The following was found in The Detroit Society for Genealogical Research Magazine 
Winter 1959 - Volume XXIII - Number 2
Pages 57 - 62

(SHARON WICK'S NOTE:  Some of the words here look like typos.  I typed them exactly as they are typed in the Magazine from which I copied them)

THE MILLARDS OF REHOBOTH, MASSACHUSETTS
By Frances Davis McTeer of Detroit, Mich. and
Frederick C. Warner of North Amherst, Mass.

PART II - Continued from Fall 1959, p. 10

SECOND GENERATION

2. ROBERT (2) MILLARD (John-1), b. probably in England ca. 1632, d. in Rehoboth, Mass., 16 March 1699, age 67 years, buried in Kickimuit Cemetery, Warren, R.I.; m. at Rehoboth, 24 Dec.1662 according to the original town records), ELIZABETH SABIN, b. there in 1642 or 1643, d. there 7 Feb. 1717/8, age 75 years, buried Newman Church Cemetery Seekonk, Mass., daughter of William and ..... (Wright) Sabin.  (Bowen, Vol. III, pp. 124-128)*  She m. (2) at Rehoboth, 12 Jan. 1700/1, as his second wife, Samuel Hayward, b. 1646, d. at Mendon, Mass., 29 July 1713.  He m. (1) Mehitable .......

    Like his father Robert Millard was a tanner at Rehoboth.  In 1668 he was one of those who received lots in the North Purchase meadow (later Attleboro); and in 1689 he was listed among the Inhabitants and Proprietors of Rehoboth.  In addition to the lands he had by propriety, Robert bought lands at Palmer River from Anthony Perry, John Fitch and Joseph Peck and salt marsh in Swansea from Peter Hunt.  (Plymouth Colony Deeds as abstracted in Bowen, Vol. III)

    His name is included in various Rehoboth tax lists from 1671 to 1678, and on 26 Jan. 1676/7, "An account of the charges that several Persons have been at relating to the late War" (King Philip's War) shows "Rob Miller -- b. 5.17.06". (Bowen, Vol. II, p. 42)  The Massachusetts towns were then required to equip and provision their own militiamen, and the money listed in this account was probably used for this purpose.  Besides this financial contribution to the war effort, Robert Millard served at the Falls Fight under Capt. William Turner.  (Soldiers in King Philip's War, 1906, by George M. Bodge, p. 239)

    Although Robert remained throughout his life a resident of Rehoboth, on 19 May 1685 he owned land in New Meadow Neck in Swansea (between Runen’s River and Warren River) and was listed as one of the proprietors of Swansea (between Runen's River and Warren River) and which is now Barrington and Warren, R.I. including parts of Swansea, Seekonk and East Providence.  Similarly the name of Robert Millard was listed on 23 July 1689 among "the several persons that live ... (torn) ..." in Swansea.  New Meadow Neck was part of Swansea from the organization of that town in 1663 until it was set off to Barrington in 1717.  (Sowams, With Ancient Records of Swansea and Parts Adjacent, 1908, by Thomas W. Bicknell, pp.  68-9, 145)

    The will of Robert Millard of Rehoboth, Tanner, dated 11 March 1698/9, proved 29 March 1699, bequeathed to sons Solomon and Ephraim, dwelling house, barn and lands belonging thereto, upland at Palmer River, and fifty pounds commonage; to son Nathaniel, ten acres on Rocky River; to son Nehemiah, fifty acres "he now lives upon"; to son Robert, fifty acres at the northside of Rehoboth.  To each son he gave in addition a piece of salt meadow in New Meadow.  He bequeathed further to his grandsons, John and Richard Bragg, fifty acres of the northside to each; to daughter Elizabeth, a cow; to daughters Mary and Experience, ten pounds each; and to wife Elizabeth, all household goods, living space and her maintenance at the expense of the sons Solomon and Ephraim, who were designated executors.  Witnesses: Timothy Blake, Thomas Bowen.  The inventory, totalling £271.10.00, included besides the real estate listed in the will, Barks Mill and Tann Pitts (this mill was evidently used to grind bark for use in tanning), stock in the Tann Pitts, Raw hides and Barks, ten acres at Chestnut Hill, a 14 acre lot lying by William Doans, and ten pounds worth of smithy tools.  (Bristol Co., Mass. Probates, Vol. 2, pp. 3-4)

