Anne Brady and I were pleasantly surprised to receive this award presented by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists, in June 2018, for a published family history. The judges commented that it was a great read and the inclusion of a comprehensive family tree made this a true family history.
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A comprehensive and stunningly illustrated book detailing the descendants of William and Helen Millar has now been published. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to read family stories, view archival photos and secure your personal copy of this family treasure. Your name is in this book!
Our family history book features Nearly 200 pages, over 150 photos from 1890 to 1990, with family trees dating back to the late 1700s. The 14 children of William and Helen Millar and both of their pedigree lines are covered. For quick reference the book and family tree charts include an index. Order today Ordering is easy - simply click here www.millarfamily.weebly.com and print an order form. Orders close 30 October 2017 for November 2017 delivery. Why did William and Helen Millar up sticks and left their family in Victoria, Australia to settle in Milton Otago in 1904? Why did they change their surname from Meharry/McHarry to Millar?
Over a hundred years later descendant Elizabeth Cowie nee Morris dusted off the files to produce a comprehensive family history book of the Millar family and continue the research of her mother Pauline Morris who first began researching in the late 1970's. This book draws together the research, letters and connections of the wider Millar family. In particular, the letters from Colleen Moore and Joan Millar who shared what they knew about the Millar family history. This information was expanded by letters received from Meharry and Walding relatives in Victoria Australia. Our Australian McHarry and Walding cousins have contributed giving a fuller picture of the families William and Helen left behind in Australia. Anne Brady brought her research and Legacy Family Tree experience to the project and the family lines now go back Scotland, Ireland and England in the late 1700’s, recording over eight generations. William and Helen went on to have 14 children and the lives of these children are documented along with many special photos. This book brings to life a story of a large family complete with previously unpublished photos and family tree photo layouts to treasure and keep the Millar story alive for future generations. Our New Zealand tree is now complete and the narrative - 70 pages of stories and 150 photos- have gone to the proof reader. We are just finishing the Australian branches of the tree. Here is an outline of where we fit in and some Australian cousins - named in brackets-who have been very helpful and have passed on their branch information.
William Millar was the eldest son- his siblings were
For Helen Millar nee WALDING- Christine Walding from Lorne, Victoria is our link to Helens brother- Thomas Birch WALDING and his line. These family members are happy to have their branches included in the book. Thanks to our Australian cousins for helping us complete the picture. This Millar Family History Book has been a long time in the making. As mentioned my mother Pauline Morris first began researching in the late 1970's. Around that time she received letters from Colleen Moore nee Dee and Joan Millar who shared what they knew about the 14 children of William and Helen Millar. This information was expanded by letters Mum received from Meharry and Walding relatives in Victoria Australia. Family of William Millar's (formerly Meharry) uncle David Mcharry of Lara, Victoria, had also completed research in the 1980's and 90's. During the 90's and 2000's some grandchildren and many great grandchildren of William and Helen Millar have researched the family and kindly shared certificates and photos with me. Today I have been through 300 prints of the photos I have collected from family members. The book will include many of these photos as well as the narrative that Anne and I have been writing, over the last 4 months, from documents and researched information. The process started many decades ago continues....... FINAL CALL for YOUR Family Data Sheets Thanks to everyone who has sent in their Family Data Sheet. There are now only 10% outstanding. These sheets are vital and are what I use to add YOU and YOUR family to the MILLAR tree. My Bungard family need to look at the Baumgardt book – any “hatches, matches or dispatches” since 2012 - please email me and I will update this record. These outstanding sheets really slow me down. It takes a lot of time for me to phone or email you. This is my final plea for your Family Data Sheet. I know many of you are busy with young families but one day your children will enjoy seeing their name in print and will enjoy hearing the stories and seeing photos of their grand and great grandparents. We now have 1,549 family members on our MILLAR/MCHARRY tree. This includes the Australian relations. I have researched as far back as I can to show you who your ancestors are. A detailed story along with photos is complete about William and Helen MILLAR and both of their families going back to Ireland, Scotland and England as far back as the year 1756. The name change from Millar to Meharry/Mcharry is also fully detailed. We all know that Helen and William Millar had 14 children who have now all passed away. With your help detailed stories have been written about these 14 children. It has been my pleasure to have visited and spoken with 25 of William and Helen’s grandchildren. All have assisted me greatly with stories and photos. I still have another 15 or so to catch up with and then I will have spoken to them all. Please call me on 09 575 4004 if you have any more memories to share. So, in summary – I am keen to move on to the next stage which is proofreading, book layout and printing but I am hoping you will assist with the last few Family Data Sheets, old photos or memories you have of the children of Helen and William MILLAR. Please send in your sheet by 10th May 2017! Regards Elizabeth Cowie 1A Hanene Street, St Heliers, Auckland 1071 New Zealand. Phone 09 575 4004 Facebook Page – Millar Family from Tokoiti It's with great pleasure that I add our latest member to the family tree. My niece Paulina gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Kaivaleah, in March 2017.
