Milner, Robert Teague

Arnold and Mary Milner moved to the Henderson, Texas area from Cherokee County, Alabama, bringing their young son Robert Teague Milner (1851-1923) with them. After teaching school for fifteen years, Robert purchased the Henderson Times in 1881, which he published and edited for twenty-five years.

His experience as a teacher aided him in becoming the chairman of the committee on education during his time in the House of, 1887-1892. He established the requirement to teach Texas history in public schools. He served as the first state commissioner for the new department of agriculture in 1907 but left the following year to become president of Texas A&M. During his tenure as president, he separated the engineering and agricultural schools. After serving as president for six years, Robert resigned in June 1913.

Sources:

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Milner, Robert Teague," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/MM/fmi43.html (accessed July 27, 2010).

From the guide to the Robert Teague Milner Papers 1930., 1852-1913, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)