An Open Letter,

To the Families of Milliken, Millikin, Millikan, Millican,

Milligan, Mulliken and Mullikin

 

            Greeting: The Family History and Genealogy has been compiled, printed, bound and is now ready for shipment. Much as the author’s time and money for seven years have been devoted to this enormous and expensive undertaking, and in committing the result of his researches to the family he wishes that it was more complete. In taking his leave of the numerous persons with whom he has had much pleasant correspondence, the compiler wishes to say a word personal. He has been asked a hundred times how he was related to the Milliken family; asked if his mother was maiden named Milliken or if his wife was one of the clan. All such inquiries must be answered in the negative. What motive, then, could have inspired or impelled one in no way connected with the Milliken family to such a self-imposed task?

 

            The author of this and several other volumes of its class was a farmer’s boy who inherited an enthusiastic love for antiquarian and historical research; and this interest was supplemented with the necessary adjunct of inquisitiveness. In early years he stood at the knee of his venerable grandfather, in whose home he was born, and interviewed him respecting events known to him when he was young, and from such traditionary information he began to write down chronicles. After leaving the trade of iron machinist, and a term of service in the Union army during the Civil War, at the age of twenty-four he was ordained to the Gospel ministry, and for more than thirty years was actively engaged as pastor and evangelist; mean-while devoting spare hours to literary work which took form in the published volumes before-mentioned. From overwork he was afflicted with one of the worst forms of insomnia, and to find rest and recreation he crossed the Atlantic in 1886 and spent six months in traveling in Europe. After his return he resumed pastoral and literary work in the city, but insomnia laid a relentless grip upon him and finally paralysis of his right side was the result of his insatiate interest in study and writing. This in part, incapacitated him for professional and literary work, and he retired to a quiet country town, where surrounded by mountains, forests and fields, he hoped to find rest and health. Nature was beneficent and refreshing slumber was followed by returning bodily vigor. Then the active mind, unused to idleness, demanded exercise and once more the pen was taken in hand. After two years at the desk a volume of 1230 pages was published in which much was recorded concerning some branches of the Milliken family. The circulation of this book stimulated a widespread desire in many persons for a family history and the author was urged to compile a volume to be exclusively devoted to this subject. Weary of the pen and sedentary habits, he resisted all importunities until his mind again required something for its diversion; then, after having received promises of cordial co-operation and financial assistance, the author arranged his plans and commenced his researches. Few persons who are inexperienced have any conception of the amount of work involved in a book of this class. The novelist can sit down and from the fruits of his imagination produce his romance, but he who writes history must reject many family traditions and search for his data in numberless places. And then, as materials accumulate upon his hands, he must sift the chaff of error from the wheat of fact. But how shall he distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit? The vital statistics found in the county and municipal records do not tally with the records in church registers and family bibles. He visits the resting places of the departed with pad and pencil only to find that the inscriptions chiseled in marble do not correspond with any of his previous collections.

 

            By his correspondence with the families,--which must always be his most prolific source of information—he encounters many annoying and insuperable obstacles. Family traditions handed down from father to son for generations and constantly kept burnished by the friction of transmission are held with a tenacious grasp as a valuable historical patrimony, and it is almost impossible to convince many very intelligent and well-educated persons of the unreliability of such heirlooms. Ask a hundred men about their first American ancestors and ninety will answer without a moment’s hesitation that “three brothers” came over from England, Scotland or Ireland; that one went west, one went south, and the third settled in New England; and this has become a subject of ridicule by candid workers in the Genealogical field, for, in ninety cases out of one hundred this tradition will be found groundless.

 

            Another difficulty encountered by the writer of family history is the fact that thousands of persons representing our New England families actually believe that in some old cask or iron kettle, buried in the Chancery Court of Great Britain, there is a vast fortune that would burst all mathematical systems to estimate, that belongs to heirs in America; and believing this, they meet the honest genealogist with the insinuation that his object in collecting his data is to secure the “Lion’s share” of this “rich dowry” and defraud the legitimate heirs of a legacy that belongs to them. From such persons no information can be obtained. One sanguine Mullican, however, who was quite sure that sixty million pounds sterling reposed in the vaults of the Bank of England tagged for families of his name benevolently offered to cut the author of this book a generous slice from this fortune if he would secure payment. Indeed!

 

            Perhaps the most vexatious influence the genealogist meets is the suspicion that he is impelled to his exertions by a purely mercenary motive; that he is engaged in a money-making speculation, and such persons refuse to render any assistance, or furnish any data, unless paid for it in cash at a fancy price. Such an estimation of the work necessary for the production of a book of this class only reflects upon the ignorance of the person. The enormous expense of compiling and publishing a Family History like this one is so great as compared with the limited number of copies sold, that it is impossible to make a self-sustaining; and but for the generous donations of a few persons bearing the Milliken name, this undertaking would, long ago, have proved abortive. At the time of going to press only two hundred subscribers for this book had been procured, and if every book of this number can be delivered and payment collected, the author and publisher would not realize twenty cents per day for his work. But, besides his time during the last seven years, he has found it necessary to put hundreds of dollars of his much needed money into the work, and he will be left a poorer man than when he began his task. He has many a time been compelled to discontinue his researches for want of postage money.

 

            When working among the growing corn with his grandsire in days of youth, he was not allowed to put down his hoe until his row was finished. If the demands of hunger were urgent, and the dinner horn had been heard, the practical old man would shout “hoe out your row;” and the lesson learned in the field has not been forgotten in the strenuous years of manhood. Many a mental visit has been made to the corn plat on the old homestead while employed upon this thankless task, and when the brain was weary and the crippled hand would have dropped the pen, an echo from the good man’s voice seemed to say, “hoe out your row,” and he was encouraged for renewed exertions.

 

            Amid the many trying circumstances encountered and the insinuations received reflecting upon his motives by persons to whom he has applied for assistance, the author has not been insensible to the many words of kindness found in his correspondence and substantial tokens of appreciation by members of the families under notice; and while he is requested through feelings of modesty not to mention the donors by name, he must herewith tender his heartfelt thanks to those who, by cash contributions or by furnishing data for his use, have helped to secure the production and publication of this volume.

 

            With an indescribable sense of humiliation and reluctance the author makes a request. Without any home of his own, at the age of sixty-six, with a weary brain, a paralyzed side and no means of support by an army pension, the outlook is not cheering. He has faithfully and patiently performed this literary work for the families whose names are recorded on its pages, and feels that, aside from the small subscription price of the books, the clan is under some moral obligation, and he respectfully asks that those who have means may make up by personal contributions the amount of money he has taken from his meager income to use upon this book. There are millionaires and multi-millionaires in the family to whom one hundred dollars does not mean as much as a dime to the author, and he believes they will, after giving the product of his toil a careful examination, and this letter considerate attention, most cheerfully contribute of their abundance to help one who has done them a lasting service.

Respectfully submitted by                

The Author.

 

A Word to my Patrons.

 

            Owners of the Family History should handle them with care and keep them for posterity. A new book should not be opened wide at first; this will strain or break the sewing. They will become flexible and open well after a little use.

            Please do not loan your books to be taken from your homes; if you do, many will be lost or returned in a soiled or shattered condition. Many persons are too penurious to buy a book so long as they can borrow. Your relatives may be as well able to purchase as yourself, and should have a copy of their own.

            Call the attention of your kindred and commend the book; thus a favor will be conferred upon the author. Many do not know of its publication. Ask for circulate and distribute them.

The Author.

G. T. Ridlon