David Milne Pages 153-155 - DAVID MILNE. No name is more familiarly knownin Ottawa County than that of Milne, and it is so thoroughly interwoven with itshistory that a work of this character would be incomplete without frequentreference to some member of the family. The man from New York State has alwaysbeen a potential element in the civilization and development of Michigan. Nobetter blood was ever infused into pioneer life; no sturdier arm ever set aboutthe task of subduing the wilderness; and no less vigorous mental activity couldhave made the State of Michigan what it is. Mr. Davis Milne is one of the oldestsettlers of Allendale Township and a man who, by his upright, honorable career,has won the respect and esteem of all.
This worthy representative of the old settlers first saw the light of day inTompkins County, N.Y., his birth occurring March 24, 1839. He was the onlyliving child born to the union of Alexander and Margaret (Scott) Milne, bothnatives of Scotland, he of Aberdeenshire and she of Haddingtonshire. AlexanderMilne was one of a family of six children, four sons and two daughters, and wasthe first of the family to come to America, although all of them except one arenow on this side of the Atlantic. He settled in Michigan in 1845, but previousto that had resided for some time in New York, and was there married to MissScott, who had crossed the ocean with her mother and four brothers a short timebefore. At the above mentioned date he came to Allendale Township and purchasedforty acres of land on section 22, paying for the same $2.50 per acre. The farmat that time was covered with heavy timber and he began at once to clear it andbuild a house, moving into the same in the fall of 1846. At this time only threefamilies resided in the township besides our subject: Richard Roberts, JohnHanna and Ephraim Pierson. Coming to this township with our subject wereAlexander Scott, James Scott and their mother and sisters. These industrious,enterprising pioneers went actively to work to subdue the wilderness and makefame and fortune for themselves. Later the brothers and sisters of our subjectcame over and settled in Michigan.
When Mr. Milne first settled in the township, the nearest gristmill was at GrandRapids, and the settlers took their grists there in skiffs, dugouts, steamers,boats, etc., on the river, daily trips being made there. The first year Mr.Milne and the Scott boys took a large whitewood tree and formed it into a canoe.This was two and a-half feet wide and twenty-six feet long, and in it they couldcarry a large cargo of provisions either from Grand Haven or Grand Rapids, bothplaces being accessible. While clearing his land of the timber Mr. Milne madequite a number of shingles each year for three or four years, and then turnedhis attention almost exclusively to farming, continuing this until the time ofhis death. He was then the owner of ninety-seven acres, with forty-five acreswell improved. He only resided on the first farm he purchased for nineteenyears, and then, selling out, moved down on Grand River, where he improvedanother farm. This he sold in 1882 and moved on the place where he received hisfinal summons, which consisted of sixty-one acres on section 27. He was in hisseventy-second year. His wife had passed away in 1869.
Mr. Milne was elected Township Treasurer in 1851, and served as Justice of thePeace two terms of four years each in succession. In 1855 he was electedSupervisor of this township and was re-elected five years in succession. Afterhis last term as Supervisor he was again elected to the office of TownshipTreasurer, which position he held for four or five years. This was from 1860 to1865. Later on in life he was appointed Township Treasurer, in the early portionof the winter, and at the election following was again elected and held thatposition for two or three years. He and wife were both members of the MethodistEpiscopal Church and were among the first Methodists in this portion ofMichigan. They brought their church letters from New York and were instrumentalin forming the first Methodist Episcopal Church in Allendale. In the churchrecords their names appear among the first. At the organization only sevenpersons joined: Rev. and Mrs. W. C. Comfort, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Milne, Mr.and Mrs. Johnson Balcom and Miss Lucy J. Speer. Mr. Balcolm was the last of thisband of pilgrims to pass away, and many remember with pride his efforts toelevate the condition of the new country. Mr. Milne was for some time theSabbath-school Superintendent, but he only remained with the Methodist EpiscopalChurch for ten years, and then joined the Wesleyan Methodist, in which he was aClass-leader for a number of years and held other positions.
David Milne received the principal part of his education in Allendale Township,and then for two terms attended Adrian College. Being the only child, heremained with his parents during their lives and was engaged with his father inagricultural pursuits. Like his father, he has always followed that occupation,but in connection has been engaged in other occupations, principally teachingschool throughout the country. He was first elected to office in the township in1861, being made School Inspector, and this office he held for four years. Thisposition he has filled by election several times since. In 1867 he was electedJustice of the Peace, holding this position for four years, and before his termhad expired he was elected Supervisor for one year. In 1876 he was electedTownship Clerk. Since 1870 he has filled the office of Justice of the Peace twoyears, having been appointed to fill a vacancy.
Miss Julia A. Stone, who became his wife on the 8th of October, 1867,was a native of the Empire State and the daughter of William W. and Sarah L.(French) Stone, natives respectively of Massachusetts and New York. Bothfamilies are of English parentage. The Stone family came to America previous tothe Revolutionary War, and the great-grandfather fought bravely forindependence. Mr. Stone went from Massachusetts to New York when fifteen yearsof age and came to Michigan in 1855. He was a farmer, and on settling in thiscounty carried on his chosen occupation with success. He and wife were theparents of only two children, Julia and James O., of this township. Mrs. Stonedied in 1852, in New York, and in 1864 Mr. Stone was married to Mrs. JaneJessup, nee Beard. Mr. Stone passed away in 1891, when seventy years ofage. He was a member of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, and in politicswas a Republican. Both Mr. and Mrs. Milne were working members of the WesleyanMethodist Church, he having been a member of the same since 1867 and she since1891. Until recently he was a Class-leader in his church and he takes a deepinterest in all matters pertaining to the welfare and good of the church. He hasbeen Church Clerk since 1876, when the church was built, and for quite a numberof years was Trustee of the church. In 1879 he was licensed as a local ministerand has been recommended to the Michigan Annual Conference as a local travelingminister. He has been a delegate from this circuit to the annual conference ofhis church three or four times, and attended the meeting in Grand Rapids in1876, Allendale in 1878, Pittsford in 1885, and Romulus in 1890. Mrs. Milne alsotakes a deep interest in her church and is an earnest Christian worker, one whotries to follow the teaching of the Golden Rule. Since 1879 she has labored inthe Sabbath-school and has rarely missed a Sabbath, winter or summer. She is amember of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, and was a delegate atHolland in 1889, and at Sparta in 1892. She is also Secretary of the Ladies’Aid Society. Mrs. Milne is a lady of intelligence and culture and for threeyears was a very successful teacher in Ottawa County. For quite a number ofyears Mr. Milne was a leading Republican, but for many years he has voted theProhibition ticket, and is an active worker in the cause of temperance.
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