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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: Parkereham on Sunday 20 August 17 18:05 BST (UK)
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David Millar (the candy king of St Louis) was born 1863 in Scotland. His parents were John and Euphemia Millar .. one can only assume from John Millar & Sons Bakery/Candy (1844) Midlothian/Leith .. but which John Millar (there are a million)? Are they also related to John Millar Candy in Houlton, ME? How about E.B. Millar Candy in Chicago? So much candy!! Please help .. you'd be the sweetest 😉
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Hi Parkereham
Welcome to RootsChat :)
You may well find that David was the first in his family to break into the candy business... ::)
This is his birth here https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYBX-Y9N
He was in the US by the mid 1880s wasn't he, going by his marriage details https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24SK-NXD
This looks a likely entry for him in the 1871 census with his family:
John Millar 44 agr. lab. b. Markinch, fifeshire
Euphemia Millar 41 b. Lenches (?spl), fifeshire
John Millar 78 father joiner b. St Andrew, fifeshire
Margaret Millar 16 b. Kennoway, fifeshire
Janet Millar 14 b. Kennoway, fifeshire
Euphemia Millar 12 b. Kennoway, fifeshire
Isabella Millar 10 b. Kircaldy, fifeshire
David Millar 7 b. Kircaldy, fifeshire
William Millar 5 b. Kircaldy, fifeshire
James Millar 3 b. Kircaldy, fifeshire
Andrew Millar 5 Months b. Kircaldy, fifeshire
Address: 9 Charlotte St, Kirkcaldy Fife
Parents' marriage/banns look to have been in 1851 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT53-TBH and https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTPB-TJN
This date is before the start of official registration in Scotland from 1855. You would need to check John Millar and wife Euphemia's death cert to be able to verify their parents' full names (assuming they stayed in Scotland and didn't head off also to the US?).
Monica
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David's mother at least did in Scotland, in 1873 in Kirkcaldy at the age of 42. Her maiden name is indexed as BOUSIE (think you will find numerous spelling variations on this surname).
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ is the official pay to view source for all original BMD and census images. Costs are reasonable.
This is the household in 1881 after Euphemia's death:
John Millar 54 carter
Margaret Millar 26
Isabella Millar 20
David Millar 17 Com Clerk Tobacconist
James Millar 13
Andrew Millar 10
Address: 24 Stewarts Lane, Kirkcaldy
David would then have left Scotland between 1881-85, in time for his first marriage (of three?) in the NY in 1885.
Monica
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Thank You!!!! I have David (he is indeed b.June 8, 1863!!) arriving in 1890 via NY (obit) but nothing much until St. Louis where he married Millie Young and got big in the Candy Manufacturing business. I just found his Obit last night (I've been looking for months) .. Said John and Euphemia Soutar Millar were his parents .. I was trying to follow the manufacturing business but couldn't find anything about the Baker/Candy maker John and his 'sons'.. I also just found a potential second marriage for him last night .. in St Louis also .. she lived until 98 though .. so must have been a divorce.
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It looks like David must have been married up to 3 times. You have his NY marriage entry from 1885 which includes his parents' names as confirmation https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24SK-NXD to a Bessie Souter.
So, he must have travelled to the US between 1881-85 as he was living at home with family up to 1881.
This looks to be him with second wife (?) Anna in 1900 in St Louis Shows him as married to Anna for 2 years and arriving in the US in 1884 (with fits with first marriage to Bessie Soutter in 1885). Working as a cadies' salesman. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3D8-35K
Still with Anna in 1910 in St Louis https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M21T-91W Married 12 years and with one son. David a candies' salesman.
1920 in St Louis with third wife (?) Elsie Marie https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M21T-91W David a candy manufacturer.
Original images are accessible via the FS site.
When did he marry Millie Young? A snip from her obit here www.nytimes.com/1971/01/20/archives/i-mrs-david-millar-i.html?mcubz=0
Details from David Millar's will here http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn86071739/1950-01-26/ed-1/seq-19.pdf
Monica
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I wondered whether this was Bessie Soutter Millar's death, just a few months after the January 1885 marriage in NY? https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WJG-21V Her family surname of Soutter possibly mistranscribed?
Monica
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Which descendant of David Millar are you researching? Asking because there seems to be two David Millars from Scotland, both born about the same time and both Candy manufacturers :-\ There is the one (I think the same man) living in Ohio, then there is this David Miller married to Millie and living in Queens NY in 1920 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVM6-R3M
1930 census here https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X45V-CS6
I got confused on reading details from the will of David, husband of Millie, and seeing the number of children he'd had...which didn't match with the David in Ohio.
My thinking is that the marriage in 1885 in NY to Bessie Soutter with his parents' names confirmed on this and on his obit you have, and the second marriage to Millie Young are for one David Millar. The other entries with David Millar in Ohio and wives Anna and Elsie Marie are for the other David Millar?
It is important for you to be sure which David, but you can verify back from who you are researching back...
Monica
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Yes .. this is why I'm so confused! David and John were part of every Millar family .. and it may be only two but they seem like they are everywhere. There is a famous Millar condy compaby in scotland .. probably the family trade .. I just can't seem to connect them all .. my husband's family STILL does that naming at least one if not two from every generation David .. sure makes it confusing.
We're actually coming from Euphemia Millar Bruenner b 1820 in NY to David and Millie Young (St Louis) .. Eventually David died in Amagansset in 1949.
Thank you a million times over for helping me with through this.. it's good to know I'm not crazy to think it's confusing.
