The Milner Family papers document the family’s activities through a series of letters and photographs between family members in Indiana, Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland from 1914-1954 with the bulk of the material dating from 1917-1920. Daily activities of Ralph Milner during his enlistment in World War I and his time with the United Fruit Company are of note, as are those of Russell Milner during his experience in the Student Army Training Corps (SATC) at Perdue University. A photograph album documents Russell’s childhood and his experience as an adult in Panco, Oklahoma as an oil refinery engineer. Sympathy cards and condolence letters document the death of Evolyn Milner Carpenter (1889-1918). Series of correspondence between Verna Milner between her friends and family are also included.

Ralph Gregg Milner (1893-1976) was a native of Indiana; he attended Purdue University and served in the American Expeditionary Forces, the 37th Aero Squadron during World War I.  After his squadron demobilized in December of 1918, he became an overseer of plantations at the United Fruit Company in Costa Rica.  In 1923, he moved to Florida and married Mary Cabrera in 1930.  His younger brother, Russell Milner (1901-?) also attended Purdue University in 1918 and participated in the Student Army Training Corps (SATC) program.  During the early 1920s, Russell worked in Oklahoma as an engineer for oil refineries.  Eliza Gregg Milner was the wife of W.L. Milner and mother of Verna E. Milner Hudson, Mary Evolyn Milner Carpenter, Ralph Gregg Milner, and William Russell Milner.  Verna E. Milner Hudson (1886-?) married Dill Hudson.  Mary Ann and William Milner Carpenter were the children of Mary Evolyn Milner Carpenter (1889-1918). Evolyn died from the influenza epidemic and buried in Mooresville, Indiana.

Folders are listed by their location in each box; any given subject may be dispersed throughout the entirety of the collection.