David Milne was the son of John Milne and Margaret Scrymegour,
born at Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland, March 13, 1832. He states
he obeyed the Gospel at Manchester, England, in the fall of 1851,
and was baptized by Elder Alfred Lamb shortly after. He wrote the
following himself. His penmanship was very good.
I was very anxious to gather to Utah, but Father would not help
me with means. I married Susan Young on June 10, 1856 at Dunkeld,
Scotland. Our first child, John, died there in childhood. About
this time, a number of farmers left that district of country for
New Zealand. They sent back very favorable reports.
The idea struck me that Father might help me to go to New
Zealand, then when I got means, I could go to Utah. I made this
a matter of prayer and covenanted with the Lord, if He would
open up my way, I would gather with the Saints. Father thought
favorably of the enterprise, and said he would help me, which
he did, to the extent of very near one thousand pounds of
goods to start me in business there.
We sailed in the Bark Henbury, from London to Dunedin, New
Zealand, in 1859 (about April 20). We were 125 days on the
passage (landing in New Zealand August 23, 1859). We anchored
out in the bay at Port Chalmbers—second night the ship was
set on fire by the sailors poaching cargo. I and my wife
lost all we had, leaving us nothing but what we stood in,
also all our goods, and they were not insured.
My wife, Susan, gave birth to my son, Alexander Young Milne,
two days after landing. We were kindly entertained by Mr.
James Wilkie, Tailor, who knew our father. In a few days I
commenced to work at my trade, painting, and was blessed
in my labors financially.
In the beginning of the year 1865, while going to see about
some of my work up town, the spirit of the Lord suggested to
me that I was now in a position to gather to Utah. I stopped,
went back to my shop, made up my mind there and then that I
would sell out and gather. I have always felt thankful that
I did not hesitate. That night I told my wife, Susan. (She
had never been in the Church.) She said she would go where
I went, so arranged my affairs the best I could in such short
notice.
Then we went to Australia for a few months to visit my wife
Susan’s brother, mother and sisters. We sailed from Australia
to San Francisco in November, 1865, on board the Bark Albert;
time on passage, fifty-seven days. I also paid the passage for
on Joseph Spencer, and his family (who apostatized and joined
the Josephites). I never got paid in full from him. Also
brought Sister Howell. She died in Minersville.
A few days after landing at San Francisco, I wrote to President
Young (January, 1866). He answered both by telegram and letter,
counseled me to stay there until the winter was over.
Left San Francisco for Utah June 29, 1866, by way of Carson
City, Nevada. Arrived in Salt Lake City August 20, 1866. Next
day I called upon President Young. About the first words he
said to me were, “Well, Brother Milne, you had to go around
the world before you could get here.” I thought it strange,
as I had not told him of my covenants with the Lord.
On October 4, 1866, my wife, Susan, and I were baptized by
Bishop E.D. Woolley in City Creek; January 25, 1867, received
our endowments; ordained an elder by Joseph F. Smith.
Called on the St. George Mission at the October Conference,
1867, arriving at St. George in November, same year. I was
elected and received my commission as Captain of Company A
Artillery, April 2, 1869.
I was ordained and set apart as Bishop of the First Ward,
St. George, November 8, 1869. I was called on a mission to
Europe at the first conference held in the St. George Temple,
April, 1877. Before going, President Young invited me to
receive my second anointings. I left St. George on my mission
May 16, 1877. Arrived in Liverpool June 22. I was assigned to
the Scottish Mission by President Joseph F. Smith. The Lord
blessed my labors there. I baptized twenty new members, and
rebaptized sixteen—in all, thirty-six; married two couples,
blessed two children, organized three branches. Arrived home
November 15, 1878.
In June, 1884, President Erastus Snow called me to go and
superintend the painting work of the Manti Temple. Was there
until its completion in 1889. At the present time, June, 1891,
I have two wives and thirteen children; my wife Susan, and two
of my children are buried in the St. George Cemetery.
The preceeding was taken from the
Javan Jenson Family History web site, for which
we are most grateful.
LIFE HISTORY SKETCH OF
DAVID MILNE
Written by David Spencer Milne, grandson, August, 1892.
David Milne was born in Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland on March
13, 1832. He was the oldest of ten children of John Milne and
Margaret Scrymgeour. His father was an interior decorator and
painter, which trade he taught to his sons. While on a trip to
Manchester, England, David first heard of the Mormon Church,
became converted, and was baptized on 13 March, 1851. He
married Susan Young in Scotland on 10 June, 1856. She also
became converted to the LDS Church and was baptized on 18
Oct. 1857. Their first child, John, died in Scotland in
1857 shortly after his birth.