On a sadder note, this year I have added the passing of Reg Steward, David Bungard, George Millar, and just last week, Elizabeth Palmer also passed away. Do you have any new information to be added to the book before 10th May 2017? Thank you to family members for the new information and photos that you shared with me on my trip. I started in Christchurch meeting Lennie McGilvary, the youngest son of Florence Dowse (formerly McGilvary). Although the connection with his mother Florence was broken. It was wonderful to hear the stories about his siblings and the close bond they all have. Next stop was Fran's twin daughters Julie and Rae. Thanks for sharing the photos of Fran that I will scan and return soon. Visiting Linda McGilvary and her sister Ailsa, at Linda's beautiful rural property in West Melton was a great opportunity to hear about their father the eldest son of Florence and Alex - Leslie McGilvary. Another stop in Christchurch was with Shirley McLennan, the daughter of Connie and Les Cleveland. It was interesting to note that the Clevelands and McGilvarys grew up living just around the corner from each in Dunedin. After finishing in Christchurch I drove to Winchester to visit Elizabeth Palmer. Thanks cousin Sally for the home cooked dinner. Thanks Aunty Liz for the photos and stories. On to Oamaru, I visited another Aunty and Uncle - Thelma and Alf Milligan. Another lovely dinner here. It was very special to be shown a letter my mother, Pauline Morris wrote at the time of her marriage in 1965. Uncle David Bungard filled me in with all the stories about land and cars in the family. Shirley Lott, eldest daughter of Mavis Murdoch (nee Millar, formerly Tisdall) shared all about her Mum's teenage years and moving to Middlemarch. As I headed south to Dunedin so did the temperature! I meet Don Millar eldest son of George Francis Millar. It was great to go over what I had written and hear Don's perspectives on why William and Helen Millar left Australia. Great to see cousin's Raewyn and Emma Bungard. Thanks for the Taieri history book, Raewyn. Fred's sons Stephen and Bill Millar had some more photos and information on their Uncle Bill who lived two doors down from them. Bill Millar, son of George Francis Millar is obtaining George's death certificate for me and it was good to show the photos I have to Bill. Also in Mosgiel I returned the collection of Millar photos to Bill and Dot Dee. These photos are key to the collection of photos I am bringing together to share. Helen Griffen from the Milton Museum put me in touch with a knowledgeable local Graeme Paul. Graeme's mother's family the Martin's lived opposite the Millar's in Tokoiti. He gave me a guided tour of the Milton and Tokiti area. He had school photos that had been named so we were able to identify Winnie, Nellie and David Millar in these photos. Thanks to Uncle Teddy and Aunty Yvonne Bungard for hosting me for two nights at Outram. Kenny Graham joined us for dinner at the Waihola Pub. My last visit was to Maureen and Ewen Gutschlag in Invercargill. Maureen is the eldest daughter of Andy and Joan Millar. Maureen was able to add to the information that her mother Joan had shared through her book. Thanks to everyone for your warm hospitality. I look forward to writing up the information shared and producing our own Millar Family History book. I reminder to keep the Family Data Sheets coming. I've now started the job of scanning, identifying, naming and dating photos. Mum (Pauline Morris) had a good selection of photos that she had gathered in the 1980s. The trip down South brought to light many great new photos that I am now processing and will return to their owners in the new year. Senior Millar Family members were also able to help me identify photos. Helena (Great granddaughter of Nellie Bungard nee Millar) has been helping me with this huge task. The plan is to scan photos and put them all on a disc for everyone to enjoy. CLICK on the photos below.
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AuthorElizabeth Cowie Archives
August 2018
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