Biographical History of Pottawattmie Co., IA

Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa

ILLIAM A. McMILLEN, contractor and builder, resides at No. 1103 Fourth avenue, and has his offices at the corner of Seventh street and Broadway. He established his business here in 1881, and since that time has erected a number of fine buildings. Among them we note the residences of Tom Cavins, J. Withrow, Dr. McCrae and C. Stephens. In Omaha, he built the Robert Purvis residence, and in Lead City, Dakota, he put up a fine business block for Senator Hurst, one of the finest in the West. He also built an elegant business block in Missouri Valley for Mr. Kearnes. He built five houses for J. G. Tipton in Council Bluffs. We might name a number of other buildings erected by him in this city and vicinity, but space forbids.

Mr. McMillen was born in St. Johns, Province of Quebec, Canada, in 1848, son of John and Jane (Brownigg) McMillen, natives of Scotland and Ireland. He spent his youth at his native place and when he was fourteen he began five years' apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade. At the age of twenty-one he came to the United States and located in Albany, New York, where he remained five years. From there he went to Boston, Massachusetts, and also spent five years there engaged at his trade. At the end of that time, he returned to Canada East and engaged in the furniture business. Six years later, in 1879, he sold out and came to Council Bluffs, where he has since resided. July 2, 1890, he opened an office in Omaha, room 842, New York Life building. He is one of the pushing business men of Council Bluffs. Politically his is a staunch independent. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 49, Bluff City Lodge, and also of the Red Men, Pottawattamie County Lodge.

He was married, in 1874, to Miss Mary Brownrick, a native of Canada. By her he had three children: Mary, Lucy, and Carrie. He was again married, in 1886, to Amelia Stephens, who was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1855. They have one child, Frances. Mr. and Mrs. McMillen are members of the Episcopal Church.

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