John Riggs Miller - Early Life

Early Life

He was born John Miller in County Clare, Ireland. His father was John Miller and his mother, John's wife, Anne née Browne. He was educated at Dalston School and Eton College before joining the British Army in 1760 as a cornet. He was on active service in the Battle of Emsdorf and at Belleisle, France in 1761, before retiring from the army in 1763. He was admitted to study at the Middle Temple in 1765, though does not seem to have made any progress with his legal studies, but studied at Trinity Hall, Cambridge though he did not graduate. In August 1765 he married Anna née Riggs (1741–1781), adding her name to his own. They had a son and a daughter. In July 1762 he inherited his family estates, though they were worth little, but his wife brought substantial wealth to the marriage, enabling him to build a prestigious house at Batheaston, Somerset. The couple there held a fortnightly literary salon along with competitions and prizes. The prizes were drawn from an ornately decorated Roman vase and the affair was mocked as Lady Miller's Vase, though that did not dissuade distinguished contributions from the like of David Garrick and Christopher Anstey. In 1778 he was created a Baronet, of Ballicasey in the County of Clare. Anna died on 24 June 1781 and on 9 September 1795 he marrier Jane née Sell, widow of Sir Thomas Davenport. He was elected Member of Parliament for Newport, Cornwall in 1784.