Introduction / Families / Drever / William Drever and Barbara Shearer / Elizabeth Drever

Betsy Drever and John Miller

Betsy Drever (b. 10th February 1859) was illegitimate and given the same name as her mother. She lived with her mother and aunt Jean Drever at Stencro, Westray before moving to Kirkwall.

On 31st May 1888, she married John Miller in Victoria St. John (b. 14th November 1864) was the son of James Miller from Eday and Margaret Stickler from Shapinsay. John was their youngest son and the Millers had moved to Kirkwall from Eday a few years before he was born. He was born in St Catherine’s Place.

Betsy’s mother moved in from Westray and stayed with the family.

Betsy and John had three children:

• James William Miller b. 14th April 1890 in Mill St, Kirkwall and died there on 31st December 1890

• John Robert Miller b. 6th October 1892 in Bridge St., Kirkwall and died at 23 St Catherine’s Place on 1st June 1925.

• Nicol Spence Miller b. 11th January 1897 at Berstane Farm who married Clementine Muckart Louttit (b. 28th June 1901). She was the daughter of Charles Still Louttit and Mary Ann Kirkness from Hull in Evie. Nicol and Clementine had a large family. Nicol died in Kirkwall on 27th February 1971 and Clementine five years later on 31st October 1976.

John was a farm servant and the family were living at Berstane Farm at the time of the 1901 census. He died at 23 St Catherine’s Place in Kirkwall on 25th July 1920. He was fifty five. Betsy died there five years later on 29th January 1925. This was just four months before the death of her second son.