Miami Union

December 14, 1911 

MILNE, ROBERT S. - Robert S. Milne of near Bloomer, who was en route home from a trip to France where he went to buy fine horses, lost his life in a triple wreck of two freights and express train, about 25 miles this side of Pittsburg,, Pa., Wednesday of last week.  He had bought six valuable horses all of which were killed in the wreck.  A freight train had crashed into another freight which had stalled, and a fast express train was so close behind that a flagman could not get back in time to stop it, and it crashed into the freight wreck, resulting in the killing of six men and twenty horses among which were Milne and his six horses.  Another stockman of Wilston, North Dakota, who had bought 14 horses, was also killed with all of his horses.  Mr. Milne was riding in the car with the horses which was next to the engine.  The value of the horses totaled nearly $50,000.  By mistake the body was shipped to Bradford, Pa., and consequently did not reach Bradford O., till Thursday midnight.  Funeral services were held from the Presbyterian church in Bradford, Sunday afternoon.  Robert Smith Milne, oldest son of Isaac and Mary Lobban Milne, was born in Invernrie, Scotland, July 13, 1870.  He was of a family of seven children, two daughters and five sons, two brothers died some years ago.  The sisters and one brother now live in Amherst, Nova Scotia, and one brother in Roseberry, Canada.  He came with his parents to America in 1872, and located at Markham, Canada, where he resided until 1897.  Coming to Ohio in August of that year, he located at Tippecanoe City, where he remained for about six years.  In 1904 he moved to Darke county near Greenville, and in 1907 he removed to the Martz Stock Farm, about four miles northwest of Bradford, engaging with John Martz in the handling of pure bred stock, and resided there at the time of his death.  February 14, 1894, he was united in marriage to Miss Roxie Telfer at Weston, Canada.  To this union were born four children, one of whom, Elise Mary, died in infancy, leaving to mourn his departure, the wife and three children, Douglas, Irene and Evelyn.  His parents being strict adherents of the Scotch Presbyterian faith, they instilled in him those sterling qualities of correct living, which afterward went far toward making him the man that he was.  As a citizen he was upright in the fullest sense.  He enjoyed the respect and confidence of all with whom he came in contact.  No trust however great was every betrayed by him.  Early in life he developed a strong liking for stock.  There was no better judge on this subject than he.  His sole ambition in recent years was to acquire pure bred stock of all kinds and assist in developing an interest in draft horses in his neighborhood.

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