William James McMillan (1856-1931) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

William James McMillan

Born 26 Jun 1856 in Jacquet River, Durham, Restigouche, New Brunswick, Canada

Son of James McMillan and Mary (Cook) McMillan

Brother of John Cook McMillan, Robert James McMillan, Finley McMillan, Catherine (McMillan) Hayward, Mary McMillan, James McMillan, Donald McMillan, Alexander McMillan, Angus McMillan and Isabella McMillan

Husband of Laura Emma (Hone) McMillan — married 1 Jul 1891 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Descendants

Father of Laura May McMillan, William Henry James McMillan, John Douglas McMillan, Alice Ruth (McMillan) Withers, Celia Mary (McMillan) Livingstone and Charles Robert McMillan

Died 2 Apr 1931 at age 74 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Profile last modified 13 Mar 2022 | Created 28 Feb 2014

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Biography

William was born in summer 1856, the fourth son and sixth child of James McMillan and Mary Cook.^[1] The family farmed 100 acres near Jacquet River. William's family grew with brothers James and Donald, who both passed away as children, followed by Alexander, and Angus.^[2] Another sister, Isabella, passed away as a toddler.

The following transcript from 1906, including minor corrections, sets out William's biography to that point.

William J. McMillan, classed with Vancouver's pioneer settlers and business men, has watched the entire development of the city where he is now prominently and successfully engaged in the wholesale grocery business as a member of the firm of W. J. McMillan & Company, his associate in the enterprise being his brother, Robert J. McMillan. A native of New Brunswick, William J. McMillan was born on the 26th of June, 1858, and is descended from an old Scotch family. His father, James McMillan, was born in Scotland and came with his father, John McMillan, from the land of heather to New Brunswick, being then in this tenth year. He was reared to manhood in the latter place and was married there to Miss Mary Cook, who was born in the same neighborhood in which her husband's birth had occurred. They became the parents of eleven children, eight of whom are now living.

William J. McMillan was educated in his native town and came to the Pacific coast in 1880, making his way to Sacramento, California, where he had a brother living.^[3] For a time he engaged in farming in that locality and afterward went to Portland, Oregon, where he was engaged in railroading in connection with the Oregon Railway & Investigation Company. In 1883 he came to British Columbia, going first to Victoria, where he worked on the Island railroad. Later he came to Vancouver, arriving here the day after the great fire. He found the latter place in ashes, but it has risen Phoenix-like from the ruins. The following year he opened a produce and fruit store, and his business has developed with the marvelous growth of the town until it has now reached very extensive dimensions. His first partner was R. J. Hamilton, an own cousin of Mr. McMillan, but later the latter purchased Mr. Hamilton's interest and at the is associated with his brother, Robert, under the firm style of W. J. McMillan & Company. Through his honorable methods, careful direction and unfaltering enterprise his business has grown until he is now conducting a successful grocery house, shipping goods to Dawson and various points in the northwest.

In 1891 Mr. McMillan was joined in wedlock to Miss Laura E. Hone, a native of England and a daughter of H. F. Hone. They have six children: Laura May, William Henry James, John Douglas, Alice Ruth, Celia Mary and Charles Robert, all born in Vancouver. Mr. McMillan has secured a commodious and pleasant home for his family and the members of the household occupy an enviable social position. The are Presbyterians in religious faith, and Mr. McMillan is a very active member of the Independent Order of Foresters and has most acceptably filled the various positions in the local lodge. He has always been zealous for the prosperity of Vancouver, is a member of the board of trade and is serving on the freight rates committee in which capacity he had done valuable work for the shipping interests of this section of the country. He is ever ready to champion any cause that will improve the business conditions of Vancouver or add to its intellectual, moral and political development, and he stands today as a representative of that class whose labors have been the essential factors in the up[b]uilding of the province. ^[4]

William's grocery activities may be detailed somewhat further than the foregoing. He first appeared in Vancouver directories in 1888 as a partner with Robert Connacher in Connacher & McMillan on Cordova Street.^[5] The following year he operated solo at 83 Cordova,^[6] then 153 Water Street through 1890.^[7]^[8] 1891 found him as partner in McMillan & Hamilton, with Robert J. Hamilton, at that same Water Street address,^[9] followed by 230 Abbott Street.^[10] By 1894 they had shifted to 131 Water Street,^[11] and by 1896 occupied adjacent addresses 129-131.^[12] By 1899 McMillan & Hamilton had moved to the southeast corner of Alexander Street & Columbia Avenue (now Columbia Street), adjacent the CPR track connecting the Burrard Inlet wharves to the False Creek yards,^[13] and by 1900 was trading as W. J. Hamilton & Co. with the address listed as 110 Alexander.^[14] By 1912 they had relocated to 871 Beatty Street, their final location.^[15]

The 1906 Vancouver directory had the McMillians living at 1064 Haro Street.^[16] The 1911 directory and census had them living at 2328 Yukon Street.^[17]^[18] In 1912 the family moved into a fancy house in Shaughnessy at 1053 Douglas Crescent, just west of Oak Street.^[19]

A couple of events in 1914 set the stage for significant change. In addition to the break out of WWI, W. J. McMillan & Co. went bankrupt.^[20]^[21]^[22] The McMillans continued to live at their new Shaughnessy home for a few years, and in 1917 briefly lived at 3252 Knight Street. The following year they were struck by tragedy when son John Douglas was killed in action just two months before the end of the Great War.^[23] By that time another move was afoot, with most of the children staying at Knight Street, but William and Laura moving to Hazelmere in Surrey.^[24]

Only daughter Celia Mary followed William and Laura to Hazelmere.^[25] The slimmed-down family lived there for most of the 1920s, where William sat on the Surrey city council and operated a modest farm. The family returned to Vancouver by 1929.^[26] William passed away at widowed daughter Alice Ruth's home, in spring 1931.^[27]^[28]

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