Millburn was founded in 1837, when brothers George, Robert, and Peter Strang came from Ontario, Canada to settle in Illinois.

After working for a year, the family issued claims on territory in Lake County, then returned to Canada.

Jake appears to have accumulated significant wealth from it, judging by his ability to design a high-style house shortly afterward.

He is generally credited as the father of the settlement because he was the only one of his brothers who remained in Millburn without interruption and his store was the first in the vicinity.

Pantall was named postmaster and used his store as the town post office starting in 1864, a role it maintained until 1904.