Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 770; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Granville M. McMillan. This gentleman is extensively
engaged in farming, owning six hundred and thirty acres on section 5,
Banner Township. The fine estate is supplied with every needful
and convenient structure in the way of farm buildings, is enclosed and
divided into fields of convenient size by substantial fences, and
further beautified by fruit and forest trees and small fruits.
The energetic owner is still quite a young man, having been born
February 9, 1856, in Trumbull County, Ohio. His boyhood was spent
on a farm and the busy hours occupied by the usual duties, studies and
recreations of a farmer’s son. He attended the district schools,
and having come to this county in 1879, spent the ensuing winter in
attendance at the commercial college in Keokuk, Iowa.
The many excellent qualities possessed by Mary E. Pickering won
the lasting regard of our subject, and after a successful wooing the
young couple were united in marriage August 8, 1882. The
congenial union has been blessed by the birth of three children,
viz: John M., born August 29, 1883; Charles H., June 2, 1886; and
Minnie, December 15, 1889. Mrs. McMillan is a member of the
Methodist Protestant Church, and is earnest in her efforts to exemplify
her faith by her works and creditably fill her sphere in life.
Mr. McMillan is Township Clerk and Treasurer of the School Board of his
district. His political affiliation is with the
Republicans. His parents are John and Catherine McMillan, natives
of Pennsylvania.
Manyard Pickering, father of Mrs. McMillan, was born in Wert
County, W. Va., and was of English ancestry. He came to this
county in 1852, and on February 20, 1859, married Mrs. Jemima Rockhold,
widow of E. M. Rockhold. The only child of this union is now the
wife of our subject. Mrs. Pickering came to this county with her
parents in 1832. Her father, Starling Turner, settled in
Buckheart Township, where the old dwelling he built still stands.
He was noted as a scientist of that early period, and possessed all
manner of instruments with which he pursued his investigations in
various fields, particularly in astronomy. He was very
charitable, disposed to assist all worthy objects, and one of his
enterprises was the building of a church immediately opposite his
residence, which edifice is still know as Turner’s Church. He
entered into rest February 22, 1871, at the age of ninety-four years
and five months. His widow survived until September 18, 1875, she
also reaching an advanced age, being ninety-two years and nine months
old when called hence. The mortal remains of the aged couple are
deposited in Turner’s graveyard in Buckheart Township.
On another page of this volume will be notice a lithographic
view of the home of our subject, with its pleasant surroundings.