    On 17 June 1695, Robert Millerd had deeded to his son Nathaniel Millerd of Rehoboth, Malster, one half acre on the east side of Palmer River, previously purchased of John Fitch.  Then on 29 March 1699, Mary Millerd, one of the witnesses to the deed, and on 18 May 1699 Henry West, the other witness, swore that they had seen Robert sign.  The record of their testimony provides further confirmation of the date of Robert's death.  (Bristol Co., Mass. Deeds, Vol. 3, p. 109; Bowen, Vol. III, pp. 169-170)

    Robert Millard and Elizabeth Sabin had ten children, all born at Rehoboth:

3.     JOHN (2) MILLARD b. possibly in England ca 1636, bur. At Rehoboth, Mass. 5 June 1684; m. Elizabeth ……., who survived him.  The date of John’s burial, shown in the printed Rehoboth Vital Records as 5 June 168-, was construed by Giddings as in the keeping of the Rehoboth Town Clerk, makes that interpretation untenable.  The last figure of the burial date was written on a part of the page now broken off; but deaths and burials were recorded in chronological order at the time they occurred, or occasionally afterward; and since John’s burial appears between a death in 1683 and in 1684, it could not have taken place later than this last named year.  Moreover, as shown hereafter, the date 1684 is now confirmed by a coroner’s inquest and an estate settlement.

            John Millard Jr. first appears in the Rehoboth town records on 22 Dec. 1657, when his fax of four pence was the smallest assessment paid by any resident of the town.  The following year he took the oath of Fidelitie along with his father, and on 22 June 1658, he was among those who “according to person and estate” were allowed lots in the meadows “that lie on the northside of the town”.  Ten years later he received a lot in the North Purchase meadow (now Attleboro).  In the published tax lists of 1671-1674 the name of John Miller Jr. occurs regularly.  He was a tailor, and in 1675 was Constable of Rehoboth.  (Bliss, pp. 49, 67; Bowen, Vol. I, pp. 39, 127)

            However, in the lists pertaining to King Philip’s War the records of this man and those of his eldest son have been confused almost inextricably.  Both were designated “John Miller Jr.” in the town records and militia lists.  Then, to make a bad matter worse, the fact that neither the son John nor his sister Mary were included in the Rehoboth birth records has led some Millard Historians to attribute all the extant records to the father’s widow.  But the identity of the younger John, as shown hereafter, makes it clear that the military service in the Narragansett Expedition belongs to the son while the various sums advanced “to defray the expenses of the war” were supplied by the father. (Bowen,  Vol. II, pp. 40, 43)

            The date and circumstances of the death of John Millard Jr. are made tragically clear by the report of a Coroner’s Inquest called together the 5^th of June 1684 to make search of the dead body of John Miller of Rehoboth: “…vpon narrow serch, wee find that the said Miller had two wounds into the soft of his body, close by one and other, as wee apprehending, by a dagger, either stabbing himselfe or falling vpon the dagger, and alsoe a wound in his necke, close to his wind pipe, by a cutt with his knife, which wounds in a few hours proued mortall; and alsoe, vpon examining seueral witnesses that were with him when he cutt his necke, and by his owne confession before his death, wee find that the said Miller did absolutly, willfully, and crewelly murder himselfe, noe other pson or psons, as wee apprehend, being accessory therevnto.? (Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. 6, p. 142)

