Historical Connections

The Millers

The Miller property was once a large area occupied from the harbour west to Tower Road and south from Point Pleasant Park north to Inglis Street. Parcels of land were eventually sold off one by one and some became lots on Young Avenue.

The Miller family, originally named Müller, migrated from Palatinate, Germany in the southwestern part of the country. The Müllers bought property and lived in Ireland on land that belonged to Lord Thomas Southwell. Wealthy New York merchant Jacob Miller (1742-1825), was a United Empire Loyalist who had emigrated from Ireland to America around 1770. Jacob arrived in Halifax in the 1780s with his wife, Elizabeth Bentley, and acquired land at the foot of Morris Street where he built a wharf and established a prosperous trade, largely in the export of lumber, with the West Indies.

One of their sons, Garrett Miller, born in 1770, was a merchant and worked at his father's exporting business, Jacob Miller and Son, later becoming a member of provincial parliament for Lunenburg County, 1837 to 1841. In 1802, he married Catherine, the daughter of Joseph Pernette. Miller served as a justice of the peace and was prize commissioner for privateers at Halifax from 1812 to 1815. Miller died in office at LaHave.

Garrett and Catherine Miller were so touched by Nelson’s victory and death that they named their newborn son Garret Trafalgar Nelson Miller. The boy was born in October 1805, the same year as the historic sea fight. They would not be alone in naming their sons Horatio and Nelson in the years to come.

Garret Trafalgar Nelson Miller (1805-1897) married teacher, artist and poet, Maria Frances Ann Morris (1813- 1875). Maria was the first Nova Scotian woman to gain recognition as a professional artist. She was the botanical illustrator of the Wildflowers of Nova Scotia 1839-40, Wild flowers of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in 1866 and Wildflowers of British North America in 1867. Some of her paintings are at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

Garret Trafalgar Nelson, Jacob Miller's grandson, owned a large block of land known as Miller's Fields (see Messieurs Miller lands in illustration from the 1878 City Atlas of Halifax), part of which became Ogilvie Street. Present-day Point Pleasant Drive, lying parallel between Ogilvie Street and the park, once bore the name Miller Street until 1939. The Millers eventually moved to the Miller homestead which they had for many years in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

Photo: Maria Frances Ann Morris

(Courtesy NSARMS)

Photo: City Atlas of Halifax 1878 (Courtesy Library and Archives Canada)

Sir William Young

Photo: c.1900 Sir William Young (Courtesy NSARMS)

Sir William Young was born in the town of Falkirk, Scotland in 1799. Young was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1836 as a Reformer (Liberal) and, as a lawyer, defended Reform journalists accused of libel. He was an MLA for Inverness County. Young became Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1848 then premier in 1854, and again in January 1860. When the Chief Justice died in July 1860, Young, who had long coveted the job, was appointed to the position by the lieutenant governor. He served as Chief Justice for 21 years and was noted for placing cushions on his chair so he would tower above his fellow justices.

William was one of the first commissioners of Point Pleasant Park and was largely responsible for obtaining the present park from the imperial authorities, and having the grant run for 999, rather than 99 years.

Young lived at his home he called Hillside (now 5251 South Street). He died in Halifax on May 8, 1887 with an estate worth $350,000. His will directed that statuary (three statues and six urns) from his extensive gardens be placed in the Public Gardens in Halifax and provided $8,000 to complete and ornament the new road, which was named Young Avenue, from Inglis Street to Point Pleasant Park. He is buried in Camp Hill Cemetery and a monument was erected in his honour.

Photo: c.1900 Sir William Young Monument

(Courtesy NSARMS)

Point Pleasant Park Gates at Young Avenue

After erecting defenses in the park during the U.S. Civil War, Lieutenant General Sir Charles Hastings Doyle had a more peaceful task. He oversaw the cutting of paths and drives and the removal of dead trees. In celebration of Halifax's 124th birthday, on June 23, 1873, the still-not-yet-finished park was opened. City Council had agreed to an assessment of $4,000 the first year for completion, then an additional $2,000 yearly for the maintenance of the park. But it reneged, so an undoubtedly irritated William Young paid the first installment out of his own pocket. Young was one of the park commissioners along with the mayor, one alderman from each ward, and three citizens - John W. Ritchie, William J. Stairs and John Doull. Halifax, starved by too much tax-free land, still had trouble meeting its commitment. For example, in 1879, only $1,058 of the agreed upon $2,000 was actually paid out.

Young developed Point Pleasant Park and contributed the Golden Gates at the Young Avenue entrance (Young Avenue is named after him). In general, he volunteered many hours overseeing the work on the park. The gates were manufactured by the famous Starr Manufacturing Company of Dartmouth. Young then added the massive granite pillars to hang them. The later gatekeeper's lodge was also established at Young Avenue and was modelled on the gatehouse of British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli's estate, Hughenden. The gatekeeper's lodge was expanded in 1944 with stone from Cambridge Battery.

In 1966, to accommodate the widening of Young Avenue, the gate pillars were moved further apart. Today, if the gates were to be closed, there’d be an 11-foot gap in the middle.

Photo: Gatehouse at Benjamin Disraeli estate,

Hughenden Manor, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK