"Outside the limits of the village of Portland the first land entry and first permanent settlement by white man was made in December. 1833, by John Milne, an Englishman, who had come to America only a short time before. Although Mr. Milne was the second settler in the town, Philo Bogue having been the first; he was the first to build a house. Mr. Milne made his first home on section 20 and remained a resident thereon until his death.

John Milne came to Portland in December 1833 and this snap shot taken from the biographical sketch from the Portrait and Biographical Album of Ionia and Montcalm Counties (1891) gives us a good picture of the hardships encountered by our pioneers: ".... John, came to America in 1833 from London where he had been a baker. Eventually their travels through the wilderness area by Indian trails brought them into Ionia County. Finding the land they wanted they went into the White Pigeon land office to secure the tract in Section 20 (to the north of the later incorporated village). They traveled to Detroit to purchase teams and tools and upon their return they were accompanied by Mr. King, Mr. Shepard, Mr. Friend, Mr. Inksman and Mr. Selah Arms. Mr. Inksman died from exposure as they were overtaken by winter while on their way and he was buried without ceremony and without a coffin. They reached their destination in mid-winter and pitched their tent on the banks of the Looking Glass River to stay until spring, completely worn out.

The party finally obtained the help of some Indians in erecting a house which was the first cabin ever constructed in Ionia County. They cleared about ten acres on which they raised corn and potatoes so they were prepared for the next winter. In the fall of 1834 the wife and seven children of Mr. Milne joined him in the new home. While making the journey to Buffalo on the canal boat, one of the children became ill with smallpox and the mother and oldest daughter remained behind with him while the other children were sent on in the care of a friend. They lived in the log cabin for fifteen years and then later moved (reluctantly it is written) into a more commodious frame building which they had erected."

Another version of the Milne family.
The United States land office was then at White Pigeon, and there the elder Milne entered his land, receiving in due time his deed bearing the name of Andrew Jackson as president. A portion of that farm yet remains in the family. Their first habitation was a tent, until a log cabin was built in which the family lived for fifteen years, when a larger and more convenient framed house was erected. The log cabin was the first house built by the settlers in Portland. The aged parents passed away several years ago. The brothers and sisters have scattered to different parts of the world, James only remaining. He was married in 1854 to Miss Helen Merchant, and after her decease, subsequently married Miss Mary Moore, daughter of William D. Moore, another of the old settlers. He ended his earthly pilgrimage at the age of 77 years.

Portrait and Biographical Album of Ionia and Montcalm Counties (1891)
Research of Marilynn Johnson