Memorable Manitobans: Neil Thomas MacMillan (1877-1931)

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Neil Thomas MacMillan
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Real estate and insurance agent.

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Neil Thomas MacMillan
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Born at Rodney, Ontario on 13 September 1877, son of Edward and Marion MacMillan, he was educated at the public and high school at Hamilton. He commenced a career in the grain business in southern Manitoba, operating a grain elevator for the firm of MacMillan and Lane, at Gretna, in 1899. He returned to Hamilton in 1900 to take a course at the Canada Business College there. He then operated an elevator at Winkler from 1901 to 1902 when the firm of MacMillan and Potter was formed.

MacMillan moved to Winnipeg in 1903 and held a number of positions, including senior partner in the real estate firm of MacMillan and Vollans, President of the grain commission firm of Dunseith and MacMillan, Director and Vice-President of the printing firm of Bullman Brothers Limited, Secretary-Treasurer and Managing Director of the West Winnipeg Development Company, President of the City Securities Company, Director of the Prudential Life Insurance Company, Director and Secretary-Treasurer of the Security Storage & Warehouse Company, Director of The Trustee Company, and President of the manufacturers agency of Wright MacMillan Company.

He was an active member of the Council for the Winnipeg Board of Trade from 1909 to 1910, a member of the executive of the Winnipeg Real Estate Board, and President of the Winnipeg Development and Industrial Bureau (1908-1909). He made the first real estate subdivision towards Deer Lodge in 1904.

On 15 January 1902, he married Mildred Resylvia Snyder of Freelton, Ontario. They had three children: Ruby Marion MacMillan Strawn (1905-?), Hugh MacMillan (?-?), and Neil Thomas MacMillan (1908-?). He was a member and director of the Carleton Club. His recreations included lawn bowling and horses. Liberal. Presbyterian. In 1911, he lived at 412 Wardlaw Avenue, Winnipeg. His home was designed by architect John Hamilton Gordon Russell in 1908. He was a Liberal candidate in the 1917 federal general election but was roundly defeated by George W. Allan.

He left Winnipeg around 1921 and died at Jacksonville, Florida on 14 May 1931.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Casa Loma Building (644 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Birth registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, edited by C. W. Parker, Vancouver: Canadian Press Association, 1911.

“N. T. MacMillan dies at Jacksonville, Fla.,” Manitoba Free Press, 15 May 1931.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

The Leading Financial, Business & Professional Men of Winnipeg, published by Edwin McCormick, Photographs by T. J. Leatherdale, Compiled and printed by Stone Limited, c1913. [copy available at the Archives of Manitoba]

We thank Carol Stanley for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 21 November 2020

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

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