6. MARY MILLIGAN

Mary Milligan was the sixth child and third daughter born to Robert Milligan and Jean Dunbar. She was born in London in 1792, and baptised at St. Andrews, Holborn, on April 30, 1792.
Like her sister Justina, Mary chose not to marry, and lived her life instead at her beautiful residence ‘Cotswold House’ in Gloucestershire before spending her later years with her brother Robert and his family at Ryde.
Mary was mentioned in Joanna Baillie’s correspondence as follows:
“She cheered me on Saturday evening by giving a better account of your looks and also an improved report of poor Mary Milligan, for Mrs Hoare on Saturday forenoon had read me a very desponding letter from one of the Fuestons on the state of her disease. I hope she will be spared to enjoy her health and do good to others. Dear Mary! How kind and benevolent she has always been. We could ill spare her, though we are blessed with more kind affectionate friends than most people are at our advanced age.” –Letter to Joanna’s grand-niece, Sophia Milligan, in 1844.
Mary Milligan rallied from the illness mentioned in Joanna’s letter, and lived for another 18 years. When she died she was buried in the old Ryde cemetery near Robert Milligan’s home, and was joined by her brother, his wife and Sophia their daughter in 1875, 1876 and 1892 respectively.

IN MEMORY OF
MARY
SISTER OF ROBERT MILLIGAN
DIED NOVEMBER 25TH 1862
AGED 70 YEARS
THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM
GOD HAS GIVEN UNTO US ETERNAL LIFE AND THIS LIFE
IS IN HIS SON