Max Burton Trout

Max Burton Trout, of Spartanburg County, SC, age 95, died June 20, 2023. He as the widower of Peggy McMillin Trout, after 61 years of marriage. He was the son of James Marion Trout and Eva Burton Trout, and was born in the old Camp Wadsworth section, now Westgate, and graduated from Fairforest High School. Max attended Clemson prior to being drafted into the military, served in the Navy during World War II, entered the Postal Service in 1948, and graduated from Wofford College in 1952. During his career as a Real Estate Officer, he acquired hundreds of postal sites and buildings in the southeastern US, and was domiciled in Columbus, Atlanta, and Savannah during his 17 years in that position.

Max served as a Ruling Elder in 4 Presbyterian churches and chairman of the building committee in 3 churches. After retirement, he developed numerous commercial and residential properties and was qualified as an expert witness on real estate values.

Max and Peggy moved back to Spartanburg on Lake Bowen in 1991, not far from the childhood homes and enjoyed their retirement there. He was a life member of the Sons of the American Revolution, serving once as President of the Daniel Morgan Chapter and twice as a South Carolina Regional Vice President. He was a long-time member of the Piedmont Historical Society and was also a life member of American Legion Post 45 in Inman.

For the past 40 years his hobby was genealogy, and he collected an immense amount of family records detailing the descendants of Hugh McMillin, whose father, Robert, settled in the mid-1700s in the area that is known as Fingerville. The details of 8,000 descendants were compiled into a large volume, The McMillins of the Pacolets, that was published in 2021. The book is available in the Kennedy Room in the Spartanburg County Public Library and has been distributed nationally to individuals and other historical libraries.

His is survived by brother, James J. Brady of Spartanburg, daughters, Maxine and Rebecca, seven grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. He was predeceased by three siblings, James D. Trout, Sr., H. Dupre Trout, and Frances Davis.

Max enjoyed a long, happy, fulfilling life, and died of old age.

The family will have a private celebration of life and graveside service.