Lucinda Mitchell Reid

  Research Notes:

Lucie Reid Milner, wife of Rev. Duncan C. Milner of Chicago, Illinois, was called suddenly to her Heavenly Home in the quiet of the night, May 4, 1914.
To her, life was so real, so earnest, that it seemed fitting that there should be such a short step into the new and larger life--she "walked with God" and she "was not, for God took her."
Mrs. Milner was of Scotch-Irish ancestry, born in Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, daughter of Wm. and Rachel Mitchell Reid, November 29, 1845.
As a child she was very fond of reading and study, reading the best books and studying advanced mathematics at an early age. When only sixteen years old she graduated from the seminary at West Middleton, Pennsylvania, and later attended Monticello Seminary for one year.
May 19th, 1868, she became the wife of the Rev. Duncan Chambers Milner, then recovering from wounds received in the Civil War, and together they went West as pioneer missionaries. Theid wedding trip included a twenty-eight hour coach ride over the Ozark mountains, from Rolla to Springfield, Missouri, and then seventy-five miles in a wagon to Osceola, Missouri, their first charge. In October, Mr. Milner and eight other young men from the Union Seminary were ordained at Kansas City. Mr. Milner was the only one whose wife was present. This band of young Home Missionaries did pioneer service in Kansas and Missouri, at that time in a very unsettled condition as a result of the war. From Osceola the young couple went to Kansas City, Missouri, for a few years, and in the spring of 1875 to Ottawa, Kansas. Both here, and later in other charges at Atchison and Manhattan, Kansas, Armous Mission, Chicago, Joliet, Illinois, and Logan Square, Chicago, as wife of the Pastor she was a strong and capable helpmeet to him, as well as a true friend and adviser to the members of the congregation. Many young mothers came to her for counsel and encouragement, and young ministers who met her profited by her wise advice. In all the cares and trials of family and pastoral life, she was always cheerful and "bore her burdens with ease."
Unbounded in hospitality, those who came to her home felt the power of her life and remembered her wise, pithy sayings. Her religion was not a matter of words, but of deeds. Many beside her own children "will rise up and call her blessed."
The funeral was held May 9th, and the interment was in Oakwoods Cemetery. The services were under the direction of her pastor, Rev. F.L. Selden. Dr. F.W. Gunsaulus, a personal friend, paid a beautiful tribute to her memory. The Rev. Drs. Luccock and Covert had part in the service. Mr. Thomas Ratcliffe sang two of her favorite hymns, "How firmm a Foundation" and "Lead Kindly Light." A verse of "Nearer my God to Thee" was sung at the grave in the beautiful sunshine, with all nature reminding of the resurrection. In accordance with her wishes there was none of the conventional black.
There was so much that suggested the triumph of Christian faith in the hour of sadness and separation, that one friend said the only word she thought of was "Victory."
Truly--"The World is richer that she lived and Heaven that she died."

Lucinda married Duncan Chambers Milner, son of David Neiswanger Milner and Mary Ann Chambers, on 19 May 1868 in Mount Pleasant, Jefferson, Ohio, USA. (Duncan Chambers Milner was born on 10 Mar 1841 in Mount Pleasant, Jefferson, Ohio, USA, died on 18 Mar 1928 in Mount Dora, Lake, Florida, USA and was buried in Oakwoods Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois.)