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 ILLIAM MILLAR became a resident of Lafayette Township, this county, in March, 1854, and for a period of over thirty years has walked in and out among its people in a worthy and creditable manner, and has contributed his share toward the farming interests of this section by building up a homestead which forms one of the most attractive features of the landscape. This includes 346 acres on section 3, in Lafayette Township, and is provided with shapely and substantial buildings and all the accessories of the modern rural home. The history of this honored pioneer, who is now passing down the sunset hill of life, comprises an interesting array of facts which are substantially as follows: Mr. Millar was born in Hampshire County, now West Virginia, Aug. 10, 1811. His ancestors for several generations resided in the Old Dominion, his grandfather, Isaac Millar, having been Surveyor of the State, and received his commission from Lord Dunmore of England in 1774. The books containing his notes in relation to his calling, are in the possession of his grandson, our subject, and are treasured as one of the priceless relics of the past. Isaac Millar was married, and reared a family in the Old Dominion, among his sons being Michael, the father of our subject, who was born in Hampshire County, March 30, 1785. He followed farming, and dealt largely in live stock. There were then no railroads, and stock had to be driven from the place where it was raised, to Baltimore, Philadelphia or New York City, the trip frequently consuming thirty days’ time. Michael Millar spent nearly all his life in his native State, with the exception of a short time spent near Columbus, Ohio, after his marriage. About that time he built a flatboat, loaded the same with bacon, and went down with it to New Orleans, his boat being the first to make the trip to the Crescent City. Upon the return he traveled on horseback through the Indian Territory, and not long afterward settled down permanently in his native State, where his death took place Nov. 10, 1872. The mother of our subject was formerly Miss Hannah Decker, who was born in Hampshire County, Va., Jan. 23, 1790, and became the wife of Michael Millar in 1808 or 1809. Her death occurred at the homestead in Virginia, Aug. 9, 1860. The parental household included four children, namely, Elizabeth, who became the wife of James Parsons, and is now deceased; William, of our sketch; Sarah, who married Francis Murphey and is now deceased, and John D., who is in possession of the old homestead. William Millar received the advantages of a common-school education, obtaining further instruction in a private school. He assisted his father and brothers around the homestead, and frequently traveled the long distance required in driving his stock to market. Soon after reaching his majority, he was married, Dec. 26, 1832, to Miss Sarah, daughter of David and Hannah (Cunningham) Van Meter, a native of Hardy County, Va., born July 15, 1817. The father of our subject owned a large tract of land, and after his marriage, William located upon a portion of this and carried on farming in his native State until 1853. He had now become the father of ten children, and desiring for them better advantages than could be obtained in the South, came to this State to seek for a permanent location, in which plan his excellent wife and helpmeet cordially co-operated. The face of the country in Central Illinois pleased him greatly, and he soon afterward purchased 640 acres of land in Lafayette Township, to which he removed his family the following spring. Like his father before him, he had turned his attention largely to stock-raising, and after becoming permanently settled here, his great herds of cattle grazed on the site now occupied by the flourishing little city of Mattoon. It was all open prairie at that time, and the neighbors were few and far between. William Millar, upon coming to this section, had enough money to pay for his land, and brought with him good horses from his native State. His farm underwent rapid improvement, and he added to his first purchase until he became the owner of 1,200 acres in one body in Lafayette Township, besides 970 acres in Piatt County, and afterward purchased other land in different places. Soon after coming to this State he imported two head of Short-horn cattle from Ohio, being one of the first to introduce this breed into Coles County. His uncle, William Millar, Sr., was one of the first importers of fine cattle from England, as will be seen by examination of the American Herd Book. Mr. Millar was always wide-awake and enterprising, keeping his eyes open to what was going on around him, and was one of the original members of the Coles County Agricultural Society, in which he served as President, with the exception of two years, for thirty consecutive years. The society under his management became self-sustaining and prosperous, and was one of the four county societies in the State whose treasury was sufficiently well-filled to meet the’demands upon it. Mr. Millar finally found that the duties were too great for his advancing age, and resigned the position amid the regrets of all who had been interested in its establishment and maintenance. The household circle of Mr. and Mrs. Millar was completed by the birth of thirteen children, of whom one died in infancy, and three others were laid in a country churchyard since their residence in Illinois. The remaining nine are living, and all married, being settled with their families in comfortable homes of their own. Mr. M. and his wife feel quite proud of the fact that they are grandparents to upwards of thirty children, and great-grandparents to seven. One Sabbath Day there were representatives of four generations of the Millar family seated in one pew at the church at Mattoon. The living children of our subject and his wife are, Hannah, the wife of Edwin W. Vause, of Lafayette Township; Garrett V.; Adam; Elizabeth, the widow of Dr. T. B. Dora; Michael; Jemima, the wife of James Vause; Sarah M., the wife of William Parsons, of Kansas City, Mo.; Mary Frances, the wife of John I. Van Meter, of Harper County, Kan., and William E. With the exception of the two daughters residing in the West, all are located near their parents in Lafayette Township. They have been well educated, and form a family group of which the parents may well be proud. Mr. Millar has been a good father to his children, giving each of them a goodly amount of personal property and land, so that they were enabled to start out in life in a manner creditable to their position, as sons and daughters of a wealthy and influential citizen. He still retains 500 acres of his original farm, the proceeds of which yield him a handsome income. He has held the various offices of the township, and although independent of party lines, usually casts his vote with the Democratic party. He has been an active member of the Presbyterian Church for over half a century, officiating as Elder for over forty years. He was a member of the Building Committee which erected the church edifice at Charleston, and afterward assisted materially in the erection of the church at Mattoon. and has always been interested in the measures set on foot for the moral and intellectual welfare of the community. Our subject and his estimable lady have lived together harmoniously for a period of over fifty-five years. They celebrated their golden wedding, Dec. 20, 1882, and were visited by a large circle of children and friends. It was the special request of the aged pair that no presents should be given, but nevertheless the friends could not refrain from furnishing some slight token of their respect and esteem, and accordingly among other gifts, presented a large and elegantly bound Bible, which was the offering principally of the members of the church. Mr. and Mrs. M. are well-preserved, sociable and happy old people, and have so lived that their children heartily unite in speaking of their home as the spot which has been immortalized in song, and which will probably be sung as long as the sentiment reigns within the human heart, that “There is no place like home.” |
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