William, the third child of Peter and Janet Miller, was born on the Orkney Island of Stronsay on the 2 January 1850. He along with his parents and brothers Peter and James came to South Australia on the boat Amazon. His sister Janet was born on the boat on the way to Australia. Her story is included below. A list of all children in the family is here.

William took up land at Peterborough (Petersburg) about 1879 where he became a very successful farmer.  He first looked at land in the Hundred of Belalie, and then a year later took up the property that he named Golden Gully near Dawson.

There are four theories’ as to why it was called Golden Gully: the golden wattle prevalent in the gullies; the gold found in the two mines in the hills (not very productive); the golden wheat grown in the area; or the rainbows prevalent with the misty showers that did occur in the hills.

It is noted in the book ‘Petersburg and Beyond’ by Anita Woods that William Miller was one of the trustees involved in erecting the first building in Petersburg, apart from farmhouses, this being the Union Church which was opened on Wednesday 29 October 1879. He also helped  in the building of the Wesleyan Church at Coglin,  opened on Sunday 27 December 1885. He had carted the sand and stone for the church building.

William was very involved in the community, being Chairman of the District Council of Yongala for many years and President of the Agricultural Society. In 1894 he was reputed to have one of the finest Clydesdale sires in the colony. He was a Director of the South Australian Farmer’s Co-Operative Union for many years and its Chairman for 10 years until the time of his death.

In 1902 the electorate of Burra Burra was enlarged and William was elected as its Member of the South
Australian Parliament. In Parliament he was ever listened to with attention to questions on agriculture as an authority with deep knowledge of agriculture. Among his other public duties he was a member of the council of the Adelaide School of Mines.

An article published in the  Peterborough Times in 1896 chronicles William Miller’s achievements and contribution to the district and the State more generally. It is clear of the esteem in which he is held and is reproduced below. 

In 1909 William sold Golden Gully and moved to Norwood. Subsequently he purchased Sections 69 and 70 in the Hundred of South Rhine from James Rogers in 1916.  It was noted in the Adelaide Advertiser in March 1922 that William Miller had recovered after an operation and was back at his Norwood home. 

William did not marry and died at “Braeside” on June 20 1922, aged 72 years.

He left an estate valued at ₤11,000. ₤2,000, the interest from which to be paid to his sister Janet Mitchell for the period of her life, and then to her daughter named Janet Lillie Mitchell for the period of her life after which it should be divided equally between five of his nephews which had been named in his will. William left Sections 69 and 70 to his brother Edward, with the balance of his estate being divided between most of his nephews and nieces as per his will.

Below is the story of Janet Amazon Miller and her daughter Lillie Mitchell. While not buried at South Rhine,  Janet was extremely close to her
brother William throughout her life.

JANET AMAZON MILLER

Janet, the fourth child of Peter and Janet Miller was born on the 7 December 1851 on board the ship “Amazon” on their voyage to Australia.
Janet married Brunswick Popham Mitchell (whose parents were Robert and Agnes Mitchell) at the home of her father, Peter Miller Snr on 11 April 1876.  Janet and Brunswick, first farmed at Canowie and later at Kersbrook. It was while they were at Canowie that on the 12 January 1878 their only child, Janet Lillie (known as Lillie) was born.

Janet had a florist shop at Norwood and her brother William helped and supported both her and Lillie. Janet and Brunswick retired first to Magill and then to Norwood.

Janet died on the 11 November 1924 and Brunswick died on the 3 March 1940. They are both buried at the Payneham Cemetery.

Lillie, only daughter of Janet and Brunswick Mitchell was born at Belalie East and lived at Norwood with her parents before marrying the widower, Revered William Laidlaw Toshach, a Methodist minister. They were married at St Giles Presbyterian Church, Norwood on 29 October 1932. After her marriage to the Rev Toshach they lived at Prospect. Lillie was William’s second wife. William had seven children, two having died in infancy.

Lillie was very artistic, doing oil and china painting, wood carving and poker work.

William Toshach died on the 11 March 1943 and Lillie died on the 22 August 1956.

 They were both buried in the same plot as Lillie’s parents, Janet and Brunswick Mitchell, at the
Payneham Cemetery.