David Milligan
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David
Milligan. a well known, enterprising business man of Jefferson, was
born upon the south coast of Scotland in 1840. He is a son of John and
Jane Milligan, both natives of Scotland, where his father, a well known
agriculturist. passed away when David was but a baby. His mother was
again married, her second husband being Robert Ferguson, with whom she
came to the United States in 1857 and located on a farm in Ogle county,
Illinois, where she passed away in 1900 at the age of eighty-two. Her
first marriage was blessed with one son, David, the subject of this
sketch. By her second inarriage she had ten children.
David Milligan is indebted to the public schools of his native
country for his early educational advantages. He was sixteen years of
age when he came to America alone in 1855, and he immediately secured
employment on a farm in Ogle county. Illinois, where he worked for his
board and clothes. He continued to work by the month until he had
attained the age of twenty-one years, and by habits of thrift, which
were early instilled into his education, he had laid by a little
capital with which he traveled
to Wisconsin and rented land. which he farmed for seven years. In the
spring of 1870 Mr. Milligan removed to Jefferson, Iowa, where he
conducted a meat market for several months until the opportunity of
going into the grain business presented itself. He launched out in this
enterprise by himself and his patronage increased so rapidly, owing to
his excellent management and reliable business methods which he
followed, that in 1872 he formed a partnership with Captain August
Yerger. This firm, which became known as A. Yerger & Company, grain
and lumber merchants. steadily increased its business until the company
was acknowledged to occupy a leading position as a representative of
that line of trade. In 1877 Mr. Milligan sold out his interest in the
business and entered into partnership with W. D. Chandler in the
grocery business under the firm name of Chandler & Milligan, but
this line was not as attractive to Mr. Milligan and at the end of one
year he again entered the grain and lumber business. Whenever he
launched an enterprise he pushed it so far that he could always command
a good price, and in this way was enabled to make a success of his
business. He accordingly sold out to Thomas Fowler and formed a
partnership in the grain and lumber business with F. J . Harrington and
A. Morehouse under the firm name of Harrington, Morehouse &
Milligan. Their products found various markets and their patronage
annually increased. Mr. Morehouse retired after a few years and the
firm was continued as Harrington & Milligan up to the death of Mr.
Harrington in 1890, the business was carried on under the same name
until 1905, when it was changed to D. Milligan Company. The company
consists of the three sons of David Milligan, and they have branches at
Scranton, Cooper, Farlin and Sioux City.
In 1867 Mr. Milligan was married to Addie R. King, a native of New
York. who was born there in 1847. Their union has been blessed with
five children: Cora E., the wife of F. R. McCarthy. a well known shoe
merchant of Jefferson; F. W., who is in business with his father at
Sioux City; Elmer A., who is likewise a member of his
father’s firm; Frank D., also in business with his father; and Grace M.
While his business affairs have made heavy demands upon Mr. Milligan’s
attention, he has nevertheless found time to aid in many interests and
movements calculated to prove of benefit to Jefferson, withholding his
support from no measure that he believes will advance the welfare of
that place. He is a member of all of the Masonic orders and is
particularly interested in church work, being for many years a
consistent and helpful member of the Baptist church. His political
support is given to the republican party and although he has never
aspired to political honors, he has been an efficient member of the
school board for a number of years. In business he sustains an
unassailable reputation. He is a man of keen discernment, sagacious and
enterprising, and whatever he undertakes he carries forward to a
successful completion. He is true to every obligation of public and
private life and has never been known to betray a trust in the
slightest degree; his honesty is proverbial and as a man of unfaltering
honor his life is proving an example well worthy of emulation.
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