Sir Daniel Hunter McMillan

Bienfait, Saskatchewan, Canada

General Manager of M&S
(exact time frame unknown, but probably ca 1907)

Sir Daniel Hunter McMillan, Sir William Whyte and Senator Robert Watson, were some of the First Major Shareholders of the M & S Coal Company Ltd.

As you will see below, through Marriage, and Friendship, the Management and Ownership of M&S was kept pretty close to this Winnipeg family.


Sir Daniel Hunter McMillan, KCMG
b- Jan 14, 1846 in Whitby, Ontario Co., Canada West (now ON)
d- April 14, 1933, in Winnipeg MB, age 87
Buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Winnipeg
He suffered a fall in his home a few days before, and struck his head.

father- James L. McMillan
b- ca 1808
d- Dec 8, 1891
buried St. James, Winnipeg
son of James McMillan (Sr) and Josephte Belisle
(James Sr was married 3 times)

mother- Margaret Eleanor “Ellen” McMillan, nee Crawford, married May 28, 1842 in Red River Settlement
b- ca 1821 Antrim Ireland (b- Feb 22, 1823 in 1901 census, in Ireland)
d- Feb 17, 1906, in Winnipeg, age 85
buried St. James, Winnipeg
Apr 10, 1878, He married Lady Mary Lindsay in Collingwood, Simcoe Co., ON., age 24
b- 1854 (1858 in Scotland per 1911 census) (1861 in 1891 census)
d- Feb 2, 1923 at Long Beach, CA., from an acute heart attack
Her body was returned to Winnipeg and buried in Elmwood Cemetery.
daughter of James Lindsay and Isabella Lindsay
Mary had a sister Tillie Lindsay that married David Phillip Owens
a printer, married Sept 8, 1891 in Winnipeg

Apr 17, 1933, Sir Daniel's funeral was in Knox United Church in Winnipeg, where he was one of the oldest members

He was a very close friend of Sir William Whyte. His son William Whyte Jr was involved in M&S in 1956 at least.
See my William Whtye Web page

Children of Sir Daniel

daughter- Eleanor Isabel McMillan
b- Feb 10, 1879 in Winnipeg MB
d-
married Lt-Col Thomas Dixon Byron Evans, Oct 19, 1904 in Winnipeg MB
b- Mar 22, 1860 in Ottawa ON
d- Aug 24,1908 in Battle Creek Michigan, USA
C.B. Commander of the 10th division of the Canadian Army
died from a possible affection of the brain, supposedly brought on by sun stroke earlier in the summer.
He had a famous military career, in the Yukon, in the Boer War, and Northwest Campaign.

Eleanor remarried bet Aug 24, 1908- July 1914, Leigh Manners McCarthy of Toronto,
b- Mar 19, 1878 in Orangeville ON
d- ca Apr 1959
Eleanor was at her mother's bedside when she died.
June 1947, Leigh was President of St. Andrew's Estates and Golf, York Mills, Toronto
Jan 1935, Leigh was elected Director of Hiram Walker Gooderham & Worts Ltd.
Feb 1921 He was a partner in Mara, McCarthy Company Ltd. with a Mr. W. Harold Mara.
son of Judge McCarthy of Orangeville, ON
He was Assistant General Manager of the Northern Crown Bank at Winnipeg.
He returned from overseas and joined the Royal Bank and became supervisor of ON Bank Branches.
enlisted in WWI, Nov 30, 1915 in Winnipeg
lived at 315 Dromers Ave. Winnipeg, Bank Superintendent
Rank of Captain
1944 Vice-President Manufacturers Life
1945 he was into owning race horses.

Sir Daniel had a daughter who married a Mr. Patterson
He was supposedly the largest grain dealer in the country.
Sir Daniel was staying at the Royal Palm Hotel, Miami, Mar 1924, with his daughter and son in law, after a visit to Nassau.
He replaced a Mr. Patterson who was Lieutenant-Governor of MB before him.
son of this guy? Haven't been able to find more on him.

He had a child born ca Jan 24, 1889 in Winnipeg, while he was City Treasurer.

5 Siblings of Sir Daniel H. McMillan:

1. Margaret Eleanor McMillan
b- Mar 22, 1848 in Pickering Dist. Upper Canada (ON)
d- Mar 1, 1928, in Winnipeg, MB, age 79
1901 she is living in Winnipeg with her husband and family
1911 she is shown living at 65 Hargrave, Winnipeg MB
age 63, with son Harry, 2 nephews, and a servant
Nephews: D. Hunter Gordon, and Alex M. Gordon,
their mother was Janet McMillan, (see below)

Margaret Eleanor McMillan married Ebenezer Thomson, Oct 6, 1869
b- Apr 28, 1835 in Scotland
d- Feb 12, 1909, in Winnipeg MB
living in Ward 2, Winnipeg MB., in 1901, and 1906
age 65, Warehouse Commissioner
Presbyterian religion
one of their children, Crawford McMillan Thomson
b- Jan 11, 1909 at Winnipeg MB
d- 1975
buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Winnipeg MB
was involved in operating M&S starting in the 1930's to at least 1956.
See my Crawford McMillan Thomson Web Page

2. William Wallace McMillan
b- Dec 30, 1851 (1852?) in ON
d- Feb 23, 1928 in Miami, Dade Co., FL, USA, age 77
buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Winnipeg, MB
retired grain merchant when he died lived in Winnipeg, died in Florida
(became partner in business with Sir Daniel, see below)
married Sophia L. Chambers
I found 2 children:
son- Wallace Hunter McMillan
b- Aug 31, 1882 in Winnipeg
d- Dec 17, 1968, in Victoria BC, age 86
He married Gertrude Orna
daughter- Evelyn Louise McMillan
married Joseph Stanley Maw, Apr 16, 1918 in LA, CA

