Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree—William Miller and the Unfaithful Wife Part 3

 

In this final chapter in the story of the life of William Miller, the story of his life becomes complicated as he recovers from his arrest in 1870 for adultery and attempts to live his life as a married man.

            William Miller was born about 1818 in Lowestoft, Suffolk England to Samuel Miller (1780–1847) and Philadelphia "Phillis" Meadows (1776–1846).  At least one other brother and two sisters are known from the marriage of his parents on January 10, 1810 in the parish church of Lowestoft.  William was baptized on June 6, 1818 at St. Margaret’s church in Lowestoft.

            On December 5, 1838, William married Ann Wyatt (1818-1844) daughter of Daniel Wyatt and Mary Ann Mann, at St. Margaret’s church in Lowestoft.  At the time of their marriage, William was employed as a blacksmith and his father was a labourer.

            By 1841, Samuel Miller was a maltster by profession and his son William continued working as a blacksmith. 

            William and Ann had three children during the course of their marriage until the premature death of his wife on December 12, 1844 at the young age of 26.  Their children were:

1.    Lucy Dorothy Miller (1839-1921)

2.    Ann Eliza Miller (1842-1906)

3.    William Alfred Miller (1843-1857)

            On August 18, 1845, William married Harriet Risebrooke (1818-1889) daughter of Robert Risebrooke and Mary Shareing.  Although the marriage registration listed Harriet as a spinster, she had a nine-year old daughter born out of wedlock in 1936. Her daughter was Emily Risebrooke. Emily was raised by her grandmother Mary Shareing and took care of her until her death in December 1861.  Emily then married Ezekiel Starke in 1868 and the couple had 6 daughters.

            There were no know children from William’s second marriage, and Harriet became step mother to William’s three children. 

            It was about 1854, when Harriet Risebrooke began an extramarital affair with the much younger Charles Huke, but William did not find out about the affair until around 1856-1857, at which time he separated from his wife.

            By 1861, Charles Huke was living in the home of Harriet Risebrooke and William Miller had moved out of the home and was boarding with the recently widowed Caroline Cowles and her three children from her marriage with George Adams Kersey.  Caroline and George’s children were:

1.    Caroline Kersey 1853–1929

2.    Robert George Kersey 1855–1938

3.    George Adams Kersey 1858–1940

            Unable to marry because he was not divorced, William and Caroline Cowles Kersey lived together and had eight children together.  Their children were:

1.    Emily "Kate" Miller Kersey 1861–1894

2.    Alice Lucy Miller 1863–1928

3.    Philadelphia "Phillis" Eliza Miller Kersey 1865–1946

4.    William Alfred Miller Kersey 1867–1943

5.    Mildred Miller Kersey 1868–1949

6.    Daniel James Miller Kersey 1870–1956

7.    Gertrude "Lily" Miller Kersey 1873–1936

8.    Ellen "Nellie" Miller Kersey 1875–1884

            All the children from the relationship between Caroline Cowles and William Miller were named Miller Kersey because the couple were not married.  It was Philadelphia “Phillis” Eliza Miller Kersey who married Thomas Adams  (1861-1946) in Beccles, Suffolk, England on March 26, 1883.  They began a new line of Adams family descendants through their 12 children.  The connection to George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams (1867-1940) is only through her stepmother Caroline Cowles who married George Adams Kersey.  George Adams Kersey is the grandson of John Adams (1750-1837).

            By 1870, William Miller was working for the railway as a blacksmith when he was charged with adultery by his wife, Harriet Risebrooke.But the testimony of witnesses, including his own children caused the court to dismiss the charge, since Harriet, herself, was involved in an adulterous affair with Charles Huke.

            Sometime in April 1877, Caroline Cowles Kersey died leaving William to care for his eight children ranging in age from 2-16 years of age.  No doubt, the eldest daughters, Emily, Alice and Philadelphia were a tremendous help in the household.  By 1881, William’s stepdaughter, Caroline Kersey, the eldest daughter of Caroline Cowles and George Adams Kersey, began to live with William and his youngest five children. She is listed as William’s daughter on the 1881 census and as housekeeper on the 1891 census.

            Between 1883-1886, Caroline Kersey (1853-1928), had two illegitimate sons.  Both boys were born in Beccles, Suffolk, England.  They were:

1.    Herbert Kersey 1883–1954

2.    Carl Kersey 1886–1965

Both boys are listed in the 1891 census as the grandsons of William Miller. 

1891 Census

           

    In the second quarter of 1891, William Miller and Caroline Kersey were married in a civil ceremony in Wangford, Suffolk, England.  On January 15, 1898, William Miller had died in Lowestoft.  The 1901 census shows Caroline Miller, nee Kersey, as a widow and her sons living with her were listed as Herbert Miller and Carl Miller.  It is not known for sure, but there is a possibility that William was the father of both Herbert and Carl and only later married their mother once his second wife Harriet Risebrooke had died.  If this was the case, then William was indeed, both step-grandfather and father of the boys.  The other possibility is that William adopted his grandsons, allowing them to take the name Miller, which they used the remainder of their adult lives.  William Miller left his widow, Caroline Miller a total of £141 2s. 7d. (equivalent to £22,968 in 2024).

            After William’s death in 1898, Caroline Miller, nee Kersey, married William Walter Layas in July 1903.  There were no children from this marriage.