Caroline V Milton

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1850, Division 4, Jackson, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1860, Jackson, Florida, USA

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1850, Division 4, Jackson, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1860, Jackson, Florida, USA

Notes:

Fifth governor of Florida
October 7, 1861 to April 1, 1865

John Milton was born near Louisville, Ga., on April 20, 1807. A descendant of the English poet John Milton, he practiced law, first in a number of Georgia and Alabama communities and later in New Orleans. Before coming to Florida in 1846, Milton allegedly killed an adversary in a duel.

After entering Florida politics, Milton became a statewide force in the Democratic party, serving as a presidential elector in 1848 and as a member of the 1850 House of Representatives. A vigorous states-righter, Milton encouraged the early secession of Florida from the Union.

As governor, Milton stressed Florida's ability to serve as an important source of food and salt for the Confederate war effort. On April 1, 1865, as the southern cause was collapsing, John Milton shot himself at "Sylvania," his home near Marianna. In his last message to the legislature, he had said, "Death would be preferable to reunion."

John Milton was the fifth Governor of Florida (October 7, 1861- April 1, 1865). He was born near Louisville in Jefferson County, Georgia on April 21, 1807. He was the son of General Homer Virgil and Elizabeth (Robinson) Milton. He was an attorney who practiced in a number of Georgia and Alabama communities and in New Orleans. He served in Florida during the Seminole War as a captain of a volunteer company and in 1846 moved to Jackson County as a farmer. He became active in politics and was a presidential elector in 1848 and a member of the House of Representatives from Jackson County in 1850. He was a vigorous States-Righter who encouraged the seizure by Florida forces of a Federal military establishments and also instrumental in the early secession of Florida from the Union.

As Governor, he developed a very active state militia and stressed Florida's ability to serve as an important source of food and salt for the Confederate forces. Collapse of the Southern cause was followed by his death, April 1,1865 by a self-inflected gunshot wound at his family home Sylvania, near Marianna preferring “death to reunion.” He was married twice. He had 4 children by his first wife, Susan Amanda Cobb. His first wife died on April 25, 1842 and in 1844 he married again to Caroline Howze of Alabama with whom he had 10 children.

John married Caroline Howze in 1844. Caroline was born on 20 Mar 1826 in North Carolina, USA; died on 26 Sep 1901 in Marianna, Jackson, Florida, USA; was buried in Saint Lukes Episcopal Cemetery, Marianna, Jackson, Florida, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Caroline Milton
• Residence: 1850, Division 4, Jackson, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1860, Jackson, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1870, Marianna, Jackson, Florida, USA
• Residence: 1900, Navasota Ward 2, Grimes, Texas

Notes:

Second wife of Florida Governor John Milton. Caroline Howze (House) came to Perry County, Alabama as a child. Members of her Howze family also lived in Mobile. She was well educated and her family was accustom to being in the social circles of politicians and lawyers. It was there she met a 37-year-old lawyer who was a recent widower with small children living in Mobile. At the age of 18 years, she became his bride in 1844. After a steam boat accident and her husband being burned badly, the family moved to his family's plantation, the Sylvannia, in Jackson County, FL. There she lived a true Southern Belle's life-style on a huge cotton plantation with slaves. She borne 10 children to this union with her youngest being 4-years-old when the governor, after realizing the Confederacy had lost the war, committed suicide in their bedroom. He left her with the task of being a single mother who was penniless in a war-torn state on a plantation without slaves to work the fields. In 1910, she was living with one of her son's in Texas, but was laid to rest next to her husband in the family's Jackson county, FL plot at her death in 1901.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=milton&GSiman=1&GScid=1969331&GRid=51907149&

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: USA
• Residence: 1820, Not Stated, Jefferson, Georgia, USA

Notes:

From "The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans:Volume VII" (Johnson, Rossiter, ed. Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, - Vol. I-X (10). Boston, MA: The Biographical Society, 1904.): "Milton, Homer Virgil, soldier, was born in Milton Plantation, Louisville, Georgia, in 1781; son of Capt. John and Hannah E. (Spencer) Milton. He was married May 17, 1801, to Elizabeth Robinson. He entered the U.S. army, was promoted major, May 8, 1808; lieutenant-colonel, September, 1810; was promoted colonel, 3d infantry, Aug. 15, 1818; took an active part in the war of 1812, distinguished himself in several engagements, and gained the rank of brigadier-general of volunteers. He was an hereditary member of the Society of the Cincinnati. His children were: John Milton, born April 20, 1807 (q.v.): Homer Virgil Milton, born April 2, 1813, and Jane Elizabeth Milton, born Aug. 23, 1815. He died at Milton Plantation, Louisville, Georgia, April 2, 1822." Homer was moved to his present burial site in 1927.

