Genealogy and Biography of

JEAN WILSON (nee MILLS)

September 26, 1913 - December 29, 2004

Jean's parents, Alice and Charles Mills

Genealogical research and photos compiled by Jean Wilson (nee Mills), Ken and Gail Wilson,
 and Jean's brother Ed's son, Michael Mills (email: memills@gmail.com) 

Jean's ancestry -- maternal line.

Circa 1855    Jean's maternal grandmother, Mary Jane McLatchy (nee Harris) (1833-1893).  
She had 8 children, the last one, at age 49, was Jean's mother Alice (born in 1882).  
Mary was born in Nova Scotia and died in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

On the right, Jean's maternal grandfather, Samuel Harris McLatchy (1831 - 1912) .  
He was born in Weldon, New Brunswick and died in Oxnard, California.

On the right, Jean's maternal grandfather Samuel Harris McLatchy later in life. The child in the photo is unidentified.  
Photo was most likely taken near Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

The name "McLatchy", is a shortening of the name of a Scotch Clan, living, 
for many generations, in the mountainous highlands of Scotland, known as 
the "MacLatchie" family.

The first McLatchy immigant to New Brunswick was John McLatchy, who 
emigrated in 1783 and settled in Weldon. He was born in Shire of Ayr, Scotland. 
He is Jean's great, great, great grandfather.

In December, 1812 John purchased over three thousand acres of timber land 
on the south shore of the Peticodiac River, of the Province of New Brunswick, 
Canada, about ten miles from the mouth of that river, where it empties into the 
Bay of Fundy. John purchased the 3464 acres from Joshua Hauger, paying 
him 1,380 pounds. John's occupation was shown as a blacksmith, so where 
managed to scrape together that large sum of money is a mystery. John married 
a woman named Rebekah and they had four children, two of which were 
named "James" -- the second, James McLatchy, 2nd is Jean's great great grandfather. 

John McLatchy constructed a shipyard at what is now the village of Hillsborough 
and he and his sons became shipbuilders of wooden sloops and schooners for 
coastal navigation, down the coast of Canada and the United States as far south 
as the West Indies. Some of his descendants became ship captains or sailors.

When John McLatchy died, the family property was divided between two 
of his (surviving?) sons, John Jr. and James, 2nd. The property transfer was
 made on April 14, 1825.

James 2nd married Jannet Scott. The 5th child of James and Jannet McLatchy 
was Jean's maternal grandfather, Samuel Harris McLatchy. Samuel Harris 
McLatchy was born in 1831 in Weldon, Albert County, New Brunswick, 
Canada. He resided in the family home and farm in Weldon with this family, 
and then with his widowed mother, Jannet, until his marriage.

Samuel Barnes Smith, who was married to one of Samuel's daughters, 
wrote in 1936 to his son that: "Samuel Harris McLatchy, the youngest 
and youthfully well-to-do, good looking, member of his immediate 
family, "ditched" school before finishing." He courted Mary Jane Harris 
of Grand Pre, Nova Scotia. They married on 9/21/1861 and had 8 children. 
The last of which was Jean's mother, Alice McLatchy. Alice was born 
on November 24, 1882. On Jean Mills' birth certificate, her last name 
has a different spelling: "MacLatchy".

Samuel Barnes Smith wrote that:

"Samuel built a fine big home on his own land at Hillsborough, living the 
life of a country gentleman, until their home caught fire and was destroyed, 
with no insurance upon it. The family then lived temporarily in the original 
McLatchy homestead. During my own several visits at Moncton, N.B. I 
have been entertained at this fine old residence on the bank of the Peticodiac 
River, by your Mother's (Mary Eugena McLatchy) Aunt Jane and Vinie 
(Lavinia), the maiden sisters of your Grandfather (Samuel Harris McLatchy)."

Apparently, however, Mr. Smith's recollection of "Aunt Jane" is incorrect because 
Samuel had no daughter by that name. Other than Lavina, the only other daughter 
was named "Mary Janet" (perhaps she was nicknamed "Jane"?). According to 
another source, Lavina was a teacher, who eventually had to give up her career 
to care for Mary who had a mental illness. The family house that was the original 
McLatchy homestead (to which Mr. Smith refers above) apparently also caught 
fire, a fire perhaps started by Mary.  Lavina apparently attempted to rescue Mary, 
but Mary died a few days later.

The Samuel McLatchy family remained in Weldon, New Brunswick until 1889 
when they moved to Moncton, New Brunswick for Samuel to accept a position 
of caretaker of the "Almshouse" (?).  He held this position until April 30, 1896.  

