Goodspeed's Biographies Goodspeed's History of Greene County -- 1887

William E. F. Milburn

William E. F. Milburn, lawyer, was born at Milburnton, Greene County, November 15, 1844, the son of Rev. William and Martha (Frame) Milburn.

The former was born near Winchester, Va. September 16, 1797, the son of Jonathan and Nancy Milburn, natives of Virginia. The former was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and a pioneer of Greene County about l804. The father was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church for five years more than half a century. He was during the war of the Rebellion an avowed Union man, and was much persecuted, and imprisoned by the rebels for his Union sentiments. He was chaplain of the Eighth Regiment Tennessee Cavalry, Volunteers, United States Army. The mother was born near Harper's Ferry, Va., April 10, 1802 and died February l4, 1861. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Our subject served as a soldier from November 20, 1862, to October 25, 1865, in Company B, Twelfth Regiment Tennessee Cavalry, Volunteers, United States Army, in the war of the Rebellion. He was engaged in the battles of Florence and Shoal Creek, and Sugar Creek, Ala; Pulaski, Triune, Clifton, Spring Hill, Columbia, Campbellsville, Franklin and Nashville, Tenn.; and the fourteen days of continuous skirmishing with Gen. Hood's retreating forces, from Nashville to Eastport, Miss.

After the war he entered school, and was graduated with the degree of A.B. and won the highest honors of the class of 1871 in the East Tennessee Wesleyan University. For the two successive years, 1872 and 1873, he was professor of mathematics in his then alma mater. In the year 1874 he was graduated, upon examination, from the University of Michigan, with the degree of Master of Arts. He was president of the Holston Seminary for one year. 1874-75, in the meantime reading law, so as to be admitted to the bar in 1876 at Athens, Tenn., his license being signed by Judge Hayle and Chancellor Bradford. In 1879 he removed to Abilene, Kas., and early in 1880 he located at Greeneville, Tenn.

From January, 1882 to July 1885, he was special examiner of the United States Pension Bureau in the State of Kentucky, with headquarters at Bowling Green, after which he resumed the practice of law at Greeneville. In November, 1886, he was elected, as a Republican, to represent the County of Greene, and served with ability and distinction in the Legislature of 1887. He was a member of the executive committee of the State Temperance Alliance, and took an active part in the canvass to adopt the constitutional Prohibition amendment in l887.

October 1, 1878, Florence Ella, daughter of Mr. John H. Williams, of Golden, Col., became his wife. She was born at Ducktown, Tenn., March 19, l859. To this union have been born three children, namely: Lulu Belle, Frank Emily and Blain. Mrs. Milburn is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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