Representative Milton George Urner

Milton George Urner (July 29, 1839 – February 9, 1926) was a U.S. Congressman from the sixth district of Maryland, serving two terms from 1879 until 1883. Born in the Liberty district of Frederick County, Maryland, he was educated in the common schools of his native area. Seeking further education, he attended the Freeland Seminary in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and later Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, institutions that helped prepare him for a professional career in law and public service.

Before entering the legal profession, Urner engaged in teaching in Frederick County from 1859 to 1862, reflecting an early commitment to education and community life. During this period he began the study of law, and in 1863 he was admitted to the bar. He commenced the practice of law in Frederick, Maryland, where he quickly established himself as a capable attorney. His growing reputation led to his election as State’s attorney for Frederick County, a position he held from 1871 to 1875, in which he was responsible for prosecuting criminal cases and representing the state’s interests at the county level.

Urner’s experience as State’s attorney and his standing in the legal community provided a foundation for his entry into national politics. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected in 1878 as a Republican to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses, representing Maryland’s sixth congressional district. His service in the United States House of Representatives extended from March 4, 1879, to March 3, 1883, a significant period in American history marked by the post-Reconstruction era and ongoing debates over economic and administrative reform. As a member of the House of Representatives, Milton George Urner participated in the democratic process, contributed to the legislative work of Congress, and represented the interests of his Maryland constituents.

During his tenure in Congress, Urner held a leadership role as chairman of the Committee on Accounts in the Forty-seventh Congress. In this capacity he oversaw matters relating to the financial administration and internal expenditures of the House, reflecting the confidence of his colleagues in his judgment and integrity. After serving two terms, he was not a candidate for renomination in 1882, thereby concluding his congressional service in 1883. He then resumed the practice of law in Frederick, continuing his long association with the legal profession.

In addition to his legal work, Urner expanded his professional activities in the late 1880s. In 1887 he became local attorney for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, representing one of the era’s most prominent transportation enterprises. His public service continued at the state level when he served as a member of the Maryland State Senate from 1888 until 1890. In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison appointed him naval officer at the port of Baltimore, a federal customs position that involved oversight of revenue collection and maritime commercial regulation at one of the nation’s important ports.

Later in life, Urner engaged in banking and other business enterprises, further broadening his influence in the economic life of Maryland. He also became a trustee of several educational institutions, reflecting the continuity of his early interest in education and civic improvement. His family included notable descendants; his grandson, Joseph Urner (January 16, 1898 – 1987), became an American sculptor, painter, and etcher, best known for creating the Alabama State Memorial at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Milton George Urner died in Frederick, Maryland, on February 9, 1926. He was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, closing a long life marked by service as an educator, attorney, state’s attorney, state senator, federal officeholder, and member of the United States Congress.