In October, 1907, Samuel McLatchy followed three of his children who had 
moved to Oxnard, California.  

These children were:

1. Oscar J. McLatchy (7/22/1871 - 8/21/1940).   Oscar was  reported by 
one source to have worked as a fireman.  However, his obituary in 1940, below, 
suggests otherwise:

OBITUARY Oscar Inglis McLatchy was born in Hillsborough, New Brunswick, Canada, 
July 22nd, 1871. His father was Samuel Harris McLatchy, and his mother Mary Jane Harris 
McLatchy. In his early youth he decided to settle in the United States, and entered the machinists 
trade in New York City. In 1900 he was married to Fannie Louise Hamilton, after which they 
went to Virginia and resided until 1905. At that time they moved to Los Angeles, California, 
where the first child,Edith May, was born. In 1906, Mr. McLatchy connected with the American 
Beet Sugar Company in Oxnard. The second daughter, Dorothy, was born there in 1909. Between 
the years of 1925 and 1932, he was employed by the Oxnard Municipal Water Department, 
where his brother, Reginald, has served for many years. About seven years ago, Mr. McLatchy 
purchased property near Ojai, where he was residing at the time of his death. Mr. McLatchy 
for the past three years had been working during the campaign season only at the American 
Crystal Sugar Company in Oxnard. On the night of August 21, 1940 on his way home from 
work at 10:15 P. M., a few miles east of Ventura, an accident occurred involving his 
automobile and a stage driving in the opposite direction. The collision threw him from his 
car onto the pavement, causing a brain concussion, from which he never regained consciousness. 
At an inquest held August 23rd, the driver of the bus was exonerated from all blame and the 
death declared accidental. His loss is mourned by his wife, Mrs. Fannie L. McLatchy, who 
has been ill for a number of years; two daughters, Mrs. Ray Chapin of Oxnard. and Miss 
Dorothy McLatchy of Glendale; two grandchildren; a son-in-law, Ray Chapin of Oxnard; 
a sister, Mrs. Alice Mills of San Francisco; a brother, Reginald McLatchy of Oxnard; 
several nieces and nephews, other relatives, and many friends. He was ever a loving husband 
and father, and his friends knew him as one whose word was "as good as his deed," loyal 
and true under every condition and circumstance.

 

2. Reginald W. McLatchy (1877 - ?).    According to Oscar McLatchy's 
obituary above, Reginald worked for the Oxnard Municipal Water 
Department "for many years".  
Reginald was one Alice Mills' favorite brothers.  He taught 
Alice how to ice skate on a frozen lake by first pushing her around in a chair with her ice skates on.

3. Mrs. Lillian Parker (nee McLatchy).

Samuel Harris McLatchy died in 1912 at Oxnard, CA.  According to Samuel 
Barnes Smith, he died of pneumonia  after his leg was broken from a kick by a horse.

At right, Jean's mother, Alice with her father, Samuel Harris McLatchy, mostly 
likely in San Francisco or Oxnard, circa 1908.

Jean's maternal grandmother, Mary Jane McLatchy (nee Harris) later in life, circa 1890.

Samuel Barnes Smith wrote in 1936 of Mary Jane McLatchy:

" (she)  ...was of the Harris family of Grand Ere, Nova Scotia. Her Father 
owned the farm on which was located the famous spring of water around 
which the poet Longfellow builded his great poem "Evangalin".    According 
to Smith,   Mary Jane's father, Robert Laird Harris, had two prominent 
brothers.  One of the  brothers was the Queen's Council of the Province 
of Nova Scotia during the reign of QueenVictoria.   "That office is similar 
to that of the Attorney General of California. Another (of her father's brothers)  
was the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist-Episcopal Church for the 
Province of Nova Scotia."

Smith writes that Mary Jane "... McLatchy died very suddenly during 1893. It was 
thought from an error of a physician from an over-dose of morphine as she was 
subject to severe attacks of neuralgia. She was sixty years old at her death."