David had long desired to gather with the Saints in Utah, but
met great resistance from his father in his church activities.
His father arranged to set David up in a business in New
Zealand, and in the spring of 1859 they left England, arriving
at Dunedin, New Zealand on 23 August, 1859. Two days later,
the ship on which they had come to New Zealand caught fire
and all of their belongings were lost. The day after their
landing, their second son, Alexander Young Milne, was born
on 24 August, 1859. After several years and being quite
successful in his business, David felt able to continue his
goal of gathering to Zion. In the fall of 1865, after
visiting in Australia for a time with his wife’s family,
some of whom had recently moved there, they sailed for
America, landing at San Francisco, California in January,
1866. Susan’s health had been failing, since she had
contracted tuberculosis, so they stayed in San Francisco
until June, 1866. David hired a driver and carriage to
take them to Salt Lake City, where they arrived on 26
August, 1866. David immediately called upon President
Brigham Young, who went to the hotel where Susan was staying
and gave her a blessing.
At the October Conference, 1867, David was called to the
St. George Mission, where he arrived in November, 1867.
He became active in the local militia, and was commissioned
a Captain in 1869. He was ordained and set apart as Bishop
of the St. George First Ward on 8 November, 1869. After the
St. George Temple was begun in 1871 he did most of the painting
and decorating of that temple. Previously, he had also worked
on the St. George Tabernacle.
David married his second wife, Ann Catherine Jarvis, on 3 May,
1870, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ann
was the daughter of George Jarvis and Ann Prior Jarvis,
pioneers in the St. George Mission. She was born in London,
England on 27 October, 1848, and had walked across the plains
with her family in 1861. She had been engaged as the nurse
for the ailing Susan Young Milne, David’s first wife, and
the two women were very close friends. It is said that Susan
did as much of the courting in this second marriage as David
did. Ann Catherine named her first daughter Susan Young
Jarvis Milne after David’s first wife.
On September 10, 1871, David married a third wife, Anna Hess, a
lso in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. She was born on
8 March, 1854 in Switzerland and came to Utah with her widowed
mother, settling in the Santa Clara area. Evidently Susan
Young Milne had not been consulted about this third marriage,
and it was somewhat disturbing to her and to Ann Catherine also.
At the first Conference held in the newly completed St. George
Temple in April, 1877, David was called on a mission to
Europe. He left St. George in May, 1877, arrived in Liverpool,
England in June, 1877 and was assigned to the Scottish Mission,
where he labored for a year and a half, returning home in
November, 1878. His first wife, Susan Young Milne, died on 19
January, 1881.
In June, 1884, David was called to superintend the painting
work on the Manti Temple, where he worked until its completion
in 1889. David took with him to Manti Anna Hess Milne and
her four children, plus George Jarvis Milne, Ann Catherine’s
oldest boy. Anna’s last two children were born at Manti, but
the last born survived only a few days.
In April, 1890, David was called to Salt Lake City to work on
redecorating the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall. This took
about two years, and he returned to St. George in 1892. While
in Salt Lake he was accompanied by Ann Catherine and her two
youngest children, Josephine and Joseph. He was in poor health
following his return to St. George and was not able to do much
work of any kind. He died on 5 July, 1895, and was buried in
the St. George Cemetery.
His children were as follows:
By Susan Young: John Milne, 1857-1857; Alexander Young Milne,
1859-1929.
By Ann Catherine Jarvis: David Milne, 1871-1878; Susan Young
Jarvis Milne, 1873-1947; George Jarvis Milne, 1875-1930;
Athole Jarvis Milne, 1877-1976; Erastus Jarvis Milne,
1879-1949; Margaret Jarvis Milne, 1882-1920; Josephine
Jarvis Milne, 1884-1982; Joseph Jarvis Milne, 1889-1951.
By Anna Hess: Fanny Hess Milne, 1872-1872; Mary Hess Milne,
1874-1942; Kenneth Hess Milne, 1879-1895; Elizabeth Hess
Milne, 1881-1962; Jessie Hess Milne, 1884-1929; Anna Hess
Milne, 1886-1970; and Catherine Hess Milne, 1888-1888.
Sources: Autobiographical notes by David Milne, written in 1891
and “Life of My Father,” by Josephine Jarvis Milne Hamblin, undated.