Charles Vance Millar
| Charles Vance Millar | |
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Charles Vance Millar
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| Born | 1853 Aylmer, Ontario |
| Died | October 31, 1926 |
| Occupation | Lawyer, financier |
| Known for | Being a notorious practical joker, most notably in his unusual will, which began the Stork Derby. |
Charles Vance Millar (1853 – October 31, 1926) was a Canadian lawyer and financier. However, he is now best known for his penchant for practical jokes and his unusual will which reflected that sense of humour.
Charles Millar attended the University of Toronto and graduated with an average of 98% in all his subjects. He chose to study law, passed the bar examination and opened up his own law office in Toronto.
In 1897, Millar purchased the BC Express Company from Stephen Tingley and took over the government mail delivery contracts for the Cariboo region in British Columbia.
When it was announced that the construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway would go through Fort George (later named Prince George) Millar expanded the company's services to Fort George and built two sternwheelers, the BX and the BC Express. Millar also foresaw that Fort George would become a major center in Northern British Columbia and he made arrangements to purchase the First Nations reserve at Fort George. However, the railway was already planning to purchase the property and they convinced the Department of Indian Affairs to cancel their negotiations with Millar. When Millar took the railway to court, the railway agreed to sell him 200 acres (0.81 km2) of the property, which became known as the Millar Addition.
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