For more information on the McLatchy Family see the Descendants of John McLatchy   
(1756 - 1832) (http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mclatchy/) website by Bill McLatchy  
(mclatchy@nbnet.nb.ca).   Bill wrote in a 1999  email regarding this current research into McLatchty ancestors: 

"A couple of months ago, I hit the genealogical goldmine with one of our ancestors. Through different 
lines, we are both descended from James Harris (b.1740 Colchester, Conneticut). His grandmother 
was Sarah Rogers b.1676 who married James Harris b.1673. Sarah Rogers has a very, very well 
documented ancestry, including some well known people. According to the info I have
come across, we are descendants of Kings and Queens, Earls, Counts and Countesses, Dukes 
and Duchesses, etc., etc..Edward I "Longshanks", King of England. Ever heard of him? Ever 
seen the movie "Braveheart"? Anyway, once I hit royalty, the files are very extensive. I suppose 
they had people who just looked after that kind of stuff. Leofric III, Earl of Mercia (England), 
you probably haven`t heard of him but what about his wife, Godiva, Countess of Mercia? Yes, 
Lady Godiva. How about Charlemagne, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire... or his grandfather, 
Charles Martel? If you want to check it out, go to: http://www.familysearch.org/ An amazing ancestry 
website by the Mormons.  Gotta run, Bill McLatchy"

Circa 1888.    Jean's mother, Alice Thaxter McLatchy (1882 - 1968).    

She was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada and died at the Playa del Rey district 
of Los Angeles, California.   After her mother, Mary Jane McLatchy (nee Harris) died in 
1893, Alice was sent to be raised by her older sister, Lilly, in New York city.  There Alice 
attended nursing school.   Lilly moved to San Francisco, and Alice followed in 1906.

Bible given to Alice by her mother, Mary Jane McLatchy.  Dated 1888 (?)

Circa 1899.   Jean's mother, Alice.  

When Alice was a child, she was taking glass jars of jelly that her mother had made for 
storage to their cellar.  She tripped down the stairs, the jars broke, and she cut a 
gash in her face on the right side.  Note that in pictures Alice usually turned her 
head to the right of the camera to conceal the scar.

Alice moved to San Francisco in October 1906.  She met Charles Mills when he was a 
patient in a hospital in San Francisco where she was working as a nurse. He had been 
hospitalized with typhoid fever which he contracted during the epidemic after the 
1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Alice and Charles were married October 27th, 1907.

Jean's ancestry -- paternal line.

Jean's paternal grandparents were James Albert Mills (1852 - 1907) and Amy 
Emma Mills (nee Toner) (1869 - 1946).  There apparently are no photographs 
in which James Albert Mills is identified.   

Emma was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and died in Oakland, CA.

Jean's research notes re James Mills, and any possible relatives in the area at the time..  In 1882 James 
would have been 30.

James A. Mills' signature -- one of the few remaining traces of the man...

Notice of the death of Emma's brother, William F. Toner.

Given the letter above, the marriage between Emma and James Mills was close to ending in 1893.    

Apparently the reconciliation between Emma and James was, as the attorney above  predicted, 
short lived.  Above, James Mills transfers over mortgage and property ownership to Emma 
Mills on November 16, 1894 in San Francisco.  

Apparently the mortgage was either cancelled between the parties, or paid off.

Emma marries Frank Tilgner on August 8, 1899.  Note that the witness is "Nettie Keating" -- could this be
the "Nellie" who gave the book Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier to James Albert Mills in 1887?

However, the plot thickens: 

The receipt for a cemetery plot for the grave of "J.E. Mills" child.  For "grave 1, Sec C, Infants".   
Apparently Emma lost an infant in early September 1899.   However, if she married Frank Tilgner 
a month earlier, why was the child given the surname of Mills?   (Was Emma pregnant with 
James Mills' child when she married Frank Tilgner?  Or, is the date 1890?)

1891   James and Emma Mills' son (Jean's father), Charles Albert Mills (1883 - 1925), 
far right, 2nd row from top.  He was born in Whitesboro, Mendocino County, 
California and died on a business trip to Detroit, Michigan.

1891

Charles Mills collected stamps.  Apparently, he requested that postcards be sent to him from 
various countries.  The above postcard is dated 1898.

Jean's father, Charles Albert Mills, circa 1903

Charles' mother Emma (Jean's maternal grandmother).   Photo was probably taken by her son, 
Charles (Jean's father), who had taken up photography as a hobby.

Notice of the death of Emma's last husband, Frank Tilgner in 1904.

James Albert Mills passed away in July, 1907 at the age of 55. The cause of his death is not recorded.  
His son, Charles, who was 24 at the time, purchased his grave plot.

Notice of the death of Emma's daughter (Jean's father Charles' sister), Rosella.

Photo taken by Charles Mills, circa 1910.

Notice of the death of Emma's father, Hugh Toner in 1911.   Note that he was born in County Tyrone, Ireland.

Family gathering at the Inn at Morro Bay after a brief service for Jean.  January 3, 2005.

View from the Inn at Morro Bay (scroll to the right).