William Gourlay Millar^[1]

1841 - 1912  (70 years)

• Name	William Gourlay Millar
  Born	13 May 1841	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  Gender	Male
  Supernatural	haunted house
  Residence	1851	Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Occupation	1871	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Lawyer
  Occupation	1901	New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Lawyer
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-86571P
  Died	11 Apr 1912	New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Buried	Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Person ID	I86571	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Frederick Gourlay Millar,   b. 6 Apr 1810, Lewiston, Niagara, New York, United States ,   d. 6 Sep 1887, Burford, Burford Twp., Brant Co., Ontario  (Age 77 years)
  Mother	Isabella Henderson,   b. CALC 11 May 1812, , Scotland ,   d. 14 Jan 1878  (Age ~ 65 years)
  Married	1835	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  Family ID	F14875	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Anna Sophia "Annie" Warren,   b. 5 Jun 1846, Fort Erie, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 29 Mar 1929, Vancouver, , British Columbia, Canada  (Age 82 years)
  Married	10 Mar 1869	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  Children	1. Ida Alexander Millar,   b. 17 Sep 1870, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Katharine Isabella "Kate" Millar,   b. 3 Dec 1872, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 19 Aug 1972, Vancouver, , British Columbia, Canada  (Age 99 years)   3. Annie Sophia Millar,   b. 3 Dec 1872, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   4. Mary Margaret Millar,   b. 1874, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   5. Florence Mary "Mary" Millar,   b. 14 Dec 1874, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 2 Apr 1971, Burnaby, , British Columbia, Canada  (Age 96 years)   6. Henry Irvin "Harry" Millar,   b. 8 Feb 1880, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   7. Frederick Gourlay Millar,   b. 30 Jun 1882, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   8. Warren Nile Millar,   b. 30 Jun 1882, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 8 Jun 1887, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 4 years)   9. Lillian Victoria "Lillie" Millar,   b. 19 Mar 1885, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 31 Aug 1973, Vancouver, , British Columbia, Canada  (Age 88 years)   10. Nelson Gourley Millar,   b. 29 May 1893, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 11 Jun 1893  (Age 0 years)
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F22444	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  William Gorlay Millar image from Ancestry Public Member Tree 2014

  
  