            No indications remain to tell what circumstances may have precipitated this tragedy.  Certainly John’s difficulties were not financial.  On 2 Oct. 1684, Elizabeth Millard, Relict of John Millard late of Rehoboth deceased, made oath to the truth of the inventory of her husband’s estate, which inventory, taken 20 June 1684 by Peter Hunt and Jonathan Fuller, totalled £ 113.08.06, including house and home lot, ten acres in the Second Division of Rehoboth, two lots on the Great Plain, meadow and other land, in addition to a whole share of the northside of a hundred pound estate of commonage.  Among John’s personal estate were listed cottonwool, sheepwool, yarns, a pair of taylor shears, a goose, thimbles and other items pertaining to his occupation of tailor. (Plymouth Colony Wills, Vol. 4, Pt. 2, p. 75)

    John and Elizabeth Millard had five known children, probably all born at Rehoboth:

SAMUEL (2) MILLARD (John-1), b. at Rehoboth, Mass., 5 Oct. 1658, d. there 31 Aug. 1720; m. (1) there 20 July 1682, ESTHER BOWEN, b. there 20 April 1660, d. there 11 April 1699, dau. Of Richard Jr. and Esther (Sutton) Bowen.  Samuel m. (2), int. Rehoboth, 1 Jun 1700, ESTHER JENCKES “of Providence”, b. 1664, d. at Rehoboth, 29 July 1721, probably dau. Of Joseph Jr. and Esther (Ballard) Jenckes.

            Because the will of Joseph Jenckes Jr., dated 21 Oct 1708 does not name any of his daughters, Esther’s marriage has been omitted from The Jenks Family in America, 1952, by William B. Browne (p. 3).  Her identity as stated above is based on the Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island, 1887, by John O. Austin (p. 113) and the Ballard Genealogy, 1911 by Charles Frederic Farlow (p. 17).  In this connection it is interesting to note that Esther (Jenckes) Millard’s only son was named Joseph, perhaps after his grandfather.

            During King Philip’s War Samuel Millard served 24 days in Major Bradford’s company of militia, (Bowen, Vol. II, p. 51)  On 7 Feb. 1689 in the list of Inhabitants and Proprietors of Rehoboth he was listed as Samuel Millerd Sr. as distinguished from his nephew who was six years younger.  He was a tanner and in 1694 was described as owning meadows adjoining the property of John Perrin and Timothy Ide. (Bowen, Vol. 1, pp. 56, 114, 120)

            The will of Samuel Millard of Rehoboth, Tannor, dated 29 Sept. 1718, proved 3 Oct. 1720, bequeathed to wife Esther, the east room in his house, she to be cared for by son Samuel; to each daughter, viz. Ester West, Allis Chaffee and Margaret Millard, twenty-five pounds; the rest and remainder of the estate to go to son Samuel, who was to be executor, with his uncles Richard Bowen and John Bowen as overseers.  (Bristol Co., Mass. Probates, Vol. 3, p. 687)

    Samuel Millard and his first wife, Esther Bowen, had six children, born at Rehoboth:

            Samuel Millard and his second wife, Estner Jenckes, had on son, born at Rehoboth:

5.            BENJAMIN (2) MILLARD (John-1), b. at Rehoboth, Mass., 22 Sept. 1662, d. at Windham, Conn., probably shortly before 16 Dec. 1751; m. at Norwich, Conn., 2 March 1693/4, LYDIA REYNOLDS, b. February 1671, d. at Windham, 7 Jan. 1756, age 84 years, dau. Of John and Sarah (Backus) Reynolds.        

            Following the Norwich, Conn. Marriage record of this couple, which shows the groom as “Benjamine Miller”, the History and Descendants of John and Sarah (Backus) Reynolds of Saybrook, Lyme and Norwich, Conn., 1928, by Marion H. Reynolds (p. 13) surmises that Lydia’s husband was “possibly a son of George Miler of New London”.  But the Windham, Conn. church records consistently show the surname as “Millard”; early town records and deeds concur; and Benjamin’s will shows the spelling “Milard”.  With the coincidence of a Benjamin Millard who arrived in Norwich before 1693 as an unattached young man and the disappearance from Rehoboth, Mass. After 1689 of a man of identical name who was then 27 years old, Giddings was led to the reasonable conclusion that Benjamin of Windham was truly the son of John Sr. of Rehoboth.  (Giddings, p. 248)  The proof of this proposition is still circumstantial, but there is no contrary evidence.         

