Author's Note:
Written and compiled by Ernie B. Millard ( grandson of Percival Richard Millard )
Gratefully acknowledging the story, photo contributions, and patience for many questions for my Uncle Art, Uncle Don, and Aunt Gladys, the research of second cousin Earl Millard, and support, and encouragement of my second cousin Keith Millard, and the contributions of many family members. Designed to record our family's history in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia , this work is meant to evolve, and be updated with the contributions of other family members. Additional photos, old letters or postcards, comments, or suggestions, are greatly appreciated.
Gratefully acknowledging the story, photo contributions, and patience for many questions for my Uncle Art, Uncle Don, and Aunt Gladys, the research of second cousin Earl Millard, and support, and encouragement of my second cousin Keith Millard, and the contributions of many family members. Designed to record our family's history in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia , this work is meant to evolve, and be updated with the contributions of other family members. Additional photos, old letters or postcards, comments, or suggestions, are greatly appreciated.
Foreword:
This essay and webpage is a tribute to my grandfather Percival Richard Millard born in Montreal, Quebec and lived and raised his family in the Okanagan Valley, BC.
Hover cursor for caption, click to enlarge:
Hover cursor for caption, click to enlarge:
Directory:
Family Origins:
This chapter is an overview of the Millard family name origins, Percival's father Henry Richard Millard, and Percival's childhood, and begins below this Directory.
Percival Richard Millard and the Okanagan Valley:
This chapter is called The Okanagan Story and describes Percy's life and his family in the beautiful Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Click on The Okanagan Story
Percival Richard Millard's Descendants:
This chapter is planned to be added at a later date.
Family Origins:
The English surname Millard is of Anglo Saxon origin, was generally spelled as Myllward, and was the occupational name for someone in charge of a mill, or any of the workers in a mill. Thus, a person's name might be Robert the Myllward (or Thomas the Baker).
When a poll tax was established in the late 1400s everyone was forced to take a surname, and workers became Robert Myllward (or Millward or Miller or Millard) or Thomas Baker, or in some cases surnames were assigned to an entire village (e.g. the surname Highstead or Istead).
In the late 1500s churches were ordered to register and maintain records of births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths, but the only literate persons were priests (and some of the aristocracy). Names were typically registered based on the phonetic sounds of the name.
Percival Richard Millard's 4th great grandfather was baptised as Henry Miller in 1661 at the All Saints church in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Click on image below to enlarge.
When a poll tax was established in the late 1400s everyone was forced to take a surname, and workers became Robert Myllward (or Millward or Miller or Millard) or Thomas Baker, or in some cases surnames were assigned to an entire village (e.g. the surname Highstead or Istead).
In the late 1500s churches were ordered to register and maintain records of births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths, but the only literate persons were priests (and some of the aristocracy). Names were typically registered based on the phonetic sounds of the name.
Percival Richard Millard's 4th great grandfather was baptised as Henry Miller in 1661 at the All Saints church in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Click on image below to enlarge.
Why is this important to us today? Because 4 of Henry's children were baptised as Miller and 4 were baptised as Millard, including our direct ancestor Robert Millard!
An interesting historical rumour in our family history is that we were descended from French Huguenots who fled to England during the purges in France by the King and the Catholic church. There are categorically no male Huguenot ancestors in our family tree, but very possible that a Millard married a Huguenot lass as there were several Huguenot refugee villages near to Maulden and Leighton Buzzard.
An interesting historical rumour in our family history is that we were descended from French Huguenots who fled to England during the purges in France by the King and the Catholic church. There are categorically no male Huguenot ancestors in our family tree, but very possible that a Millard married a Huguenot lass as there were several Huguenot refugee villages near to Maulden and Leighton Buzzard.
Our Millard Family Tree's furthest documented point of origin is the mid sixteenth century in the village of Maulden, Bedfordshire, England. The St Mary the Virgin church here was originally built in the 1200s. As reflected in our Geni Family Tree administered by Keith Millard, and the two descendant fan charts below Richard Myllward (my tenth great grandfather) born in 1567, who fathered Thomas Milward in 1589, who fathered Henry Milward in 1612, who fathered Henry Miller in 1638, who fathered Henry Miller in 1661, who fathered Robert Miller in 1698, who fathered Robert Millard in 1717, who fathered Thomas Millard in 1752, who fathered John Millard in 1789, who fathered Henry Richard Millard in 1831, and who was the father of Percival Richard Millard born Montreal in 1885.
Hover your cursor over images for caption, and/or click on photos to enlarge:
The 7 generation descendants fan chart for Henry Miller/Millard b. 1661 is in the file below. Percival Richard Millard is in the 6:00 position on a clock face below.
Click on Download File to Open in a new window, + sign to increase the size, back button to return:
| 1661_henry_miller_-_7_generation_descendants_fan_chart.pdf |
Percy's grandparents, John Millard ( 1789 ) and Jane Lucas, ( parents of Henry Richard Millard ( 1831 - 1903 ) had ten children - Charles Edmund, Francis, John Thomas, Anne Phoebe, George, William, Edwin, James, & Eliza. John Millard was born in 1789 in Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire, and was an Excise Tax officer before becoming a successful grocer in Islington, Middlesex in North London.
Percy's father, Henry Richard Millard, was born in October 1831, the 4th of 10 children, and baptized in January 1832 at St Luke's, Finsbury, in Middlesex. He married Eleanor Puckett at the St Pancras New Parish Church in London in April 1858 and on the 8th of May they set sail from Liverpool on the RMS Niagara operated by Cunard, to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Niagara was one of four paddle steamers ( along with America, Europa, & Canada ) built and operated by Samuel Cunard, a PEI shipowner, and Robert Napier a Scottish steamship engine designer and builder, the first contractor to deliver transatlantic mail. From Halifax, Henry & Eleanor then traveled on to Montreal, Quebec. They made their family home at 137 Laval Ave and the storefront/shop was at 146 St James street.
Percy's father, Henry Richard Millard, was born in October 1831, the 4th of 10 children, and baptized in January 1832 at St Luke's, Finsbury, in Middlesex. He married Eleanor Puckett at the St Pancras New Parish Church in London in April 1858 and on the 8th of May they set sail from Liverpool on the RMS Niagara operated by Cunard, to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Niagara was one of four paddle steamers ( along with America, Europa, & Canada ) built and operated by Samuel Cunard, a PEI shipowner, and Robert Napier a Scottish steamship engine designer and builder, the first contractor to deliver transatlantic mail. From Halifax, Henry & Eleanor then traveled on to Montreal, Quebec. They made their family home at 137 Laval Ave and the storefront/shop was at 146 St James street.
Hover your cursor over images for caption, and/or click on photos to enlarge:
