John McMillan (Ontario politician)
Encyclopedia
John McMillan was an Ontario
farmer and political figure. He represented Huron South
in the Canadian House of Commons
as a Liberal
member in 1883 and from 1887 to 1900.
He was born in Kirkconnel
, Dumfriesshire
, Scotland
in 1824 and came to Huron County
in Upper Canada
with his brother in 1843. He purchased land from the Canada Company
and began farming on it, raising and selling beef cattle and Clydesdale
horses. In 1880, he was appointed to the Ontario agricultural commission, which prepared a report that described the state of agriculture in the province.
He served on the advisory board of the Ontario Agricultural College
and lectured as part of the Farmers' Institutes program initiated by the college. McMillan served as reeve for Hullett Township from 1877 to 1882 and from 1884 to 1887.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
farmer and political figure. He represented Huron South
Huron South
Huron South was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1935. It was created by the British North America Act of 1867 which divided the County of Huron into two ridings: Huron North and Huron South.In 1872, the County of...
in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
member in 1883 and from 1887 to 1900.
He was born in Kirkconnel
Kirkconnel
Kirkconnel is a small parish and town in Dumfries and Galloway, southwestern Scotland. It is located on the A76 near the head of Nithsdale. Kirkconnel led a more quiet existence than neighboring towns like Sanquhar. Principally it has been a farming community. There are few buildings of any...
, Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The lieutenancy area of Dumfries has similar boundaries.Until 1975 it was a county. Its county town was Dumfries...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1824 and came to Huron County
Huron County, Ontario
Huron County is a census division and county of the province of Ontario, Canada. It is located on the southeast shore of its namesake, Lake Huron, in the southwest part of the province...
in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
with his brother in 1843. He purchased land from the Canada Company
Canada Company
The Canada Company was a large private chartered British land development company, incorporated by an act of British parliament on July 27, 1825, to aid the colonization of Upper Canada. Canada Company assisted emigrants by providing good ships, low fares, implements and tools,and inexpensive land....
and began farming on it, raising and selling beef cattle and Clydesdale
Clydesdale (breed)
The Clydesdale is a breed of draught horse derived from the farm horses of Clydesdale, Scotland, and named after that region. Although originally one of the smaller breeds of draught horses, it is now a tall breed. Often bay in colour, they show significant white markings due to the presence of...
horses. In 1880, he was appointed to the Ontario agricultural commission, which prepared a report that described the state of agriculture in the province.
He served on the advisory board of the Ontario Agricultural College
Ontario Agricultural College
The Ontario Agricultural College originated at the agricultural laboratories of the Toronto Normal School, and was officially founded in 1874 as an associate agricultural college of the University of Toronto...
and lectured as part of the Farmers' Institutes program initiated by the college. McMillan served as reeve for Hullett Township from 1877 to 1882 and from 1884 to 1887.