            On 7 Feb. 1689, Benjamin Millerd was listed among the Inhavitants and Proprietors of Rehoboth, but this is his last appearance in the records of that area.  Soon thereafter he moved to Norwich, Conn. and then to Windham, where in 1694 “Benjamin Millard of Bear Hill, Norwich” bought from Thomas Leffingwell a thousand acre allotment at the “Horseshoe”, a bend in the river near the center of the town.  In 1698 Benjamin was chosen “hayward for fields at the Crotch of the River”, and in 1700 he was allowed “to set up the trade and employment of tanning”  -- an occupation which he had perhaps learned from his father and brother Robert in Rehoboth.  In a list of 5 March 1718, Benjamin Miller was among the forty-five persons admitted as proprietors of the neighboring town of Ashford, Conn., where Benjamin’s nephew, Nathaniel Millard #8, was later to appear as a large landowner.  (History of Windham Co., Conn., 1874-1880, by Ellen D. Larned, Vol. I, pp. 73, 74, 77, 80, 85, 223)  Both Benjamin and his wife Lydia (called “Lucy” in the Windham history) were listed in 1726 as church members in Windham.

            On 28 Nov. 1706, Benjamin Millard bought 102 acres in the 600 acre lot in Windham.  (Windham, Conn. Deeds, Vol. D, p. 22; Vol. F, p. 63; Vol. G, p. 537)  On 18 Nov. 1736, he sold 12 acres on the west side of Chestnut Hill “ in the southwest part of my 50 acre lot”.  (Ibid., Vol. G, p. 400)

            The will of Benjamin Milard of Windham, Conn., written 15 July 1737 “considering my advanced age”, probated 19 March 1752, bequeathed to wife Lydia, the improvement of the third the whole estate; to daughter Lydia, forty pounds; to the children of daughter Mary deceased, ten pounds; to daughter Elizabeth, twenty pounds in addition to the amount already given (indicating that she was already married); to daughter Sarah, sixty pounds; to daughter Abigail, seventy pounds, she and Sarah to have with my wife one half the improvement of my house until marriage; to son Joseph the residue of the estate, he to be sole executor.  Witnesses:  John Calkins, Joseph Fowler, Elizabeth Fowler,  In a codicil, dated 6 July 1741, Benjamin directed that the two daughters, Sarah and Abigail, were to have all the house, homestead, and lands (leaving the improvement of one-third to their mother), and this bequest was to be instead of the money given them in the will.  Witnesses:  Joseph Fowler, Elizabeth Fowler, and Martha Genning.  Inventory of the estate, dated 24 June 1752, totalled £ 302.04.04.  (Windham, Conn. Probate #2731)

            On 5 May 1743, Benjamin Millard (his mark) of Windham, for kindness and services performed by “my daughter Sarah Miller ever since she arrived at the age of 18 years” and also for fatherly love and affection, gave her one-half his dwelling house and one-half of the 30 acres on which the house stood, reserving a place therein to “myself and wife during our natural lives and the life of the longest liver of us”.  (Windham, Conn Deeds, Vol. H, p. 200)  On 16 Dec. 1751, Sarah Millard of Windham deeded to John Marcy of Woodstock (whom she married the following day) all my land and buildings in Windham, being one-half of the dwelling house that lately belonged to my father Benjamin Millard deceased and one-half at 30 acres of land, reserving the use and improvement of same to my mother Lydia Miller during her life.  (Ibid., Vol. K, p. 49)