MARY DEBORAH MARBURY 7/26/1817: , p. 128
My first husband, John Martin, his prop. to be div. between Mary D. Spencer and Homer V.
Milton. Ch's uncle: Horatio Marbury, my present husband. Wits: John Pughley, Elizabeth Holms,
William N. Harman.
Abstracted wills Jefferson County GA 1777-1893

Homer married Elizabeth Jane Robinson on 17 May 1801 in Louisville, Jefferson, Georgia, USA. Elizabeth (daughter of Walter Robinson and Jane Fortune) was born on 12 Feb 1786; died on 31 Dec 1836 in Marianna, Jackson, Florida, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: 1783

Notes:

ELIZA MILTON 12/29/1/16/1839, p. 266 267
Ch: John, Jane Elizabeth. Exr: Friend, Robert L. Gamble. Wits: Aalexr Lowery, L. R. Smith,
Samuel W. Robbins.
699
Abstracted wills Jefferson County GA 1777-1893

Notes:

Married:
Louisville Gazette and Republican Trumpet Notes,

Jefferson County, Georgia

Dated 1801

On File at the University of Georgia Library in Athens, Ga.

May 9, 1801

Mr. Homer Virgil Milton, son of Co. John Milton of Burke County, had married Eliza Robinson, daughter of Walter Robinson, Esq. "on Thursday evening last."

Milton Plantation

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Georgia, USA
• Military: Between 7 Jan 1776 and 15 Jul 1782, Georgia, USA

Notes:

[Meltona.FTW]

[james_s_mills_jr 2.ged]

John Milton, born in 1756 in Halifax County, North Carolina - died in1817 in Burke County, Georgia, is sometimes confused with John J. Melton, born about 1740 in Hanover County, Virginia - died around April 1795 in Hanover/Fluvanna County, Virginia. John Milton married Hannah Elizabeth Spencer in 1780. John Melton married Elizabeth Wade in 1762/1763. John Melton descends from Thomas Melton, born about 1570 in England; John Milton descends from John Milton, born 1564 in England. Thomas Melton & John Milton were brothers, sons of Richard Milton, born 1536 in England.

John Milton's mother could have been Mary Pharr, Mary Farr, or Mary Farrar. Any of these three women could have been married (or given birth) to John Milton; John Melton; Jonathan Melton, Jr.; or Robert Melton. Sources can be found which provide for all of these possible scenarios. After reviewing all available information, I've concluded that John Milton was the son of Frances Morgan (Mary) Farr (1737-1756) and John Milton (1735- ). It appears Mary died either in childbirth or soon after John was born. There is actually another possible Mary Farr in this line. Frances Morgan (Mary) was born to Richard Farr and Hannah Green in 1737. Her aunt, Richard's sister, was also named "Mary Farr" and was born in 1708. I believe that Mary Farr was the mother of the 1735 John and the 1695 John Milton was his father. Since the 1695 John Milton supposedly came to America in 1730 and married soon after, obviously, 1737 Frances Morgan (Mary) Farr could not have been his wife. Compounding even more the confusion, some sources give 1756 as the dates of death for both the 1708 & 1737 Mary Farrs!

From "The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans", Johnson, Rossiter, ed., Boston, MA, The Biographical Society, 1904: "Milton, John, soldier, was born in Halifax county, N.C. He joined the Revolutionary army as an ensign in the 1st Georgia regiment, Jan. 7, 1776; was promoted 1st lieutenant; and was taken prisoner at Fort Howe, Georgia, in February, 1777, with Lieut. William Caldwell, on the surrender of that place, held as a hostage, and imprisoned in the castle at St. Augustine, Florida, until November, 1777. He was promoted captain, Sept. 15, 1777, and on his release returned to the army and served until the end of the war, retiring Sept. 15, 1782. He was secretary of the state of Georgia in 1777, 1781-83 and 1789, and on Dec. 6, 1778, at the approach of the British, removed the public records to Perrysburg by order of the governor. He engaged in planting after the war, and received the two votes of the Georgia electors for first President of the United States in 1789. He was a charter member of the (Georgia) Society of the Cincinnati. He was also one of the first mayors of Augusta, Georgia. John married Hannah E. Spencer, and of their children, Gen. Homer Virgil Milton (q.v.), was an officer in the war of 1812."

