Walter McMillan was born on April 30, 1853. His parents, Neil McMillan and Grace Cummings were immigrants from Glasgow, Scotland. They settled in Wallace Township on Concession 4, Lot 24 to farm.  Neil died around 1862.  Grace and her three children, Elizabeth, William, and Walter (all born in Gowanstown), continued to live on the property, running a hotel on the northwest corner of the lot.

After Grace’s death around 1875 the land was divided among her three children. Elizabeth and her husband, John Richmond, farmed the east section of the lot, William farmed the west part.  Walter took over the ownership of his mother’s hotel.  He and Amanda Maria Tuttle were married there on February 24, 1874.

Amanda was born in 1849 in Madoc, the daughter of Hiram Tuttle and Matilda Duffee. Her family moved to Wallace Township when she was 12. She was one of nine children raised by their mother after the tragic death of their father in 1866.

In 1881 Walter and Amanda were living in Listowel, and were operating a general store.

Walter moved his family to Stratford in 1885, opening a painting business located at 17 Erie Street.  He and Amanda and their three children, Clara (1875), Edith (1879) and Robert Harry (1884) lived in a house at Church and Cambria Street.

In 1889, Walter purchased lot 33 on the south side of Centre Street between John & St. Vincent from Mary Hayward. The next year he built a house on this lot and their fourth child, David Waldren, was born. An addition was built to the house in 1899.

During the next ten years the painting and wallpapering business grew. In 1903 the business was renamed McMillan & Neff Painters and Decorators when Walter went into partnership with A. O. Neff. McMillan & Neff was located at the corner of Ontario and Erie Streets and boasted one of the finest collections of wallpaper, decorating supplies, and picture moldings. They also sold organs and pianos.

In March 1904, the Labour Gazette reported that there was a disagreement among the painters employed by McMillan & Neff when the company wanted to reduce the men’s wages from 17 ½ cents per hour to 15 cents per hour. The workers refused to accept the reduction and went on strike but returned to work after half a day, when they were granted the former rate of 17 ½ cents per hour.

In 1905 Walter sold the house on Centre Street to Thomas Lucas and took up residence at 131 William Street until his death in 1938.

When the partnership with A.O. Neff ended in 1907, Walter continued to operate the business under the name of McMillan & Company.  Walter’s son, Robert Harry, followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a painter and working for McMillan and Company. Walter retired in 1921 and Robert took over the business, dealing exclusively in pictures and framing, later renaming it R. H. McMillan Pictures and Framing. For a few years after his retirement Walter worked in real estate.

Walter’s wife, Amanda, died April 12, 1936. Walter died Feb 9, 1938.  They are buried together in Avondale Cemetery