Lot 549 on Water Street, Stratford was originally a quarter acre property owned by Alexander Murdoch. By 1876, the property was sold to William Lucas, who was listed in the city directory as a blacksmith for the Grand Trunk Railway.  William divided the lot into two-1/8 acre lots in 1905.  Edward Millar and his family of four were the first occupants of the property which became 137 Water Street. 

Edward Millar was born in Stratford on August 16, 1883 to William John, born in Scotland, and Elizabeth, born in Lucknow, Ontario. In the 1900-1902 city directories, Edward was listed as a clerk at McDermid & Kyle and was living on Wellington Street.
McDermid & Kyle was a hardware, paint & oil store located on Wellington Street in Stratford. By 1904, he had moved to William Street, still working as a clerk.  The year he moved into the house, 1905, Edward was listed as living on Brunswick Street and a new house at 137 Water Street.  He didn’t live in the house for long as his obituary listed his address at the time of his death, January 28, 1926, as 163 Princess Street, Stratford, after living at this address for 20 years. He died while visiting his sister, Mrs. Thomas Reid in Petrolia, Ontario.  His obituary also listed him as a single male and his occupation was wood finisher/carpenter.

In the 1907 city directories, Alfred Calloner was the owner and occupant of the house.  He was a box maker at Mooney’s Biscuit Factory, which was located on the corner of Falstaff and Downie Street in Stratford.  He was born in Stratford on September 11, 1861 to Thomas Skillern and Marie. By 1912, he immigrated to the United States through Port Huron with his wife, Alberta Skinner, who he married on August 17, 1892 in Boston, Massachusetts.  Their final destination was Los Angeles, California where he died on May 15, 1930.