• Notes

  Mr. Millar was born in Berlin, Ontario, but has been a resident of New Hamburg for 35 years. A member of the legal profession, he has practised his chosen calling with success and profit to himself and acceptibility to a large clientele. Of an unassuming but courteous and kind disposition, he has many fast friends among his fellow townsmen by whom he is highly respected. He has been clerk of New Hamburg for the pad 25 years. Special Industrial souvenir number of New Hamburg: containing a comprehensive review of the natural advantages and resources of the village of New Hamburg, 1908, Berlin Daily News, Berlin, Ontario __________________________________ Cranberry season comes to an end NEWS 09: 00 AM by Brenda Murray New Hamburg Independent After 34 years, Cranberry House Bed and Breakfast is closed for business. New owners will be moving in at the end of the month. The Waterloo Street building will be converted back to a family home. The house was built in 1872 by William Millar, a lawyer and one of the founders of New Hamburg. The semicircular drive leads up to a graceful, yellow brick house with double arched windows, high ceilings and a luscious garden. Owners Terry Schaefer and Roy Berfelz decorated the house in period antiques and Victorian wallpaper. They named it the Cranberry House after their extensive collection of cranberry glassware. Surrounded by boxes and packing tape, Roy and Terry were pleased to share stories of some of the guests and events that have transpired within its tasteful walls. "Many of our guests returned again and again and became like an extended family," Roy said. They described the three teenage couples who turned up after a long drive from Michigan to attend the Stratford Festival. A little surprised by their young ages, Roy and Terry were even more surprised to see them the next summer and every summer after that for eleven years. One of the couples got engaged in the backyard. Now they are all grown up and have children of their own, but Terry and Roy will never forget them. Well-known guests also stayed in the B&B, such as young David Pelletier around 1996 who went on to become a gold medal Olympic champion in figure skating; Peter Harder, the retired deputy minister of foreign affairs, and various singers and musicians who participated in New Hamburg Live! "Running this bed and breakfast was probably one of the best educations you could get," Terry said, referring to the many guests who visited from all over the world, such as the young Korean exchange students who stayed there. "It has been a chance to soak in other cultures." Even though Cranberry House is also Roy and Terry's home, they never found the need for a curfew and their guests were always given their own house key. "We never had a bad experience," Roy said. "We had only one theft in all these years - a doily. It was returned to us along with a letter apologizing for the mistake. Bed and breakfast guests have a different mindset from motel guests. They're very respectful." Cranberry House became a home away from home for many people visiting family in the three adult living communities nearby as well as the Nithview residence. The B&B has hosted bridal parties and was also the backdrop for wedding pictures. Ghost stories? They have a few. Every night for the first three months after Roy moved in to the house, he felt a shiver at the back of his neck and heard a door slam upstairs. One clairvoyant guest said she felt a ghost presence in a room. The ghost seemed to say, "You're welcome here. This is a good place." Lillian Millar, the granddaughter of William Millar, visited the house and claimed she saw her grandmother walking in the dining room carrying a silver tray. Roy also lost two cars that were parked in the driveway of Cranberry House. One was damaged during a thunderstorm when a tree fell onto the roof of the house, smashed through the porch railing, and then landed on his van. The other happened in 1984 when a twelve-year-old boy took a car for a joy ride, crashed into garbage cans, careened across the road into the driveway of Cranberry House, and smashed into another of Roy's cars. Roy slept through the crash, but awoke a few minutes later to find the young boy standing at the top of the stairs inside the house covered in blood and disoriented. Luckily the boy was not badly hurt. "We have lots of stories to tell about our life at Cranberry House, mostly good," said Roy. "There is not one day that I regret buying this house in 34 years." Terry and Roy would like to express their sincere thanks to the community for all their support over the years. Murray, B. (2018). Cranberry season comes to an end. NewHamburgIndependent.ca. Retrieved 28 August 2018, from https://www.newhamburgindependent.ca/news-story/8862906-cranberry-season-comes-to-an-end/

  
  

• Sources

  [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 15 Jun 1887. 08 Jun 1887 Warren Nile Millar, son of William Millar, died in New Hamburg at age of 5 years, of diphtheria. [S307] Census - ON, Waterloo, New Hamburg - 1901, New Hamburg (Village) E-1 Page 15. [S229] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1871, Div 13, Page 6. [S153] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - Riverside New Hamburg CC#4564 Internet Link. Millar/ In loving memory of/ William Millar/ died Apr. 11,1912/ aged 71 years/ Rest in peace [A] Warren Nile/ son of William & Anne Millar/ died June 8,1887/ aged 5 years/ Short was his pilgrimage/ Heaven is his home [B] Gourlay/ died June 11,1893/ aged 13 days [S699] Census - ON, Waterloo, New Hamburg - 1891, Section 1 Page 28. [S2437] Census - Canada - 1851, Ontario, Waterloo, Wilmot Township Div 2 pg 14. Frederick G. Millar 42, American - Merchant Isabella 39 b. Scotland Alexander 17 b. Canada Allen 14 William 11 David 7 Frederick 4 Isabella 2 [S26] Lower Canada Marriage Bonds (1779-1858), C-6784. Name of Future Husband: MILLER, Frederick Res: Waterloo Township, Halton County Name of Future Wife: HENDERSON, Isabella Res: Dumfries Township, Halton County Reference: RG 5 B9 Volume: 30 Bond Number: 4772 Date: 1835-01-24 [S31] News - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Dumfries Reformer (1850-1892), 24 Mar 1869. Warren, Annie Sophia married 10 Mar 1869 to William Miller At St. John's Church, Berlin, by Rev. H.F. Mellish, of Wilmot. Groom, a solicitor. Both of Berlin.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 13 May 1841 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1851 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 10 Mar 1869 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Lawyer - 1871 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Lawyer - 1901 - New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 11 Apr 1912 - New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth