The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-05-12
Member of Boutwell,, Milne
d Varnum Co. Had Been
There the Past Year
WAS ONE OF BAR - IS
LEADING c-slENs
He Had Been i .erested in
Many Public En-
terprises

George d. Milne, one Of Barre's best
known business men and long identified
with the granite industry, died in Denver,
Col, yesterday. A telegram received by
James NJ. Boutwell, of the firm OF Bout
well. Milne s. Varnum, brought TO rcla.
tives and business associates here tho
first information of his demise. Tho
news came unexpectedly to friends, WHO
had anticipated his early return to Barre.
after a sojoarn of more than wear IN
Colorado. With him in the hoar OF dealt,
we're his wife and son, George Edmund
Milne. The body will be- brought 10 this
city for burial next week, although it is
not known definitely on what dav the
funeral party win arrive here.
George Barron Milne was born in Min
MARI, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. a small
town is miles from the shire city of
Aberdeen, Dec. 81, 1857. the Youngest of
10 children born to James and Anna
tDickie) Milne. His father was the fore
man of highway laborers but as he an
preached young manhood. the son did not
elect to follow in the footsteps of the
elder Milne. Instead. at the age of II,
he became an apprentice granite cutter in
the Aberdeen shop of Mcdonald & Field,
at a salary ranging from 80 shillings to
fS for 10 periods of six months each.
With thoroughness characteristic in his
business endeavors of after years, he
mastered every detail of the craft. For
two years he served as a iourneyman in
Aberdeen, coming to America in 1850.
From New York he. went to St Louis,
Mo-, and for year he engaged with
United States engineers in canal con
struction on the Tennessee river in Ala
bama at Granitevile. Mo. Subsequently
he returned to the East and for more
than two years he worked in Vinal Ha.
ven, Me. and on Fox Island, Me.
He came to Barre in March, 1888. and
after working as a granite cutter in the
plant of Mcdonald & Buchan for two
wears, he engaged in business with Will
liam S. Wyllie, the two men conducting
plant on Granite street
under the firm name of Milne & Wyllie.
It was in 1889 that Mr.. Milne had his
first experience in the quarrying end of
he granite industry. In that year Milne
Wyllie acquired the quarry located be-
5ween the Langdon quarry, so called. and
he Empire quarry in Graniteville. From
hat time forward his business career
,eemed to be shaped by the growth of
he Barre quarrying industry.
In 1895, or thereabouts, Mr.. Wyllie. re-
urning to Scotland. disposed of his in
crest in the business to Clarihew &
cray. the firm being known thereafter
s Milne, Clarihew & Gray. After the
eath OF Mr.. Clarihew. the business was
ontinued by Milne g. Gray until Mr..
iilne purchased the holdings of Mr.. Gray
n 1905. AT that time several quarrying
held jointly by H. w Varnum
nd ]. NJ Boutwell, and Mr. Milne were
into the corporation known
S Boutwell,, Milne & Narnum, a quarry
NJ concern whose product, known as
The Rock of Ages" has attained nation
'ide repute. Among the various asso-
ates who knew him in business circles,
Ir. Milne was held in high esteem for
is foresight and his strict integrity.
Varied institutions societies. fraternal
rders, etc. have received the support
Mr.. Milne and are deeply indebted to
i'm for his loyalty, His philanthropic
brit. as manifested in his relations with
he City hospital, Goddard seminary,
Iurch societies and other worthy organ
ations, marked him as a man of many
Even the humblest work
an in his employ came to know. ofttimes
a very substantial way his employers
In the spring of 1914 Mr.. Milne was
osen chairman Of the committee IN
arge of the $4,000 fund for the new
ty hospital He was a upfnher Of the
ard of trustees q that institution and
lswerving in his support Of its inter
Is. He was a member o. the board Of
ustees at Goddard seminary and ar s6-
rent Of the First Presbyterian ch'i.cli.
32d degree Mason. here in Parre lie be-
nged to Granite lodge. Granite chsnteg
Il st. Aldemar commandsrv On tho
pht Of the institution OF HiGwat,e
zoe of Odd Fellows Mr. Milne became
member of the order. Not long after
an Gordon. Nc. Il. q. :. e., was char
ed. Mr. Milne enrolled as member.
also belonged 70 the Barre Burns clp6.
2 Vincitia club and the Elks. ae vas
in the Barre Hotel Co. AMI
= actively interested in the move Ia
,cure up-to-datc hotel facilities for his
me city.
The deceased Is survived hv his wife.
O was Miss Caroline Relic Jones.
lighter Of Mr.. and Mrs. John Jones ~
: city. to whom he was married in
rre June 10. fsSs; one 81 two s0ns
II to them. Justice J. Milne. j dead:
second son. George Edmund Nl9r.
n in 1900, survives. He also lesYes
y sisters and brother. johnson Milne.
Scotland
saH--e=