Background
Author: Nev. Ramsden
The Milham Family of Whitehaven
Milam, Millam & Milham are spelling variations of the family name, but the Millom’s appear to be a different family. The spelling of the township of Millom can be found spelt as Millam – particularly in documents originating in or from London etc.
In 1707 the Whitehaven merchant James Milham was master of the ship named ‘Pearle’ trading in tobacco with Virginia in the American colonies.
A James Millam is documented as master of the vessel ‘Cumberland’ from 1709 to 1711 sailing from the port of Whitehaven and trading into Virginia. However, the ink is so faded in the microfilms of cargo records that the destinations cannot be read.
British Public Records Office Class E: 190/1450/4 and 190/1450/10. Virginia Colonial Records Project, Library of Virginia, Microfilm Reel 929.
Among the leading ship-owners of Whitehaven at the end of the 17th century was James Millam who had a one quarter of a fishing boat and an eighth share in each of three other ships.
The Millam family home is of significant historic importance and the location, at the southern end of the town’s historic market place is a key feature of Whitehaven’s Georgian landscape. The original property was constructed sometime around 1713 by a local merchant, James Milham, when the town was becoming established by the Lowther family, the local landowner, as a significant and important port and trading centre. The building served as both a warehouse and family residence, which was a common arrangement at the time. The building is of particular historic interest as it was built off the Street. The Lowther family objected to this arrangement and shortly after brought in regulations to require future buildings in the town to be built with their frontage directly on the street.
James Milham was a prominent merchant & sea captain, who was trading in tobacco with Virginia. Whitehaven was growing in importance in international trade & it was famous for its Rum and other products from the New World. When Captain James lived in the town, there were only his house and the church to be seen. By the 1960’s his house had become a rundown building famous only among local residents for the activities they undertook as members of the YMCA.
Descendants of James Milham – ‘the Merchant’
James [1688-1729], one of the ‘seafaring Milhams’ who made several voyages between Whitehaven, Cumberland and Virginia in the early 1700's, and as a result James Milham wrote a significant book on navigation in American waters. The relative's of his wife, Elizabeth Gale, were also a family with significant maritime merchant activities in America, and some of the Gales emigrated to Maryland. In 1561, Edmund Millam of St. Bees, Cumberland married Margareta Grayson; the Graysons were also active in the maritime trade and seem to have ‘adventured’ with both the Milham and Gale families during the 1700's and some of these Graysons emigrated to Virginia.
For further information see the:- Complete Book of Emmigrants 1607-1660, by Peter Wilson Coldham:
a comprehensive listing compiled from English Public Records of those who took ship to the Americas for political, religious, and economic reasons; also of those who were deported for vagrancy, roguery, or non-conformity.