On 5 June 1756, after his own marriage and his mother’s death, Joseph Millard sold to John Marcy of Woodstock (his sister Sarah’s husband) 25 acres in Windham with a “mantion house”, being the homestead that belonged “to my Honrd Father, Mr. Benjamin Millard late of Windham deceased”.  (Ibid., Vol. L, p. 271)  Sarah already owned one half of the homestead by deed of gift, and title to the remaining half had come to Joseph as part of the “residue” of his father’s estate.  On 9 June 1756, John Martin and Mary Parker and Stephen Parker, all of Windham, quitclaimed to John Marcy of Woodstock all their rights in 225 to 30 acres in Windham “that belonged to my honored Father Benjamin Millard late of Windham deceased”.  (Ibid., Vol. L, p. 369)  This John and Mary, nee Martin, were presumably the mentioned but unnamed “children of daughter Mary deceased” who appear in Benjamin Millard’s will, and the deed should have read “our …grandfather Benjamin Millard”.

Benjamin Millard and Lydia Renolds had six children, probably all born at Windham:

THIRD GENERATION           

  6.            ROBERT (3) MILLARD (Robert-2, John-1), b. at Rehoboth, Mass., 12 June 1666, d. there 7 Aug. 179, according to the inventory of his estate; m. there 12 Feb. 1689/0, CHERITY THURBER, dau. Of John and Priscilla Thurber, b. 1663, d. at Rehoboth, 27 Aug. 1741, in her 78^th year, both bur. In Kickimuit Cemetery, Warren, R.I., where Robert’s gravestone reads “died 17 Aug. 1710, age 43 years”.  Charity Millard m. (2) at Swansea, Mass., 31 Jan. 1711/2, as his second wife, John Wood, b. 1663, d. shortly before 7 Oct. 1757, son of Thomas and Rebecca Wood; he m. (1) 23 May 1688, Bethia Mason, b. in Rehoboth, 15 Oct. 1665, d. before 31 Jan. 1711/2, dau. Of Sampson and Mary (Butterworth) Mason.  (Genealogy of the Sampson Mason Family, 1902, by A. H. Mason, p. 25)

            Robert Millard Jr. lived on Rocky River in the southeast section of Rehoboth; he was a tanner and also part owner of a sawmill.  On 11 July 1702, Robert Millard of Rehoboth sold to Thomas Bowen of Swansea nine acres “given me by my honored father Robert Millard, deceased”, bounded by lands left to Nathaniel Millard by our honored father.  (Bristol Co., Mass. Deeds, Vol. 8, p. 424)

            The will of Robert Millard of Rehoboth, Tanner, dated 4 May 1709, proved 11 Sept. 1709, bequeathed to wife Charity, the west end of the dwelling house and one-half the land lying on the west side of Rocky River in Rehoboth, also one-half the salt marsh in Swansea during her widowhood, all moveable estate withindoors and without and “my part of a sawmill in Swansea for brining up my children”; to son John, the other half of the land on the west side of Rocky River and the east end of the dwelling house, “also the other part of the house and land after my wife’s decease or marriage”, one fourth of the salt marsh in Swansea and of the land at Manwhague (in southeast Rehoboth); to son Samuel “when he comes of age” all the other part of my homestead lying on the east side of Rocky River, together with one-fourth of the salt meadow and of the land at Manwhague; to two sons Robert and Benjamin “when they come of age” all the rest of my lands and meadow dividends and individed lying in Rehoboth and Attleboro; to four daughters, Charity, Rachel, Patience and Mary, ten pounds each at eighteen years or marriage.  The wife Charity was appointed executrix.  Inventory taken 22 Aug. 1709, filed by the executrix 7 Sept. 1709, totalled £ 573.16.09.  (Bristol Co., Mass. Probates, Vol. 2, pp. 265-6)

            Even though the children were quite small when Robert died, there are no guardianships on file in Bristol County in connection with this estate; consequently it has been impossible to discover what actually happened to the daughter Mary.

Robert Millard and Charity Thurber had nine children, born at Rehoboth:

To Be Continued