Jacob Milligan > William Milligan  > William Emery Milligan > William M. Milligan ...John Thomas Milligan

 From The Milligan Family History, by Lester S. Milligan, March 1969

William Emery Milligan (great-grandfather of Lester) was born in Charleston SC in 1814 and apparently came to New York when a youth.

From William M. Milligan's autobiography (William Emery Milligan's son)... My father as I have learned was born in Charleston, SC and I have read as he has told me of his grandfather fighting with Commodore Perry on Lake Erie in the War of 1812. Note that he gave no names. My mother informed me that she was born, I think, in Williamsburg, Long Island and that my grandmother on her side was born on Long Island of the old Meserole family, that being her name before she was married. She was wedded to a man by the name of Miller of Long Island from which my mother derived her parentage.

William Emery Milligan was known by the Charleston Milligan's as the wealthy one. He manufactured steam engines and boilers at 115 Warren St., NYC and was worth $40,000, which adjusted to today's value would be many millions of dollars. He lost everything in the panic of 1856-57. He made two attempts at a comeback but was getting along in years. He visited his brother John in Charleston when he heard the South would secede. He died there the day Ft. Sumter was fired upon, and is buried in Charleston.

Our family is one of the many that had brothers and cousins fighting over slavery.

Burial: Unknown, Magnolia Cemetery, (John Thomas Milligan plot) Charleston SC
Occupation: machine shop, business owner

Residence: 1850, New York Ward 5, New York, New York

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Received in an Email From Robert Milligan IV of Brevard, NC: (December 4, 2011)

Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, William Emory traveled from NYC to Charleston to visit his brother John Thomas Milligan, who at the time was the jailor at the old Charleston Jail located at 21 Magazine St.

John’s occupation as jailor is listed in the 1860 Charleston City Directory. William Emory died on April 15 or 16, 1861, at 19 Magazine St. from “nervous debility” according to the records kept at Magnolia Cemetery, where he was buried on April 16. There is currently no structure at 19 Magazine St. My guess is that in 1861 it was the jailor’s residence. I also assume that the April 12 firing on Fort Sumter caused the nervous debility. By the way, the old Charleston Jail is currently being restored as an historic structure.

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William Milligan image restored - Civil War uniform, c. 1861-4.