I had very little information on my mother’s family when I first began to research my family history. I knew she had a brother David and a sister Daisy. They were born in Coquimbo, Chile as was my mother. They were all children of Thomas McMillan and a local woman. As these ancestors were all dead before I was born, there was no one I could question for more details. My mother was only a child when they left Chile and had few memories of her childhood by the time I got around to asking questions.
Recently I decided to see if I could find more information as it had been about 10 years since I did my first research.
I discovered that David McMillan was born in Glasgow, Scotland,not Chile, the son of Thomas McMillan and Jane Thomson, on November 30, 1879. His parents had married on June 14, 1872 at Carnmarnock near Glasgow.
He had an older sister Margaret who was born on February 16, 1874 in Bridgeton, Glasgow Scotland. The family was living at 748 Gallowgate, Glasgow. She died on July 26, age 5 months, of dysentry and by then the family had moved and were living at 11 Shields Terrace, Kinning Park, Glasgow.
David Taylor was born on November 30, 1879 and the family had moved to 192 Claythorn Street, Glasgow.
On the 1881 Scottish census Jane and David were still living at 192 Claythorn street in Glasgow. Thomas, a steamship engineer, was likely at sea. Sometime after this the family relocates to Peru where Thomas is working for the Pacific Steamship Navigation Company on the Coastal Steamers.
| Household Members (Name) | Age | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Jane McMillan | 29 | Wife |
| David T McMillan | 1 | Son |
A third child, Maria, was born December 25, 1886 in Callao, Peru but she did not survive.
A fourth child was also born in Callao on November, 1888 . This was the woman I believed to be my aunt. Her name was Daisy Wallace McMillan.
I know little about the family’s early years in South America, as by the time my mom, Agnes Irvine McMillan was born on October 23,1908, the family was living in Coquimbo, Chile. This is where questions come in. My mother was 20 years younger than her sister Daisy. I now believe because of my DNA results, that my mom was the illegitimate daughter of Daisy. Her father is unknown but he must have been part indigenous, part Spanish. This unknown man passed on his DNA to me. I could not have had 11% Indigenous DNA from Chile/Peru/Boliva from any other source.
- 49%England & Northwestern Europe
- 12%Ireland
- 10%Wales
- 9%Indigenous Americas—Chile
- 7%Scotland
- 4%Spain
- 3%Basque
- 2%Indigenous Americas—Bolivia & Peru
- 2%Southern Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean
- 2%Germanic Europe
The other question was what had happened to David? My mother never spoke of him. I decided to see what I could discover about this man. David first appears on a document in 1917 when he heads to England to serve in WW1. He embarked from Valpariso, Chile destination Liverpool, England. He was 33 years old. (incorrect as he was born in 1879 and would be 37 at time of sailing in March 1917.) His address in UK was 2 Queen’s Gate, London, England. Occupation listed as clerical.
I have no information on his military service in WW1, just a photo of him in uniform.
David marries Miriam Evernden, an English woman, in Maidstone, Kent on September 14, 1918.
Thomas, the patriarch dies in Coquimbo in April 1919. Jane, Daisy and Agnes set sail for England. David as the only son had become responsible for the family.
My mother remembered going to school in Maidstone. Jane McMillan, the matriarch, dies March 23, 1920 of Heart Failure. She was listed as 65 but as she was born in 1850 she would have been 70. They were living at 34 Church Street, Chatham, Kent.
Daisy marries Fred Bates, a Canadian who served in WW1, in June 1921 just before leaving for Canada.
When Daisy, her new husband Fred Bates and my mom leave England for Canada, their arrival form shows David living at Devon House, Argyle Square London, W6. This is in June 8, 1921.
The mystery deepens. I find a David MacMillan living at 66 Balcombe Street, Marylebone N W 1 on June 19, 1921 date of census. Age and birthplace is correct and he is working in a clerical job. He indicates he is marrried but is not living with his wife Miriam.
1921 England Census
| Name | David Macmillan |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Age | 41 Years 7 Months |
| Relation to Head | Head |
| Estimated Birth Year | 1879 |
| Birth Place | Glasgow, Lancashire, England |
| Residence Date | 1921 |
| Residence Street Address | 66 Balcombe Street, Marylebone N W 1 |
| Residence Place | St Marylebone, London, Middlesex, England |
| Occupation | Temp Government Clerk |
| Occupation Code | 800/6 |
| Employer | Ministry of Labour |
| Employer Code | 719 |
| Place of Work | Kew, Surrey |
| Number of Children Under 16 | 0 |
| Inhabited | Y |
| Ward | No 4 Dorset Square & Regent’s Park |
| Parliamentary Division | St Marylebone Pb |
| Registration district | St Marylebone |
| Registration District Number | 7 |
| Sub registration district | North Marylebone |
| Sub Registration District Number | 3 |
| Respondent | Mr Mac Millan |
| Enumeration District Name | St Marylebone Mb |
| Enumeration District | 34 |
| Schedule | 344 |
| Schedule Type Code | E |
| Name | Age |
|---|---|
| David Macmillan | 41 Years 7 Month |
Strangely, a further search reveals his wife Miriam back living with her parents on the 1921 census. She indicates her husband deserted her.
I searched for a death certificate for David but without success. I had all but given up when I came across a newspaper article in the Richmond Times. The name was switched around to David MacMillan Taylor. What caught my eye was the reference to a Chilean citizen. This had to be my David.
His death occurs in April 15, 1922. He would be 42, not 38. The address is 66 Balcombe Road, the same address David reported on the 1921 census. Was this an attempt to hide his whereabouts from his wife?
So the man who was born David Taylor MacMacMillan died as David MacMillan Taylor. Was this just a clerical error or was he trying to hide from his wife? Why did Miriam say her husband deserted her on the 1921 census? How long had they been living apart? They would have been married for less than 2 years. What had happened in such a short time? I guess this is something I will never know. I had wondered why David had never married in Chile. The thing that came to mind was a question. Was he gay? This was something that would be hidden in those days.
Marian, his wife died in 1960, a widow. She had money when she died. I do hope she had a good life.
A Genealogist goes Wandering 