its height, the Home Guard organization consisted overall of approximately 19,000 men who served in approximately 240 companies during the war. Men who served in the Home Guards were eligible to receive postwar federal military pensions and benefits if the units they served in had been recognized by the Hawkins Taylor Commission as having been "called out or accepted by proper authority." The Commission bestowed that distinction upon six regiments, 22 battalions, and 49 independent companies of Home Guards. Men who had served in the Home Guards in units recognized by the Hawkins Taylor Commission were authorized in 1886 by the Secretary of War to receive certificates of honorable discharge from military service from the War Department.

This story not only indicates the exact James H. McMillian by mentioning land location verified via land patents, previous residence (near Springfield, IL), and offspring (James B.), but also connects this James McMillian to Charles Martin, Captain of Company E, Osage County Home Guard.James McMillian, Charles Martin, and Oliver Wesley Shockley moved from near Springfield, IL, to Pulaski County in 1856. James McMillian and his family were living 5 miles north of Crocker on a tract of land adjoining Miller County and state highway 17 at the time of the Civil War. Bushwhackers forced him to give them $400 after he had received that amount from the sale of oxen. Later, in an attempt to force him to reveal the hiding place of $16,000 in gold, bushwhackers left him hanging to a tree limb in front of his house. His 7 year old son, James B. cut the rope and released him in time to save his lifebut he was so impaired by the ordeal that he couldnt himself find the money afterward.

From The First Hundred Years of Crocker by Nellie Stites Willis (Self-Published, 1968)

The dark blue dots indicate purchases of land James McMillian made prior to the Civil War. Notice the location in relation to the Miller County border. Miller County was where Company E, Osage County Regiment, Missouri Home Guard was enlisted. The green dots indicate land purchases of Private Lorenzo Dow Wall of Company E, with the dark green indicating land purchased before the Civil War.

James McMillian was issued an honorable discharge certificate on 16 Dec 1887.

James McMillen [sic] appears on a list of Union men in Pulaski County in a letter from John B. Ellis to J. P. Sanderson, 21 Apr 1864. John B. Ellis signed as the Asst. Marshall of the Western District of Missouri on the 1860 Census of TWP 38, Range 12, where James McMillian is enumerated as household #581.

File #9632 from the papers of the Union Provost Marshal.

In compliance with your request of April the 7th, I will give you my own opinion of the reliability of those citizens of Pulaski County who will be most willing to send their names & influence to your office for your consideration, and first I shall name Solomon Bartlett, Thomas Turpin, James McMillen, John Morgan, Samuel Hamilton, William Matthews, Benjamin Ricketts, & Isaac Riddle. These men are all farmers and I believe honest men that will not certify to anything but what they believe to be true, and have been union men from the beginning of this rebellion and with the exception of Mr. McMillen (who is a man of strong prejudices) will be least apt to let their names be used their address is Waynesville

James McMillians NeighborsJames H. McMillian (20 Jun 1812 12 Mar 1899) was enumerated as head of household #581 in Township 38, Range 12, Pulaski County, Missouri, in the 1860 Federal Census. His son, Sergeant Jacob McMillian, was also enumerated in household #581. The following soldiers of Company E, Osage County Regiment, Missouri Home Guard, are James McMillians close neighbors:

Corporal William BurgessTWP 38/12 #587Private John GreenstreetTWP 38/12 #583Private Zachariah GreenstreetTWP 38/12 #583Private Robert JacksonTWP 38/12 #582Sergeant Calvin KanatyerTWP 38/12 #591Private Alfred PickeringTWP 38/12 #585Private Joseph PickeringTWP 38/12 #585Private Starling SheltonTWP 38/12 #580Private William SheltonTWP 38/12 #575

Other members of Company E live close by in an adjoining township or range

For a hefty fee ($100-$110), A company called Bradford Publishing will order your ancestors CMSR and issue a certificate like the one shown at right.James McMillians son, Jacob (sitting, right), also served in Company E, Osage County Regiment, Missouri Home Guard as a Sergeant.

McMillian Family (p.273 274)History of Pulaski County, Missouri -- Vol. 1 (1982)

The history of the McMillian Family as told by Bessie McMillian Sanders to Mabel Mottaz August 11, 1971.

James McMillian was born in Scotland. He left there when he was fourteen years old, working his way to America. [Scott County, KY] He came to Missouri to homestead the farm in 1855 [land patents are 1859-1860]. He had sixteen [14 according to 1900 census] children, but a number of them died in a cholera epidemic. Those who lived and scattered were Jake [Jacob], George, Peter, General Jackson, John, James Buchanon, and one daughter, Sarah Elizabeth who married Jim [James Benjamin] Smelcer

Before coming to MissouriJames McMillian lived next door to Abraham Lincoln in Illinois. [Sangamon County, IL] During the Civil War he was a Lieutenant under Robert E. Lee. He was hanged by bushwhackers to make him tell where his money was buried. His seven year old son, James Buchanon, climbed the tree and cut him down before he died. He was revived and lived till 1898. [Date on headstone: 12 Mar 1899] He married Mary Ballew. [Mary Polly Bilyeu, 23 Nov 1840 in Sangamon County, IL]

The farm, five miles north of Crocker in the Bethany Church neighborhood, descended to James Buchanon McMillian who in turn left it to Bessie The story, passed down by oral tradition for many years before Jamess granddaughter, Bessie, told this version recorded in text, has many factual errors noted here. However, you will notice the underlying truth fully present throughout the story, and that Bessie claims James McMillian was a Lieutenant in the Civil War, albeit she was mistaken about the side.

SummaryReferences to James McMillen / McMillian in all of the previous documents and texts refer to James H. McMillian (20 Jun 1812 KY 12 Mar 1899 MO), husband of Mary Polly (Bilyeu) McMillian (14 Mar 1817 TN 8 Dec 1902 MO), and father of Jacob Harvey McMillian (18 Feb 1843 IL 28 Jan 1917 MO).

Both James and Jacob served in Company E, Osage County Regiment, Missouri Home Guard, James as 1st Lieutenant, and Jacob as Sergeant. Their enlistments, from 22 Jun 1861 to 6/20 Dec 1861, were recognized by the Hawkins Taylor Commission as Federal Service, eligible for all the benefits pertaining to such service.

Lineage to James H. McMillianJames H. McMillian (20 Jun 1812 KY 12 Mar 1899 MO), m. Mary Polly Bilyeu (14 Mar 1817 TN 8 Dec 1902 MO) on 23 November 1840. They had fourteen children, the youngest of which was Sarah Elizabeth McMillian.Sarah Elizabeth McMillian (23 Sep 1863 MO 11 Jan 1953 MO), m. James Benjamin Smelcer (4 Oct 1861 MO 11 Jun 1917 MO) in 1884. They had nine children, the eldest of which was Grover Cleveland Smelcer.Grover Cleveland Smelcer (20 Nov 1885 MO 23 Oct 1947 MO), m. Marcia Viola Stokes (3 Apr 1892 MO 10 Feb 1967 MO) on 12 Oct 1918. They had five children, the 4th of which was Cyrus James Smelcer.Cyrus James Smelcer (living), m. Bonnie Lucille Wall (living) on 1 Nov 1947. They had four children, the 2nd of which was Bonita Gail Smelcer.Bonita Gail Smelcer (living), m. Randal Aubrey Burd, Sr. (living) on 20 May 1975. They had three children, the eldest of which is Randal Aubrey Burd, Jr.Randal Aubrey Burd, Jr.