JAMES H. McMILLEN

James H. McMillen gravestone
(Photo by Vernon B. Paddock)

B. 1839 in Jefferson County, NY
M. Civil War Union Army Veteran (September 5, 1862-June 24, 1865) Fremont Township, Private, Company B, 96^th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry
D. May 27, 1895
Find A Grave memorial (click here)

• Father: Allen McMillen born about 1810 in Scotland
• Mother: Lydia A. McMIllen born about 1827 in New York
• Wife: Aurilla Elizabeth (or Judith A.) (Fuller) McMillen born about 1845 in New York daughter of John Fuller (1809-1876) and Emily (Morrill) Fuller (1810-1892) (See section pertaining to John Fuller buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery) (See section pertaining to Emily (Morrill) Fuller buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery); married James H. McMillen on February 6, 1867 in Lake County, IL; Aurilla died prior to 1903
• Children:
  1. Allen Alfred McMillen born May 1868 in Illinois; married Minnie May Washburn (1869-1945) on December 13, 1890 in Lake County, IL daughter of Charles E. Washburn (1840-1929) and Susan Ann (Delap) Washburn (1845-1929); Allen and Minnie’s child: Lloyd Allen McMillen (1892-1960) (See section pertaining to Lloyd Allen McMillen buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery); Allen died July 23, 1953 in 1953 in Waukegan, Lake County, IL (See section pertaining to Allen Alfred McMillen buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery) (See section pertaining to Minnie May (Washburn) McMillen buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery)
  2. Emily or Nina McMillen born about 1869 in Illinois
  3. Willis John McMillen born February 6, 1873 in Abilene, Dickinson County, KS; married Maud Minerva Seesholts (1877-1934) on February 16, 1897 in Lake County, IL, daughter of Edgar Lewis “Edward” Seesholts (1849-1926) and Sarah Minerva (Wheelock) Seesholts (1850-1937) (See section pertaining to Edgar Lewis “Edward” Seesholts buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery) (See section pertaining to Sarah Minverva (Wheelock) Seesholts buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery); Willis died August 5, 1944 in LeRoy, Boone County, IL (See section pertaining to Willis John McMillen buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery) (See section pertaining to Maud Minerva (Seesholts) McMillen buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery).
  4. Edna McMillen born about 1877 in Illinois
• Siblings:
  • Malcom D. McMillen born about 1840 in Jefferson County, NY; Civil War Veteran, (September 5, 1862-June 10, 1865) Fremont Township Company B, 96^th Illinois Infantry Regiment, Private at Nashville, TN; married Minda C. Delap on February 20, 1868 in Lake County, IL daughter of George W. DeLap (1814-1885) and Luanna (Ferres) Delap (1813-1890); According to the U.S., Civil War and Later Wars Index to Remarried Widow Pension Application, 1848-1934:

“Name of Claimant: McMillen, Minnie; Name of Soldier: McMillen, Malcolm D; Service: B. 96. Ill. Inf; Number: Orig. 1123360; Date of Filing: April 9, 1923; Remarks: Act of May 1, 1920”

According to the Chicago Tribune (Chicago IL) Thursday, October 24, 1872, page 5:

“NEW SUITS.

1,008 – Minnie C. v. Malcolm McMillen; divorce; drunkenness ten times per month for the past two years alleged; custody of one infant child prayed for; affidavit of non-residence; the parties were married at Hainesville, Ill., on the 27th of February, 1867.”

According to “The Past and Present of Lake County, Illinos”. Chicago. Wm Le Baron & Co. 1877. page 380:

“McMILLEN, MALCOM, farmer; P. O. Spring Bluff; born in New York State, on the St. Lawrence River, in 1847; came west with parents and settled at Waukegan; Rep; Methodist; machinist by trade.”

