Emerson McMillin Emerson McMillin was born April 16, 1844, in Ewington, Gallia County, Ohio. However, the 1850 Census of Ohio shows the family in Jackson County, Ohio. He was the son of William Reid and Nancy Butler McMillin, the eleventh of their fourteen children. The McMillin roots stretch far back into Scottish soil. The life of Emerson McMillin is truly that of a rags to riches saga. As stated in the Portsmouth Blade, December 5, 1889, “It was in Ironton that Mr. McMillin started on his upward career. He came here in 1866, and dug in the trenches to lay the gas mains. While he worked, he studied his business and took a pride in it; and when the little gas works was completed, he retained to manage it. Here he embraced every possible chance to improve himself. He got hold of natural philosophies and chemistries, and studied them at all leisure hours. He was never seen loafing or floating about the stores or street corners. He studied his way upward, and made his knowledge accessory to his business. And so he struggled along; and today he is President of a concern with twenty million of capital, and getting a salary of $25,000 a year. The other day we saw a letter from a noted business man in New York to a noted scientific man in Washington asking for some information concerning an interesting or doubtful fact relating to natural gas, wherein the Washington scientist wrote back: “Write to Emerson McMillin at St. Louis - he is the best authority in the world on this subject.” |
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| Emerson McMillin surrounded himself with the most important and influential people of his time including several presidents. His family and extended family were also interesting and prominent in their own right. Emerson McMillin worked hard to make a good life for his family and was very generous in gift-giving to many charities and foundations. In this article, I will try to include all the information I have found regarding the family members of Emerson McMillin. He is a little known but very beneficial man in American history and his life, family, and extended family need to be known and remembered. | ||
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When the Civil War broke out, Emerson McMillin was only 17 but was very muscular for his age so he said he was 18 and joined the 18th Ohio Infantry. His wish was to serve his country fighting for the Union Army. After being mustered out of the 18th Ohio Infantry, he reenlist in the 2nd West Virginia Calvary serving in the Kanawha County, West Virginia, area. This is where he met and married his first wife, Keziah Electa Slack, on October 18, 1864. She was the daughter of William Hiram Slack, son of James Slack and Keziah Newhouse, and Mary Jane Woodward, daughter of Andrew Woodward. Their only child, a daughter named Mary, was born on December 28, 1864. Keziah Electa Slack married second William A. Wilson, May 28, 1877, in Kanawha County, West Virginia. They had one son, Rex Wilson. |
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Little is known about Mary McMillin’s younger life. She is listed in the 1870 Census in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio, as Mary McMillin, 5 years old, and living with her mother, Electa Slack, who was 22 years old and keeping house. Mary is then in the 1880 Census of Kanawha County, West Virginia. She is 15 years old and is going to school. She is living with her step-father, William Wilson, listed as keeping a billiard room, her mother, Electa Wilson, her half-brother, Rex, and her grandmother, Mary Slack. It is not known to the author when and how Mary McMillin was reunited with her father, Emerson McMillin. However, Mary McMillin loved the lifestyle befitting that of having a millionaire father. She loved to travel, entertain, and live life to it’s fullest. She was to marry three times. Her first husband was Irvin Butterworth, a Quaker and Mary found herself not suited to such a relationship. Her second husband was Dr. Oliver Dwight Norton. Her third husband was Charles Van Rensselear. She died in Montecito, California, December 27, 1932. Both she and Charles Van Rensselear, who died in 1939, are buried in the McMillin plot in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York City, New York. |
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Mary McMillin, daughter of Emerson McMillin and Keziah Electa Slack, married Irvin Butterworth February, 1887. Irvin was born July 7, 1860, in Loveland, Ohio. Loveland is a city in three counties, Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren. He was the son of Clarkson and Rachel Irvin Butterworth. They were Quakers by religion. He is listed in the 1880 census as living in Union, Clinton County, Ohio, and was 20 years old. Mary and Irvin had three sons; Paul McMillin Butterworth, Corwin McMillin Butterworth, and Emerson McMillin Butterworth. Irvin Butterworth held several jobs before becoming connected with the Columbus Gas Company, a business owned by Emerson McMillin, his father-in-law. He worked his way through various positions until he became president of the company. He also worked for the McMillin Syndicate in Detroit and Grand Rapids. Mary left her husband and three sons around 1900. They divorced and Irvin raised the three boys himself. The Butterworth boys all grew into strong adults and became leaders in their community and designated fields of endeavor. Irvin married second Florence Bridges, who was born before 1880, in Canada. They had three children; Elrose, Bruce, and Betty. Irvin Butterworth died October 10, 1916, in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon. |
*(Elaine Winkler)