Tobias Ham Miller Papers, 1825-1873 – MS012
Provenance: Owned by Helen Pearson, descendent of Miller who then gave the collection to Joseph W. P. Frost, who donated them to the Portsmouth Athenaeum.
Source: Gift of Joseph W. P. Frost in 1987 with addition in 1992.
Citation: Tobias Ham Miller Papers , MS012, Portsmouth Athenaeum
Size: 3.5 Hollinger Box
Access: No restrictions
Processed by: Kevin Shupe in September 1990, revised by Susan Stowe Kindstedt in 2006
Summary
Chiefly sermon notes of Miller, some correspondence, legal papers, and documents relating to the First Congregational Church, Kittery Point, Me., where he served as minister (ca. 1836-1841). Subjects include anti-slavery and temperance.
Scope and Content
The Rev. Tobias Ham Miller Papers primarily contain sermon notes from 1836-1868. The collection contains approximately 35 sermons, some with notes about where and when they were given. This includes his first sermon which he read before the Piscataqua Association in 1836 and ten other churches in the following two years. Thirty years later in 1868 Miller preached it again at Fremont and Atkinson churches. Many of the sermons are not dated and there are also several sermon fragments. With the exception of a few that are numbers and arranged chronologically, there is no discernable order to the sermon’s arrangement.
The collection also contains 13 letters to Miller dated 1840 to 1869, as well as his application for a ministerial license in 1836. There are three letters of recommendation for Miller (including one from the First Church in Kittery for Miller to join a “free church” in Portsmouth) and also one small manuscript volume of religious poetry.
Legal records in the collection include deeds to property in Portsmouth, Miller’s contract for editing the Gospel Teacher and Universalist Miscellany and agreements for the debts of Miller and Chadwick and for the press and type of William H. Foster. Also included are estate papers for Ruth Miller and John Moses, Miller’s guardianship of Bryon Hall and the estate of Elijah Hall, Abraham Meloon land deeds and quit claim, Elisha and Hannah Plaisted deeds, and Miller’s suit against Charles Plaisted. Miscellaneous papers include a land deed from Mark Simes to William Fernald for property in Durham, a dismissal of James Nowell from the North Church, a transfer of Narcissa Dwilley[?] to the free church, and an agreement of marital separation between Elizabeth and Thomas Foye. Printed miscellaneous includes a book ad, an elocution booklet, an American Press Association Address and Constitution, newspaper clippings, Dr. Dio Lewis Family School for Young Ladies Catalog, and a printed poem by Mary Miller. There is also a manuscript of stories by John H. Miller.
Biographical Notes
Tobias Ham Miller (August 10, 1801 to March 30, 1870) was known for being a printer, newspaper writer and publisher, bookstore owner, and Congregationalist minister. Miller was born in Portsmouth, the son of Ruth and John Miller. He attended the Woodbury Public School until the age of 13 when he was apprenticed as a printer, working for the Portsmouth Oracle, the Newburyport Herald and for the printing house of Wells and Lillie in Boston. In 1822 he returned to Portsmouth and ran a bookstore on Congress Street. With partner, Charles Brewster, he turned to newspaper publishing in 1825, publishing the Portsmouth Journal until 1835. In November 1825 he married Mary Moses (ca. 1806 to March 4, 1845). Miller had at least nine children: Edwin J. (1826-1854), James (1827-1891), Frank W. (1829-1880), Frances M. (b. 1830?), Thomas W. (1831?-1855), Susan E. (1833-1913), Israel Putnam (b. 1836?), John H. (1838-1887), and Mary E. B. (1841-1939).
Miller was licensed by the Piscataqua Association as a Congregationalist miniter in 1836 and in 1837 he was ordained as the pastor of the Kittery Point Congregational Church, from which he was dismissed in 1841. The Piscataqua Association disassociated him in 1847 after he embraced Universalism. He was an editor and writer for various religious, temperance, and anti-slavery publications including the New Hampshire Observer, The Carpet Bag, The Washingtonian, and The Teacher and Miscellany. In 1852 he became the chief feature writer for the Portsmouth Morning Chronicle under the name “Uncle Toby.”
After his wife Mary died March 4, 1845 he married first Mrs. Hannah H. Plaisted April 28, 1845 (see 1849 letter to Miller from Susan Christie) and second Mrs. Betsy (Nudd) Taylor.
Folder List
Box 1
Folder 1-9 Sermons, 1836-1868, Kittery Point Congregational Church
Folder 10 Poetry, n.d.