According to the “History of the Ninety-Sixth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry”. Chicago. 1887, page 725:

“Malcolm McMillen. – Age 21; born in Jefferson County,, N. Y.; farmer; enlisted from Fremont; participated in numerous engagements and had bullets pass through his clothing, but escaped wounds; was detailed with supply train for a time; m. o. with Regiment.  Is pursuing the occupation of a stone mason at Kill Creek, Kan.”

• • Allen A. McMillen born about 1843 in New York
  • Chancy M. McMillen born about 1847 in Illinois (NOTE: Unable to verify if the military headstone in Oakwood Cemetery, Waukegan, Lake County, IL is the same person. Difficult to read headstone.)

Additional Information:

According to the 1850 U.S. Census in the Town of Waukegan, Lake County, IL the household members were: Allen McMillen, age 40, occupation: mason, born in Scotland; Lydia A. McMillen, age 23, born in New York; James H. McMillen, age 12, born in New York; Malcom McMillen, age 10, born in New York; Allen A. McMillen, age 7, born in New York; Chancy M. McMillen, age 3, born in Illinois

According to the U.S. Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865, for the month of July 1863:

“James McMillen, age 24, of Fremont, Lake, IL, farmer, single, born in Scotland.”

According to “The Past and Present of Lake County, Illinos”. Chicago. Wm Le Baron & Co. 1877. page 364:

“McMillan, J. H., far.; P. O. Hainesville”

According to the “History of the Ninety-Sixth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry”. Chicago. 1887, page 725:

“James H. McMillan. Age 23; born in Jefferson County, New York; farmer; enlisted from Fremont; was detailed on gunboat “Newsboy,” on the Cumberland River, and served there until the close of the war; m. o. Nashville, Tenn., June 24, 1865.  Is farming near Hainesville.”

According to the Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Detail Report from the Illinois State Archives:

“Name: MCMILLEN, JAMES H; Rank: PVT; Company: B; Unit: 96 IL US INF; Residence: FREEMONT, LAKE CO, IL; Age: 23; Height: 5’ 11; Hair: LIGHT; Eyes: BLUE; Complexion: FAIR; Marital Status: SINGLE; Occupation: FARMER; Nativity: NY; Joined When: AUG 9, 1862; Joined Where: AVON, IL; Joined by Whom: SALISBURY; Period: 3 YRS; Muster In: SEP 5, 1862; Muster Out: JUN 24, 1865; Muster Out Where: SPRINGFIELD, IL; Muster Out By Whom: CPT MONTGOMERY”

According to the Civil War Index website. https://civilwarindex.com/armyil/rosters/96th_il_infantry_roster.pdf. Ninety-Sixth Infantry Regiment, Three Years’ Service. page 442:

“Company B; Rank: Privates; Name: McMillen, James H; Residence: Fremont; Date of rank or enlistment: Aug. 9, 1862; Date of Muster: Sept. 5, 1862; Remarks: Mustered out June 24, 1865”

According to the 1870 U.S. Census in the Town of Avon, Lake County, IL; Hainesville post office the household members were: James McMillen, age 25, farmer, born in New York; Aurilla McMillen, age 25, born in New York; Allen McMillen, age 3, born in Illinois; Emily McMillen, age 1, born in Illinois.

According to the 1880 U.S. Census for the Town of Avon, Lake County, IL the household members were: James McMillen, age 39, married, occupation: farm laborer, born in New York, father born in Scotland, mother born in New York; Arrulia McMillen, age 36, wife, married, born in New York, father born in Connecticut, mother born in Vermont; Allen McMillan, age 13, son, single, occupation: farm laborer, born in Illinois; Nina McMillen, age 10, daughter, single, born in Illinois; Willis McMillen, age 7, son, single, born in Kansas; Edna McMillen, age 3, daughter, single, occupation: painter (?), born in Illinois.

According to the Lake County Independent (Libertyville IL) Friday, May 24, 1895, page 4:

“Jim McMellan (sic) has been very sick at his home in Hainesville.  His recovery is doubtful.”

According to Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1861-1904:

“James McMillen, Private, Company B, 96^th Illinois Infantry; died May 27, 1895; Cemetery: Wauconda at Wauconda, Ill.”