Robert Wilbanks: Early Milams in America

The name of Milam is a family name of Old English origin. It is believed that the name referred to someone who lived in or near the old Roman town of Mileham in County Norfolk, England. In England the e and h are silent, hence the eventual spelling Milam.

Currently, the earliest known Milams to come to America are the brothers John and Humphrey Milam who settled in Boston possibly as early as 1623. Early records list them as being from Berkshire, Warfield Parish, England. Both men were by trade "Coopers"; builders of barrels. They were members of the now historically famous First Church of Boston. John had 10 children including 7 sons. Humphrey had 7 children, all daughters.

At this time, most all Milams in the United States can prove descent from one of two men who are found in Virginia as early as the 1730s and 1740s. These men are John and Thomas Milam. Though it cannot yet be proven, it is believed that John and Thomas are brothers and are probably descended from the early John Milam of Boston.

I. John Milam was born before 1720 and married a woman named Judith as early as 1739. Early records find John in Louisa Country, Virginia in 1757 and then in Brunswick County, Virginia in 1753. In 1764 he is found in Halifax County, Virginia where he lived until sometime after 1782 when he migrated to York County, South Carolina where he died and left a will in 1789. John was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. John and Judith had 10 children.

II. Thomas Milam was born before 1716 and married Mary Rush Adams as early as 1744. Early records find Thomas living on the north side of Doubletop Mountain near a Gap that takes it's name from him; Milam Gap. His land was part of Orange County, Virginia until 1749, when it then became part of Culpeper County. Thomas sold this land in Culpeper County in 1760 and in 1761 migrated to Bedford County, Virginia where he died and left a will in 1775. Thomas and Mary had 7 children.

Most Milams Descend from the Following:

I. Samuel Milam, son of John, was born circa 1742 in Virginia and married Sarah Kemp by early 1763 in Louisa County, Virginia. Lived in Henry County, Virginia until about 1782 when he probably migrated to Abbeville County, South Carolina where he is found in 1790 and 1800. He had three sons from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

II. Adam Milam, son of John, was born circa 1744 in Virginia and married a woman named Elizabeth circa 1760 in Virginia. Before the Revolutionary War he migrated to Bute County, North Carolina. Bute County was discontinued in 1779 and Adam lived in the portion that became Warren County where he died and left a will in 1789. He had five sons from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama.

III. James Milam, son of John, was born circa 1746 in Virginia and married a woman named Martha. He lived in Halifax County, Virginia, the portion of which became Pittsylvania County where he died by 1793. He had nine children, including four daughters, form whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in southwestern Virginia, northeastern Tennessee, southern West Virginia, and eastern Kentucky.

IV. Bartlett Milam, son of John, was born circa 1748 in Virginia, and married Elizabeth Guinn circa 1770 in Halifax County, Virginia. He lived in Halifax County, Virginia until 1796 when he migrated to Laurens County, South Carolina where he died in 1822. He had eleven children from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas.

V. John Milam Jr., son of John, was born in 1753 in Virginia and married first to Nancy and second to Polly Allison. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War from Halifax County, Virginia. He migrated to Laurens County, South Carolina in 1786 and eventually left there for Madison County, Alabama where he died in 1838. He had twelve children, all by Nancy, from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.

VI. Thomas Milam, son of John, was born circa 1757 in Virginia and married Elizabeth Talbert in 1786 in Halifax County, Virginia. He migrated with his father to South Carolina, living in Laurens County. He migrated to Henry County, Georgia circa 1819 and died there circa 1823. He had eight children, from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

VII. William Milam, son of Thomas, was born circa 1746 in Virginia and married a woman named Sally. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. He lived in Bedford County, Virginia until his death in 1790. He had ten children, from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in Virginia and North Carolina.

VIII. Benjamin Milam, son of Thomas, was born circa 1748 in Virginia and married Elizabeth Jackson circa 1772 in Bedford County, Virginia. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War and died on June 19, 1781 in captivity after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina. He had five children, from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in Kentucky, Ohio, and Missouri.

IX. John Milam, son of Thomas, was born circa 1750 in Virginia and married Anna Jackson circa 1768 in Bedford County, Virginia. He died in 1780 in Bedford County, Virginia. He had eight children, from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, and Indiana.

X. Moses Milam, son of Thomas, was born circa 1752 in Virginia and married Elizabeth Boyd in 1774 in Bedford County, Virginia. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. He lived in Bedford County, Virginia until 1788 when he migrated to Fayette County, Kentucky where he lived until about 1796 when he settled in Franklin County, Kentucky where he died sometime between 1810 and 1820. He was the father of the famous Benjamin Rush Milam of the Texas fight for Independence. Moses was the father of eight children, from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in Kentucky and Texas.

XI. Zachariah Milam, son of Thomas, was born circa 1755 in Virginia. He lived his whole life in Bedford County, Virginia where he died sometime between 1820 and 1830. He had eight children, from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in Virginia and Indiana.

XII. Rush Milam, son of Thomas, was born in 1759 in Virginia and married Ann Elizabeth Fowler in 1783 in Bedford County, Virginia. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. He lived in Bedford County, Virginia until 1792 when he migrated to Botetourt County, Virginia where he lived until 1812 when he migrated to Kanawha County, Virginia where he died between 1840 and 1850. Kanawha County was in the part of Virginia which became the independent State of West Virginia. Rush had ten children, from whom many descendants are found, by 1860, in Kanawha County, West Virginia.