Millar or Miller family of Donegal

There are 12 MILLER and 2 MILLAR entries in the current phone book for Co. Donegal:

http://www.eirphonebook.ie

Hi Elwyn,  Thanks for the reply, I have tried this link but its no longer valid.  Good to know though there is only 12 Millers and 2 Millars !  This might make it easier. 

We are coming to Ireland in the spring of 2017  .. so am trying to do as much research as possible.  Are you able to tell me which town these Millars or Millers are from ?  As right now all I have is the county. Any information would be great. 

Best Regards Alane

They are spread across the county, mostly in rural areas:

Glenties, Figart, Dromore (2), Burnside, Killyclug, Meendrain, Carrick, Moneydarragh, St Johnston, Muff and Letterkenny town.

You may need to use Griffiths maps to locate some of those places.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

Hi Alane    

My Millar family married in Drumragh Tyrone  in 1853   William Millar b 1835 married Mary Hillocks b 1837 in St Columba, Drumragh   They immigrated to Simcoe County (Alliston South Simcoe) in 1856.  Mary's parents Thomas Hillocks and Anne and their other children also immigrated with them. The Hillocks joined family in Peel County Ontario.  

William was a stonemason as was his father also William Millar   Thomas Hillocks was a tailor.  When at PRONI last fall, I did find a few  Millar's in Drumragh and one Hillocks    I tend to understand and believe that they were not always from Tyrone   I have found Hillocks in Fermanagh in the linen trade     Also, there is evidence that they might have been from Derry.  I was told that because William was a stonemason, he likely wouldn't have owned land.  Does any of this sound like your Millar family?  

Hi There,  Thanks for your reply, I really dont know much more than this ( see below ) but looks like we both have a William Miller ! So we could be the same fellow ?   This family has connections to Andersons and Ross's in the Nassagaweya Twp., Halton Ontario area ... ring any bells ?  

George Miller born around 1808? ( 3x Great Grandfather)

William, J Miller (2x Great Grandfather)

BIRTH ABT 1845 • England ? 

Catherine Edith Mary Miller ( my Great Greatmother)

BIRTH NOVEMBER 1877 • Thessalon, Algoma, Ontario, Canada

DEATH British Columbia, Vancouver 1950's 

 Fred J Miller(1874–____ ) Great Uncle

born abt 1874 • Ontario

Chas D Miller(1882–)  Great Uncle

born abt 1882 • Ontario

Hi Alane,

I have seen this earlier Miller family in my research.  I did wonder if they are someohow related to my Millars. It would have to be an earlier generation I would think if so.  

I have Patterson, Osborne, Irwin, Johnson for a few and I dont recognize any of your names.

However, i will look at the neighbours in Halton/Peel and of the Hillocks family and see if your names pop up.  

I will send you further details when I have my tree in front of me.   

There definitely must be some connection but I dont see one right now.  Let's keep in touch and we can see what evolves.

My Millars stayed in Alliston, South Simcoe Ontario but eventually moved into Toronto.  William Miller and Mary Hillocks and several others are buried Alliston Union cemetery.

I am going to Barrie Friday so I might just pop into the Simcoe Archives.

Regards

Shirley

HI Shirley,

Nice to see your response so quick. !    I had all but given up hope looking for my Miller/Millar/Duff family as I know very little about them.  I had reached out to some Duff relatives in Ontario ... but they dont seem to believe we are related as my Grandma Margaret Duff does not appear on their family tree, I have also reached out to the Andersons and Ross's as well and they seem kind of disinterested as well.?

My Millers would be very Methodist as well ...  does this ring a bell with you ? 

Could be due to my Great Grandparents Joseph Burnett Duff and Catherine Edith Mary Miller moving out to Emonton in the early 1900's ( owned an insurance business ) then Vancouver to retire in the 1950's where they are both buried now.  Guess we left town and no one even noticed ?  : ) 

I did not mention the Duff connection to you eariler, here is a website showing this family but sadly no Millers/ Millars, even though there are.     http://andersononline.net/webtrees/search.php?action=header&ged=Laidlaw…

I will also look for more information on the Millars/Millers .. I did come across a website/Tree a long time ago and it was pretty detailed ... so will do a search for your names as well. ( none seem familier ... but who knows ? ! ) 

If you are able to pop into the Simcoe archives that would be great !   I look forward to your hearing about your findings.

Best Regards Alane from Edmonton.

Hi Alane, 

I didn't have time to do the Archives today but will do it next trip .  I have family in Barrie so I do go somewhat often.  My Millers were Presbyterian and remained so.   There are many Millar's in NI as you know    Do you know the occupations of your Miller Irish immigrant?  Mine seems to come from a long line of Stonemason's from Argyll Scotland, many of which are in Antrim. I cannot connect him to that family however. It seems a little serendipity is in order for both of us. I doubt that your relative would be my Millers since it seems unlikely that a patent would immigrate that much earlier than a son and the dates don't work.

They went to the same counties, so they might have been at least loosely related.
We will figure it out together!
Regards
Shirley

Hi Shirley,

I really dont know anythng about my Millers sadly.  Iam trying to email/facebook some Millers in Ontario but so far no responses. Much like my Duff family they dont seem to believe me that we are related .. I will keep trying. 

Lets keep in touch and maybe our Millers will add up one day !  ? 

Best Regards Alane