3. Isabella “Isabel” M. McMillan
b- Mar 20, 1855, in ON
d- ?
married a John Matheson McDonald, (Manufacturer? Agent in 1901)
b- Feb 15, 1851 in Scotland
d- ?
daughter- Eleanor Margaret McDonald
b- Dec 9, 1883 in Collingwood, Simcoe, ON
d- ?
Eleanor McMillan, nee Crawford, her mother, living with Isabella in 1901, in Ward 2, Winnipeg

4. Ellen Jane “Jennie” McMillan
(Janet McMillan in one record)
b- Feb 15, 1857, Collingwood ON
d- ?
married a Mr. Gordon
had at least 2 sons

1. D. Hunter Gordon,
b- July 1884 in MB, Banker (also there in 1906)

2. Alex M. Gordon,
b- July 1891 in BC, Student Arts?

1911 they were shown living at 65 Hargrave, Winnipeg MB, with their aunt, (see above)

5. Elizabeth M. McMillan
b- ca 1864
d- ?

Sir Daniel Hunter McMillan Bio

Formed the the Dominion Elevator Co. Ltd. in 1897, with his brother William McMillan, and Rodmond Roblin.
Its elevators were largely concentrated in the Province of Manitoba

Sir Daniel was referred to as Colonel McMillan in earlier articles.

Sir Daniel was a known Millionaire.
Service with the Canadian Volunteers on the Niagara Frontier, during the trouble of 1864. Involved in the Fenian Raid of 1866.
1870 came west as a Captain of 1st Ontario Regiment, in the Wolseley Expedition, at time of Red River Rebellion.
1880 elected to the Manitoba Legislature. Provincial Treasurer 1889-1900.
Sir Daniel Knighted in 1902, Knight Commander of St Michael and St George
7th Lieutenant Governor of MB, 1900-1911
May 11, 1911, Received Honorary Doctorate of Laws, from University of Manitoba.
First President of the Winnipeg Grain Exchange (1887-1888), held in the basement of the City Hall.
Director and later Vice-President of Great West Life Assurance Co., and one of the founding investors.
President North Crown Bank, he resigned that position in 1918.
Dec 6, 1913, appointed to the Advisory Board, of the Netherlands Transatlantic Mortgage Co.

Government House was burglarized Mar 16, 1903, and Sir David had some jewelry stolen.
Lived at 645 Wellington Cres., Winnipeg
see below his relationship with the Thomson family.

He owned the business block at 265 Portage Ave, in Winnipeg called the “Avenue Block” later “Avenue Building”
bought in 1912, in 1913 it was partially destroyed by fire
again in 1931, when he still owned it.
In 1999 it was totally vacant
2010 it was being refurbished.

He spends a night in Estevan Aug 20, 1904
article on this page

May 1921 he was presented with an illuminated address in honour of the 40th anniversary of his receiving his First Degree in Masonry.

Also a member of the York Club of Toronto

In North-Central Alberta, Theodore Arthur Burrows and Sir Daniel Hunter McMillan, were the principal shareholders of the small Imperial Pulp Company.

Liberal in Politics, representing Winnipeg Centre for several terms

One of the first men to operate a Grist Mill in Saskatchewan. He located at Troy, now Qu'Appelle, and did a thriving business.
Opened Feb 1, 1886 to supply the Qu'Appelle District. It turned out 200 bushels per day, and shipped flour as far as China and Japan. It closed Apr 1892

He also had the first steam powered Flour Mill in Winnipeg before this, Dec 9, 1887 the McMillan Brother's Flour Mill,
D. H. McMillan, “The City Flour Mill”
Machinery, and contents burned to the ground. Loss valued at $50,000.00 insured for $12,000.00. One article valued it at $70,000.00
In 1885, proprietor was D. H. McMillan. It made straight and patent process flour, bran, meal, and feed. It was both a custom and merchant Mill.
It had a 100 HP engine, and four run of stones, which ran day and night. It was well fitted with the latest machinery.
The Foreman was from one of the oldest Minneapolis Mills.

Brother of Sir Daniel, William Wallace McMillan, became a partner in McMillan's City Mills, Flour Mill,
Mill was at the Red River end of Post Office St., in Winnipeg (Lombard St, now Lombard Ave today, just north of the ball diamond today, near R/W)
William was a partner in business with John McKechnie. Firm name, McKechnie & McMillan Company, the Foundry, Machine, and Blacksmithing Shop, in early Winnipeg
William McMillan ran a stable of race horses. When he was younger he was quite an adept rower of boats.

This mill was also called “The Winnipeg City Mills” operated by McMillan and Bassett.
S. Bassett.
Owned by Mr. D. H. McMillan, building was 30 x 50 ft and 32 ft high. It was built for a run of 4 stones, but opened with only 2 runs operating.
On an Oct 14, 1876 or 77, it was operating and shown to a number of invited gentleman

He would have needed a lot of coal for the steam to operate his flour mill night and day. What do you do, buy a coal mine! M&S

McMillan Brothers from Winnipeg, were the main Subcontractors of the building of the Hudson Bay Railway, between 1909 and 1929,
and treatment and living conditions of their workers, was questionable. same family? not sure. one picture showed M. McMillan contractor

Sir Daniel was Chief of the Fire Department, ca 1877

1920's there was the McMillan Grain Co.




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