On 6 Nov 1873 D. A. Miller bought Miller's Mill on 200 acres on the Bringle Ferry Road at Crane Creek from John A. Verble for $3600. [Deed Book 47, p.523] The mill was built by another David Miller who had bought the land on 3 Feb 1796 from Jacob Brown. This was part of the original grant to Jacob Brown.

On 4 Jan 1883 D. A. and Barbara mortgaged Miller's Mill. However an epidemic hit in which both died. Barbara died first on 14 Jan and was buried with her relatives in Trading Ford Baptist Church cemetery. D. A. became ill at her funeral and died 10 days later on 24 Jan. He was buried with his first wife, Mary, at Union Lutheran Church. Their young son, Ernest, went to live with his grandfather, Peter Long, near Long's Ferry on the Yadkin River.