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PAST AND PRESENT OF THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD AND SANGAMON COUNTY ILLINOIS
By Joseph Wallace, M. A.
of the Springfield Bar
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, IL
1904



EDWIN B. MILLAR the most prominent farmers and stock raisers of Williams township is Edwin B. Millar, who owns and operates a valuable farm Of four hundred acres on section 17. He was born on the 30th of July, 1853, in Scioto county, Ohio, and his father, Charles Millar, was a native of the same county, born in July, 1820. The family is of German origin and the first to come to America settled in Virginia. of which state our subject's paternal grandfather, John W. Millar, was a native. From the Old Dominion he removed to Ohio, becoming one of the early settlers of Scioto county. His daughter, Mrs. Maria A. Chenoweth, who was born in 1815 is now the only surviving member of his large family of children.

In the county of his nativity Charles Millar grew to manhood and married his second cousin, Rebecca Millar. After farming in Scioto county for some years be came to Sangamon county, Illinois in 1854 and located in Williams township on the farm where our subject now resides. Here he bought several hundred acres of raw prairie land which he broke and improved, but finally retired from active labor and removed to Williamsville, where be died in 1888. His wife survived him and passed away on the old homestead in 1901. In the family of this worthy couple were seven children, namely: William H., who died during his service in the Civil war; G. C., now a resident of Hutchinson, Kansas,; Polly H., who died in 1875; Edwin B., of this review; John A.,who died in 1881; Oscar H.., who was killed in a railroad accident in 1880, and James T., a resident of Omaha, Nebraska.

Upon the old homestead E. B. Millar passed the days of his boyhood and youth in much the usual manner of farmer boys and remained with his father until the latter's removal to Williamsville. On the 21st of February, 1888, in Williams township, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Miller, who was born. reared and educated here and is a daughter of Joseph R. Miller, now deceased. They have four sons: William H., Frank C., Warren G. and Paul J.

After his marriage Mr. Millar continued to carry on the home farm and at length succeeded to the place. In connection with general farming he is extensively engaged in the raising and feeding of stock for market and is one of the stockholders of the Williamsville Coal Company, which opened up its mines on the Millar farm in 1892. He took an active part in promoting this enterprise and is one of the largest stockholders. In business affairs he is prompt, energetic and notably reliable and usually carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes

By his ballot Mr. Millar supports the men and measures of the Republican party and cast his first presidential vote for Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, but he cares nothing for the honors or emoluments of public office. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America, both of Williamsville, and stands high in both business and social circles. His estimable wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church.




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