William Miller (1834 - 1908)

Born 10 May 1834 in Cooksville, Peel County, Ontario

Ancestors

Husband of Jane (Hardy) Miller — married 22 Jun 1857 in Garafraxa Township, Wellington, Ontario

Descendants

Died 6 Aug 1908 at age 74 in Owen Sound, Grey, Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Pat Miller [send private message]

Biography

William Miller was born in Cooksville, Ontario (near Toronto) in May 1834 the second son of Carriage Maker, George Miller and Margaret Farriage although his brother John may have been his twin. Margaret died soon after William's birth as George married his second wife, Amelia Munro, in December 1835. William relocated to Meadowvale Village (also near Toronto) in the 1850s where he worked as a wagon builder and carpenter. He married Jane Hardy in Meadowvale in 1857. By the 1860's Meadowvale Village was thriving. It had a general store, a post office, shoemaker, 2 blacksmiths, a carriage maker, a wagon shop, cooperage, carpenter, a schoolhouse, a cheese factory, 2 sawmills, a chopping mill and a large grist mill. But there was sorrow for the young couple as two of their children died there in May 1862. In 1867, at the time of Confederation we find William listed as village Wagon Maker, however his wife's 1917 obituary states the family moved north to Owen Sound in the fall of 1865 and William worked at first as a painter in his father's Carriage Shop. Likely this account is correct and the listing for William in Meadowvale in 1867 was extracted from an earlier year's listing. In 1870 William started his own business in Owen Sound as a Sign, Flag and Banner painter. As part of his occupation he decorated many homes in the Owen Sound area. In May of 1887 he was awarded the contract by the city for the painting of Market Building. This historic brick building opened to various vendors in 1868 and still exists for the same purpose today.

Sadly, there was a deep divide with his father that was revealed in the will of George Miller dated May 4, 1889. After listing various properties that were given to his children, George wrote the following: "I give and bequeath nothing whatever unto either of my sons John Miller or William Miller." Fortunately for William at least, his half siblings were still friendly as he was invited to the 1905 Celebration Dinner.

Celebrations as mentioned in the Owen Sound Sun newspaper, 17 Oct 1905: Fifty Years in Owen Sound. Fifty years ago to-day the late Geo Miller with his wife and family arrived in Owen Sound. Mr. Miller passed away 12 years ago and Mrs. Miller nearly 25 years ago. The others of the family now in Owen Sound are having dinner together to-day at the Seldon House in commemoration of their fiftieth year in Owen Sound. The members of the family are Messrs. J.C. Miller, R.B. Miller and William Miller; Mrs. John Rutherford, Mrs. Z. McIntosh and Mrs. Samuel Horton. All met to-day except Mrs. Horton who is now living in Winnipeg. William Miller actually arrived in 1865 and therefore it was his 40th year. The other son John Miller was either not invited or deceased.

5 July, 1907: Celebrated Golden Wedding. Mr. and Mrs. Wm Miller, Beech Street, celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage on Sunday, June 23rd. They came to Owen Sound 43 years ago and have resided here ever since, and are numbered among Owen Sound's oldest citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were married in Medowville (Meadowvale), Peel County on June 23, 1857. They celebrated their golden wedding by entertaining the members of their own family and a few other relatives.

William died in 1908 at his residence on Union Street in Owen Sound. His obituary mentioned his artistic talent. "...had he followed up the purely artistic aspect of his occupation, would undoubtedly have given to Canada some valuable art productions. "

Sources

• Canada census for his birth day and month. Some sources list his birth as 1836 but his father remarried in December 1835 and William's mother was the first wife.
• Meadowvale Village History, Mrs. Chadwick, Miss M. Castle, 1956
• 1871 Census of Canada, Owen Sound, Grey County, WILLIAM MILLER 34, painter, Jane Miller 34, Margaret Ann Miller 11, William Henry Miller 8, Charles Reuben Miller 1
• 1881 Census of Canada, Owen Sound, Grey County, WILLIAM MILLER 45, painter, Jane Miller 45, Margaret Ann Miller 21, Henry Miller (William Henry) 17, Charles Miller 11, George R Miller 3
• Ontario, Canada, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869, William Millar (Miller) 22, parents George and Margaret, Jane Hardy 21, parents Landelet (Lancelot) and Ann, 22 June 1857, Wellington County
• Times, Owen Sound, Ontario, 26 May 1887, p.2, city business, William Miller, painting of Market Building
• Ontario, Canada, Deaths 1869-1938, WILLIAM MILLER, 6 Aug 1908, Owen Sound, Grey County, cause of death, cancer of the stomach and liver, 7 months
• Obituary Owen Sound Times, August 13, 1908
• Heritage Guide Mississauga 2012 (Meadowvale Village)
• Owen Sound Sun newspaper, dated 17 Oct 1905, Tues., Page 1 and 5 July 1907, Friday, page 1
• Will of George Miller, dated 4 May 1889, registered after death of George on Aug 25, 1891, Owen Sound (located by Genealogist Dave Hook)