From "Historical Register Of Officers Of The Continental Army": "Milton, John (Ga). Ensign 1st Georgia, 7th January, 1776; 1st Lieutenant, November 1776; taken prisoner at Fort Howe, 8th February, 1777; Captain 15th September, 1777; Aide-de Camp to General Lincoln in 1780, and to General Marion in 1781; retired 15th July, 1782. (Died 1803.)" After the war ended, John Milton became a charter member of the Society of Cincinnati and served as the first secretary for the Georgia Society.

An interesting account appears in a Milledgeville newspaper on May 5, 1828: "The following is a correct list of the Officers of the Georgia line, during the Revolutionary War, who were, or are still, entitled to Military Land Warrants, under the Act of Congress. The lands are, it is believed, situated in Ohio, and are valuable. This list is published for the information of such officers as are still alive, and for the benefit of the heirs of those who are deceased." It lists among the names of 48 officers: Milton, John -- Captain. Warrant # 323 for 300 acres was issued for his Revolutionary War service. Records from his Bounty Land Pension File at the National Archives include a letter written by Milton Dec. 29, 1806, to Gov. Milledge about the land due him for his Revolutionary service. GA Land Lottery-1827; Jefferson Co., Georgia He acquired No. 23, Section 5 in Carroll, Georgia, No. 29, Dt. 16, Sec. 5.

Milton County, Georgia was created on December 18, 1857 from parts of Cherokee, Forsyth, and Cobb counties. It was named for John Milton, Georgia's first secretary of state. During the American Revolution, Milton traveled to Charleston, South Carolina, and New Bern, North Carolina before moving to Maryland with the official records of the state while Georgia was occupied by the English. Milton County merged with Fulton County on January 1, 1932.

Old Milton County State Historical Marker - Located at the Alpharetta City Hall (built on the site of the old Milton County Courthouse) in Alpharetta, Georgia

OLD MILTON COUNTY

This was the Courthouse of Milton County at the time it was merged with Fulton County Jan. 1, 1932. When the County was created by Act of the Legislature Dec. 18, 1857, it was named for Homer V. Milton, General in the War of 1812, though some claim the name was for his ancestor John Milton, first Secretary of State of Georgia. Among the first County Officers were: Sheriff James C. Mitchell; Clerk of Superior Court Joseph W. Johnston; Clerk of Inferior Court John L. Moore; Ordinary Oliver P. Skelton; Tax Receiver Barnabas B. Johnson; Tax Collector John K.C. Shirley; Treasurer John P. Reaves; Coroner H.W. Paris and Surveyor William Young.

060-25A GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1955

John married Hannah Elizabeth Spencer in 1780 in Richmond, Georgia, USA. Hannah (daughter of Living and Mary E Butler) was born in 1761 in South Carolina, USA; died on 20 Jun 1835 in Padam Arum Plantation, Burke, Georgia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

WALTER ROBINSON 3/17/1808:10/8/1811, p. 84 85
Wife: Jane, house and lot in Louisville. Sons: Isaac Robinson (eldest), Jacob Robinson, William
Robinson, Jesse Robinson (youngest). Daus: Mary Ann Lamar, Elisa Milton. Wits: Benjamin
Bryan, Ben. Green, T. Hancock, J. P.
Abstracted wills Jefferson County GA 1777-1893

Walter + Jane Fortune. Jane was born on 1 Sep 1754 in Newry, Down, Northern Ireland; died on 18 Feb 1812 in Jefferson, Georgia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

JANE ROBINSON 2/18/1812:3/1/1813, p. 96 97
Sons: Isaac, Jacob, William H., Jesse. Dau: Eliza Milton, consort of Col. Homer V. Milton. Dau:
Mary Ann Lamar, wife of Walter Lamar. Exrs: Jacob and William Henry Robinson. Wits: T.
Hancock, Ebenezer A. Daberden.
Abstracted will Jefferson County GA 1777-1893