Bio of McMILLAN, Frank Griggs (b.1856 d.1918), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol II, pg 249-250
FRANK GRIGGS McMILLAN
When death called Frank Griggs McMillan on the 7th of May, 1918, he had traveled
life's journey almost to the sixty-second milestone and during that period he
had made his service of great benefit and value in connection with the material
development and the civic progress of Minneapolis and the state. A native son of
New England, he was born in Danville, Caledonia county, Vermont, October 4,
1856, and was descended from Scotch ancestry, the first representative of the
name in America being Colonel Andrew McMillan of Ulster, Ireland, who crossed
the Atlantic in the year 1755. One of his sons was John McMillan, who in turn
was the father of Colonel Andrew McMillan, a graduate of West Point, who,
however, resigned his commission to engage in commercial business.
Frank Griggs McMillan, the son of Colonel Andrew McMillan, started out in the
business world as a printer, serving an apprenticeship in the office of the
North Star published at Danville, Vermont, while later he became a journalist of
Boston, there remaining until 1878, when impaired health caused him to seek a
change of climate and he made his way westward.
Taking up his abode in Minneapolis, Mr. McMillan here worked as a printer, as a
carpenter and as a millwright. In a short time he had taken up the business of
contracting and advancing step by step he soon won for himself a commanding
position among those Minneapolis contractors and builders to whom the city owes
its substantial qualities and its beauty. There are today many fine structures
here which stand as monuments to his taste in designing and his skill in
executing and his labor was at all times actuated by the high purpose of adding
to the city's improvement as well as advancing his individual fortune.
As a political leader, too, Mr. McMillan became widely known, being a. stalwart
advocate of democratic principles. In 1890 he was made the nominee of his party
for state senator in his district, which was recognized as one of the strong
republican districts of Minneapolis, but such was his personal popularity and
the confidence reposed in him that he was elected by a handsome majority. He
soon proved himself to be one of the most efficient men of his party, active,
conscientious and yet conservative. His worth was immediately recognized by his
appointment to the chairmanship of the committee on election and also the
committee on university and university lands. He likewise served as a member of
the committee on geological and natural history, on grain and public warehouses,
manufactories, military affairs and state prisons. He was the author of a
resolution calling for a committee to investigate and report to the senate as to
site, plans and cost of the new capitol building and besides being made chairman
of this committee he drew a bill providing for the erection of the new capitol
building, which bill became a law. Under its provision the magnificent site was
secured and the work of construction begun. The capability with which he
represented his district caused Mr. McMillan to be elected again and again and
he served for four terms. He gave comprehensive and earnest consideration to the
vital questions which came up for settlement during that period and among other
important measures which were introduced or supported by him were: The
Australian ballot law; a bill known as the corrupt practice act to limit
expenditures in election; a primary election law; a bill to establish a school
savings bank; a bill providing for the separation of municipal from general
elections; and amendments to the constitution prohibiting special legislation.
He was also identified with the bill providing that franchise to occupy public
streets should not be granted to private corporations by any city, without
adequate compensation. Mr. McMillan was appointed by Governor Lind a member of
the state board of equalization and served for two terms as its president. He
also served as a member of the board of charities and correction and any matter
which pertained to the public welfare and the advancement of the interests of
the state was a matter of deep concern to him. While he always gave his
political allegiance to the democratic party he was one of its most earnest
workers in the Hennepin County Democratic League, which elected him to the vice
presidency. He was also identified as an official with the state democratic
association. As a member of the board of park commissioners of Minneapolis he
rendered important service to the city in the matter of improvement in
connection with the parks and boulevards and there was no project instituted for
the benefit and development of Minneapolis which did not receive his cooperation
and allegiance.
In 1881 Mr. McMillan was united in marriage to Miss Lillian Connor, a native of
Minneapolis and a daughter of Elias H. Connor, who was born in Farmington,
Maine, August 23, 1824, his father being Bartlett Connor. In the year 1849 Elias
H. Connor came to Minneapolis, casting in his lot with the earliest settlers of
the embryo city, which was in time to become the gateway of the Northwest and
one of the great metropolitan centers of the country. Mr. Connor was a
millwright by trade and became connected with much important construction work
in Minneapolis. He had charge of the first suspension bridge across the
Mississippi and also the second suspension bridge erected in Minneapolis. An
expert machinist, he set up the machinery and directed the building of these
bridges, while later he was identified with other construction work that
constituted an important element in the growth and improvement of this part of
the state. His remaining days were here passed and his death occurred when he
had reached the age of seventy-two years. It was in 1855 at St. Anthony that he
was married to Miss Hannah Farrington Rollins, a native of Mercer, Maine, and a
daughter of Franklin Rollins, who came to Minneapolis at an early day and
settled on a large farm near Minnehaha Falls, where he carried on agricultural
pursuits for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Elias H. Connor became the parents of
two daughters: Lillian, who married Frank G. McMillan; and Myrtle, who is the
wife of Charles L. Chase, a shoe merchant of Minneapolis.
To Mr. and Mrs. McMillan were born four children: Corinne F.; Lillian, the wife
of Gene L. Wright, of Chicago; Howard O.; and Jessamine, the wife of Donald
Pomeroy of Minneapolis. The family circle was broken by the hand of death, when
on the 7th of May, 1918, Mr. McMillan passed away. He was a consistent member of
the First Congregational church, in which he was serving as trustee, and he
manifested keen and helpful interest in all branches of Christian service. He
was a very prominent and popular member of the leading clubs, being identified
with the Minneapolis Commercial Club, the Lafayette Club, the Minnetonka Beach
Club, the St. Anthony Falls Commercial Club and the Six o'clock Club. He was
also a member of the John A. Rollins Post of the Citizens' Staff and he had
membership in the Minnesota Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the
Minnesota Society of the Sons of Colonial Wars and the Vermont Association of
Minnesota. His life was at all times purposeful and his labors highly resultant.
He held to high standards and ideals and in a large measure he contributed to
the material, political and moral development of his city and state.