Lawyer, politician, and Episcopal clergyman who chaired the foundational meetings of the American Tract Society in 1825 and served continuously on its executive and publishing committees.
| When Burke met | 1821 |
| Where Burke met | New York City |
| Occupation | Clergy |
| Interaction with Burke | Gave Burke tracts to distribute |
| Identity Status | Confirmed |
| Genealogy | Wikitree |
| Memoir Pages | 112 |
Notes
James Milnor (1773–1844) was an American lawyer, politician, and Episcopal clergyman. Born in Philadelphia to Quaker parents, he attended the University of Pennsylvania but withdrew to study law after his father suffered financial losses. Admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1794, Milnor was a staunch Federalist who served on the Philadelphia Select Council from 1805 to 1810 (acting as president from 1808 to 1809) and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1810 to 1813. Around 1812, he converted to his wife’s Episcopal faith and subsequently left the legal profession to enter the ministry. After briefly serving a Philadelphia church in 1815, he relocated to New York City in 1816 to become the minister of St. George’s Parish. Milnor remained a prominent religious leader until his death, notably chairing the foundational meetings of the American Tract Society in 1825 and serving continuously on its executive and publishing committees.
Sources
Burke, William. Memoir of William Burke: A Soldier of the Revolution, Reformed from Intemperance, and for Many Years a Consistent and Devoted Christian; Carefully Prepared from a Journal Kept by Himself; to Which Is Added, an Extract from a Sermon Preached at His Funeral, by Rev. Nathaniel Miner. Hartford, CT: Case, Tiffany, 1837.