Folder 11 Letters, 1840-1869
Folder 12 Application for Ministerial License, 1836
Folder 13 Religious Recommendations, 1841, 1851, Kittery Point Congregational Church
Folder 14 Bills and Receipts, 1828-1870
Folder 15 Property Deeds, 1835-1844
Folder 16 Legal Agreements, 1831-1849, Gospel Teacher and Universalist Miscellany
Folder 17 Miller, Ham and Moses Estates, 1835-1841
Folder 18 Guardianship of Byron Hall and Elijah Hall Estate, 1830-1863
Folder 19 Abraham Meloon, Property Deeds, 1811, 1814
Folder 20 Elisha Plaisted Papers, 1834-1848
Folder 21 Miscellaneous Papers, 1825-1873, Elizabeth Foye and Thomas Foye divorce papers, James Nowell
Folder 22 Miscellaneous Printed Materials, 1865-1870, n.d.
Folder 23 John H. Miller, Book of Stories, 1851
Box 2
Folder 1 Correspondence, 1837-1849
Folder 2 Correspondence, 1850-1860s
Folder 3 Notebook with notes on religion
Folder 4 Deed, 1849
Folder 5 Divorce Papers, 1851 for Elizabeth and Thomas Foye
Folder 6 Miller’s guardianship of Joshua B. Hall, 1831-1832
Folder 7 Estate of Ruth Miller, Tobias Ham Miller, executor, 1841
Folder 8 Bills and Receipts, 1820s-1830s
Folder 9 Bills and Receipts, 1840s
Folder 10 Bills and Receipts, 1850s
Folder 11 Israel Putnam Miller letter to (sister?) Caroline Miller, 1865
Folder 12 Thomas W. Miller’s printers’ union ( New York and Boston), cards and certificate, 1851-1852
Folder 13 Helen Pearson correspondence and drawings, 20 th century
Folder 14 Portsmouth Glebe Land list of lot renters and rates, 1785
Folder 15 Notebook with religious notes (too early to be Miller)
Folder 16 Estate of John Fernald, 1700-1702
Folder 17 Hannah Plaisted material, 1842-1849
Folder 18 Thomas Lewis baptism and marriage, notes and letter, 1868
Folder 19 Miscellaneous correspondence
Box 3 Tobias Ham Miller Sermons, 1829-1843
Folder 1 This is Not Your Rest, Greenland, May 24, 1836
Folder 2 Of Such is the Kingdom of God, Eliot, June 12, 1836
Folder 3 Address Before Mechanic Association, 1829
Folder 4 Suffer Little Children, Greenland, June 12, 1836
Folder 5 Anti-Slavery, Portsmouth, July 4, 1836
Folder 6 Faith, Virtue, etc., North Hampton, August 14, 1836
Folder 7 Treasure in Earthen Vessels, Portsmouth, July 29, 1837
Folder 8 Temperance, North Hampton, December 1836
Folder 9 Father Forgive Them, Brick Vestry, July 30, 1837
Folder 10 Peace Be Within Thy Walls, Greenland, August 6, 1837
Folder 11 The Wicked driven away in his wickedness, Portsmouth, August 20, 1837
Folder 12 Psalm 107:1, Kittery Point, November 30, 1837
Folder 13 Whom Have I in Heaven But Thee, Kittery Fore-side, December 10, 1837
Folder 14 Peter’s Preaching – therefore let all the House of Israel, Fore-side, December 17, 1837
Folder 15 Mark 5:34, Kittery Point, January 21, 1838
Folder 16 Some indeed preach Christ of envy and strife, Fore-side, February 18, 1838
Folder 17 Thou Shalt have no other Gods before me, Kittery Point, April 1, 1838
Folder 18 Exodus 20:15, Kittery Point, May 27, 1838
Folder 19 Kings Reign, Kittery Point, July 1, 1838
Folder 20 The Hand of the Lord, Kittery Point, August 12, 1838
Folder 21 The Lord Gave, Kittery Point, September 23, 1838
Folder 22 Acts 24, 25, Kittery Point, September 16, 1838
Folder 23 The Temptation, Matthew Chapter 4, Kittery Point, October 7, 1838
Folder 24 Lamb of God, Kittery Point, November 6, 1838
Folder 25 Follow Me, Kittery Point, November 9, 1838
Folder 26 The Beginning of Miracles, Kittery Point, November 18, 1838
Folder 27 They besought him to depart, Kittery Point, January 13, 1839
Folder 28 Matthew 11:7, Kittery Point, February 24, 1839
Folder 29 Abrahams War, Kittery, June 30, 1839
Folder 30 When Pilate saw, Kittery Point, July 21, 1839
Folder 31 Punishment, Kittery Point, July 28, 1839
Folder 32 The Burial of Jesus, Kittery Point, August 11, 1839
