My Genealogy Hound

Thomas L. Milner. A glance at the lives of many representative men whose names appear in this volume will reveal sketches of some honored and influential citizens who have resided many years in this county, but among them none are more worthy or deserving of mention than Thomas L. Milner. Originally from Bibb County, Ala., he was born on January 10, 1827, and is the son of John and Nancy (Beaver) Milner, natives of Georgia and Tennessee, respectively. The father was born in 1803, being a son of John and Elizabeth Milner, of Scotch descent, and was reared in Alabama, to which State his father had removed while he was a boy, and there, after reaching years of discretion, he engaged in agricultural pursuits. Soon after his marriage, which was consummated in Alabama, he moved to Arkansas, and for the following eleven years made his home in Saline County. He then came to Ouachita County (now a part of Columbia County), and here he lived until his death, which occurred in 1851, being accidentally killed by a fallen tree. He and wife are both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The latter was born in 1803, and died in January, 1879, having borne eleven children, Thomas L., the only one now living. He was principally reared in Saline County, making that place his home until after his marriage, when he moved to Union County, and after a residence there of one year, to this county, and here he purchased his present farm, then but partially improved, buying the interests of five different settlers to this tract. In 1847 was consummated his marriage to Miss Margaret Davis, daughter of Abijah and Elizabeth (Linsey) Davis, who was born in Salme County, in 1831, and the fruits of their union have been seven children, six of whom survive: J. Calhoun (a farmer of this township, owning from 1,300 to 1,400 acres of land), James D. (a prominent merchant of Pine Bluff. Ark.), William T. (is engaged in farming with his father, but owns an excellent farm of 520 acres in this township), Caleb D. (owns 570 acres in this township), Alice (deceased), Elizabeth Jane (Mrs. Miles, of Eldorado, Ark.), and Pit H. (a civil engineer, is unmarried, and makes his home in Pine Bluff, Ark.). Mrs. Milner passed away in 1883, in full communion with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Milner is a large land owner, having about 2,200 acres in his possession, and in addition to managing this large tract of land, he is engaged in the mercantile business, but is trying to dispose of this latter interest. He is numbered among the most active members of the Protestant Methodist Church, and also belongs to the Masonic fraternity. Politically he is a stanch Democrat, and he is one of the most prominent and best known men in the county.