Miller, John, founder of Millersville, Pa.

John Miller was a land developer, general store owner, and blacksmith in Lancaster County, Pa., during the middle and latter part of the 18th century. He is considered to be the founder of Millersville. He laid out the town site, which he called Millersburg, in 1761 and soon afterwards began selling and renting five acre plots. Financial mismanagement and a local recession led to his arrest as a debtor in 1767. He never quite rebounded from his untimely investments and returned to being a blacksmith. The village which he founded changed its name to Millerstown in the 1820s and finally became known as Millersville in the mid-1850s.

From the description of Indenture of John and Elizabeth Miller and Barnard Hubley, 1764 May 1. (Millersville University Library). WorldCat record id: 244629471

John Miller was a land developer, general store owner, and blacksmith from Lancaster County, Pa., during the middle and later part of the 18th century. He is considered to be the founder of Millersville. He laid out the town site in 1761 and soon afterwards began selling and renting five acre plots. Financial mismanagement and a local recession led to his arrest as a debtor in 1767. He never quite rebounded from his untimely investments and returned to being a blacksmith.

From the description of John Miller papers, 1754-1776. (Millersville University Library). WorldCat record id: 48985722