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Don't be confused! Sounds like you are working on the right line for David Millar who married Millie Young. You have them in the censuses 1920 and 1930 with their children (I couldn't easily see the 1900 and 1910 entries for David Millar so far).
His parents' names, John Millar and Euphemia Bonsie (with all the spelling variations) are included in his obit you mentioned. These same parents are showing for a David Millar who married in NY in 1885. This very much seems like a first marriage for him. Possile death for Bessie in 1885 in NY.
With David Millar's parents' details, you have his birth details and family from the censuses he shows in, 1871 and 1881. Confirming details of his maternal and paternal grandparents, from his parents' death certs, will let you work back to earlier generations.
The David Millar in St Lois is a red herring. Not the same as your line and family in the NY area.
Monica :)
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Kind of a red herring .. he and Millie Young got married in st louis so he was there! He worked at the Whitman chocolate company up until his death .. so candy is certainly there too .. their first child was born in Missouri too (1906) .. the second was born 2 years later in PA so that's when they started their migration to NY.
I'll add bessie.. that makes total sense .. but the obit mentioned a soutar too .. I think that's John's middle name maybe .. initially I thought it was Euphemias maiden name.
At some point I'll go ahead and track down the parents birth certs.. that will certainly clear up much of it ..
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I think that surname Soutar likely crept in error for his mother Euphemia in his obit :-\ Doesn't help either that it seems to also have been the maiden surname of David's likely first wife.
Best place to start with his parents would be their death certs. They were born before 1855 and the start of official registration in Scotland. Before 1855, you are reliant on the parish registers and these can be very patchy if you are lucky enough to find an entry.
How odd that St Louis is where David and Millie married! If we didn't have David Miller with Millie in 1920 & 1930, and at the same time, the other David Millar in St Louis for the same censuses, certainly you would mix them up. Approx same birth year in Scotland and same profession.
Monica
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Ohhh what if Bessie actually came over with him? Thank you for finding her! How (potentially) scandalous.. would potentially also explain why it was in his obit (if he was her cousin)
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That is a great find there :)
So Bessie Ann born in England and then parents come back to Kirkcaldy? One other daughter born to parents there in 1871 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY5P-DRW
Monica
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Bessie Ann's full birth details here:
Name: Bessie Anne Soutter
Baptism Date: 19 Nov 1865
Parish: Manchester, St Mary, St Denys and St George
Father's name: Alexander Davie Soutter
Mother's name: Rosina Soutter
Added: Just a little more detail on the Soutter family.
This looks like a good possibility for father Alexander Davie Soutter's birth https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY87-752 The marriage to Rose Stanley looks to have take place in Manchester, where Bessie was born https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2D7V-177 Bessie Ann looks to have been a honeymoon baby going by these dates :)
Monica
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Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm having problems linking the David living in New York in 1920 ( supposedly born 1870 and married to Millie Young) with the David born in 1863 in Kirkcaldy to John and Euphemia. Surely the 1863 birth ties up with David Millar who was married to Elsie Marie and living in St Louis in 1920?
Isobel
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Understandably so .. this was the gold nugget that I discovered a few nights ago .. had so much more than I'd hoped for .. (top right)
http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83030960/1949-12-29/ed-1/seq-5/png/
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I checked on a hunch.. could be completely unrelated but odds are that I know why they left Scotland now 😔
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Curious me ;) Why do you think they left Scotland? Do you think baby Bessie D was their child and they left Scotland as she was pregnant at the time?
Monica
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Death notice/obituary for Alexander Davie Soutter, father of Bessie A Soutter. He died in Kirkcaldy in 1876 age 39 and was a medical doctor ( death down as Alexander Drive Soutter on SP). Bessie's Manchester christening record gives her father's occupation as 'surgeon'. Also a marriage notice for Rose Stanley Soutter, sister of Bessie.
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Obituary
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Obituary
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Death notice
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Further to the above the 1881 census has
Rosina Soutter age 37 born England and a widow showing as a housekeeper in Falkirk with a boarder called Olaf Pederson.
The same census has Bessie Annie Souttar showing as living with her grand aunt Ann Storrar in Kirkcaldy. Sister Rose is with her grandparents William Soutter and Betsy Davie in Kirkcaldy.
There is also a marriage in Boness,West Lothian in1882 which would suggest that mother Rosina remarried.
Ref 663/1 has Rose Soutter or Stanley marrying a Jacob T Jacobson or Hermansen.
William
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Rose and Jacob Hermanson can be found in Bo'ness in 1891 and 1901.
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This is the naturalization record for the David who was married to Elsie Maria and living in Missouri in 1920. From birth details he appears to be the son of Robert Millar and Jane Nee Dunn born in Perth in 1863.
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Such good info, Isobel and William :)
What an interesting man Alexander Davie Soutter appears to have been. His obit that you have included Isobel certainly gives you a sense of him and his character.
Also good to have you confirm the origins of the David Millar from Perth and his origins. Certainly confused the picture with so many coincidences with him and David, son of John and Euphemia ::)
Monica
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I do .. either theirs together or he was helping get her out of a bad situation .. making inferences of course .. if it was she was abt 7 months pregnant when they got married .. just assumptions but Manhattan is a big place 😊
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I haven't been able to find likely shipping manifest entries for either of them so far. Hopefully someone can. Hard to say when they each left Scotland for the US. For now, we have anytime between 1881-85!
Monica
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You all are amazing.. I can't wait to get to an actual computer and take a look at it all (I'm phone bound mostly) .. invaluable help!