An haifi James Milne, wanda daga baya aka sani da James Mill, a cikin Northwater Bridge, a cikin Ikklesiya na Logie Pert, Angus, Scotland, ɗan James Milne, mai gyaran takalma da ƙaramin manomi. Mahaifiyarsa, Isabel Fenton, daga dangin da suka sha wahala daga alaƙa da Stuart ya tashi, ya yanke shawarar cewa ya kamata ya sami ilimi na farko, kuma ya aike shi da farko zuwa makarantar Ikklesiya sannan kuma zuwa Kwalejin Montrose, inda ya kasance har zuwa shekaru goma sha bakwai da rabi. Daga nan sai ya shiga Jami'ar Edinburgh, inda ya bambanta kansa a matsayin masanin Helenanci. A watan Oktoba na 1789, an naɗa shi a matsayin ministan cocin Scotland, amma ya sadu da ɗan nasara. A cewar John Stuart Mill's Autobiography, mahaifinsa, ko da yake "ya yi ilimi a cikin aikin da aka yi a Scotch, ta hanyar koyar da shi da kuma koyar da shi ta hanyar koyar da shi, ya jagoranci kansa ta hanyar koyar da shi ta hanyar koyar da shi. Daga farkon shekarun 1805, mahaifiyarsa, Isabel Fenton, daga iyalin da ke da dangantaka da Stuart Stuart Stuart, ya
Gwanin