William Henry Milburn
Encyclopedia
William Henry Milburn was a blind
Methodist clergyman who, like Fanny Crosby
and Helen Keller
, did not permit adversity keeping him from a life of meaning and purpose. A friend of notables including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
, he was Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
in 1845 and Chaplain of the Senate fifty years later (1893 until his death in 1903).
, to Nicholas and Ann (Wyeth) Milburn, who were devout Methodists and often hosted well-known Methodist preachers in their home. His father was a prosperous merchant, until reverses in the economy led to the failure of his business. The family relocated to Jacksonville, Illinois
, then still "the West" in 1838. There, Milburn was raised.
Before their move to Philadelphia, Milburn's left eye had been injured by a piece of glass thrown by a playmate. Kept in a dark room for over a year to attempt to aid healing, the eye was permanently blinded when doctors tried to remove the callus that had formed over it, using some kind of caustic. Sadly, the impairment of that eye led to a similar impairment it the other, causing him to be partially blind in his youth, and totally blind by his forties. Milburn's account of this disaster in his autobiography is eloquently compelling.
A bright young man, he was chiefly self-educated, though he had tutors in Latin and Greek, until enrolling Illinois College
from which he was unable to graduate due to his waning eyesight. At the urging of minister friends including Peter Cartwright
, Milburn became a Methodist circuit rider in 1843.
Thereafter, in succession Milburn served Methodist churches in Montgomery, Alabama
and Mobile, Alabama
, where, having been tried for heresy, he spent several years serving a free church. After serving his second term as House Chaplain (1853) Milburn moved to New York City
where he was pastor of the Pacific Street Methodist Church, and then the John Street Methodist Church, while also engaged in a life of lecturing. He was elected for two more terms as Chaplain of the House in 1885 and in 1887. He preached and lectured throughout the United States
, Canada
, Great Britain
and Ireland
. Among his published works, his autobiography, Ten Years of Preacher-Life remains a vivid work of non-fiction and is readily available on line.
Milburn died in Santa Barbara, California, on April 11, 1903.
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
Methodist clergyman who, like Fanny Crosby
Fanny Crosby
Frances Jane Crosby , usually known as Fanny Crosby in the United States and by her married name, Frances van Alstyne, in the United Kingdom, was an American Methodist rescue mission worker, poet, lyricist, and composer. During her lifetime, she was well-known throughout the United States...
and Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
, did not permit adversity keeping him from a life of meaning and purpose. A friend of notables including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
, he was Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
The election of William Linn as Chaplain of the House on May 1, 1789, continued the tradition established by the Continental Congresses of each day's proceedings opening with a prayer by a chaplain. The early Chaplains alternated duties with their Senate counterparts on a weekly basis, covering the...
in 1845 and Chaplain of the Senate fifty years later (1893 until his death in 1903).
Early life
William Henry Milburn was born September 26, 1823, in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, to Nicholas and Ann (Wyeth) Milburn, who were devout Methodists and often hosted well-known Methodist preachers in their home. His father was a prosperous merchant, until reverses in the economy led to the failure of his business. The family relocated to Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,940 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County....
, then still "the West" in 1838. There, Milburn was raised.
Before their move to Philadelphia, Milburn's left eye had been injured by a piece of glass thrown by a playmate. Kept in a dark room for over a year to attempt to aid healing, the eye was permanently blinded when doctors tried to remove the callus that had formed over it, using some kind of caustic. Sadly, the impairment of that eye led to a similar impairment it the other, causing him to be partially blind in his youth, and totally blind by his forties. Milburn's account of this disaster in his autobiography is eloquently compelling.
A bright young man, he was chiefly self-educated, though he had tutors in Latin and Greek, until enrolling Illinois College
Illinois College
Illinois College is a private, liberal arts college, affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church , and located in Jacksonville, Illinois. It was the second college founded in Illinois, but the first to grant a degree . It was founded in 1829 by the Illinois Band,...
from which he was unable to graduate due to his waning eyesight. At the urging of minister friends including Peter Cartwright
Peter Cartwright
Peter Cartwright may refer to:* Peter Cartwright , American revivalist and politician in Illinois*Peter Cartwright , husband of the Governor-General of New Zealand, Silvia Cartwright, and chair of the Broadcasting Standards Authority*Peter Cartwright played Elphias Doge in Harry Potter and the...
, Milburn became a Methodist circuit rider in 1843.
Ministry
His early ministry consisted of hundreds of miles of travel on horseback each month, throughout the Midwest. On a steamboat in the Ohio he delivered a sermon in which he rebuked Congressmen on board for their intemperate behavior. This led to his name being proposed for Chaplain of the House of Representatives, a post to which he was elected in 1845 and reelected in 1853.Thereafter, in succession Milburn served Methodist churches in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
and Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, where, having been tried for heresy, he spent several years serving a free church. After serving his second term as House Chaplain (1853) Milburn moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he was pastor of the Pacific Street Methodist Church, and then the John Street Methodist Church, while also engaged in a life of lecturing. He was elected for two more terms as Chaplain of the House in 1885 and in 1887. He preached and lectured throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Among his published works, his autobiography, Ten Years of Preacher-Life remains a vivid work of non-fiction and is readily available on line.
Milburn died in Santa Barbara, California, on April 11, 1903.