Folder 33 Teach All Nations, Kittery, August 1839
Folder 34 And beginning at Moses…, Kittery Point, September 15, 1839
Folder 35 Net on right side…, Kittery Point, September 22, 1839
Folder 36 Feed my lambs – Feed my sheep, Kittery Point, September 29, 1839
Folder 37 Whether therefore you eat or drink…, Kittery Point, March 2, 1840
Folder 38 In the beginning was the word, Greenland, March 14, 1841
Folder 39 Anti-Ministry, Kittery Point Church, October 19, 1841
Folder 40 Some trust in Charists, Cameneum [ Universalist Church], December 25, 1841
Folder 41 John 12:31, North Hampton, March 1842
Folder 42 Dissertation on the “Doctrine of a Particular Providence,” Stratham, May 1842
Folder 43 The Zeal of Thine House, Newington, June 26, 1842
Folder 44 Romans 8:9, Kittery, February 6, 1843
Folder 45 Exegesis of David, Greenland, May 1843
Folder 46 Dissertation on Church Covenants, Piscataqua Association at South Berwick, October 1843
Folder 47 Glory to God in the highest, Cameneum [ Universalist Church], December 25, 1843
Box 4 Tobias Ham Miller Sermons, 1844-1870, n.d.
Folder 1 Genesis 17:1-3, Newington, May 5, 1844
Folder 2 Mine House shall be called an house of prayer for all people, Temple, May 19, 1844
Folder 3 Dissertation on the Reason why Anti-Slavery men run to Ultra-ism and Fanatic-ism, North Hampton Monthly Association, June 1844
Folder 4 To Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, Temple, October 13, 1844
Folder 5 There shall come in the last days scoffers, Temple, November 3, 1844
Folder 6 Be ye perfect, Hollis Street Church, December 19, 1847
Folder 7 The Word is nigh thee, South Reading, December 24, 1848
Folder 8 The Reason of the Hope that is in you, Provincetown, May 20, 1849
Folder 9 Proverbs 8:29, 30, 31, North Danvers, December 23, 1849
Folder 10 Public Worship – Sirs, why do ye these things, Up. Beverly, April 14, 1850
Folder 11 The Living God, Danville, NH, July 11, 1950
Folder 12 Doctrine Introducing Adams 270, 272, 291, Nottingham, 1850
Folder 13 Hearken to you more than God?, South Higham, March 9, 1851
Folder 14 Let no man judge you, sire, Nottingham, July 1859
Folder 15 If I by Beezelbut cast out Devils, etc., Nottingham, 1859
Folder 16 Divine Unity, Nottingham, 1860
Folder 17 The Resurrection, Nottingham, February 26, 1861
Folder 18 Psalm 37, Nottingham, February 26, 1861
Folder 19 Luke 12:40, Portsmouth Alms House, May 16, 1861
Folder 20 Nature of Salvation, Nottingham, June 1861
Folder 21 Faith, Nottingham, August 4, 1861
Folder 22 Eulogy of John Furber, September 1861
Folder 23 Forgiveness – Duration of Punishment, Nottingham 1861
Folder 24 Dead Free from Sin, Atkinson, May 8, 1862
Folder 25 Psalms 64, 68, Portsmouth, May 8, 1862
Folder 26 God our redeemer, Atkinson, June 22, 1862
Folder 27 Fruit of the Spirit, Atkinson, September 4, 1864
Folder 28 Be sure your sins will find you out, Atkinson, May 16, 1865
Folder 29 Who will show any good?, South Hampton, October 8, 1865
Folder 30 Boast Not, South Hampton, November 1865
Folder 31 Once to Die, Atkinson, July 5, 1866
Folder 32 No other Gods our Father in Heaven, Fremont, January 5, 1867
Folder 33 2 Timothy 3:16, Fremont, February 17, 1867
Folder 34 Be not deceived, God is not marked, Atkinson, August 11, 1867
Folder 35 Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, Atkinson, 1867
Folder 36 Story of Balaam, Fremont, May 3, 1868
Folder 37 And Enoch walked with God…, Tremont, December 6, 1868
Folder 38 Stand Fast, Atkinson, May 30, 1869
Folder 39 Best Method of Conducting Sunday School, etc., Talks at Convention about 1870
Folder 40 Book of Proverbs (rich and poor)
Folder 41 Sermon or talk on music
Folder 42 Dissertation on whether it is proper that females appear before the public as lecturers or preachers