Dr. William Cochrane Milner was born in Sackville, New Brunswick, in 1846, the son of Christopher Milner and Elizabeth Morse. He graduated from Mount Allison University with a B.Sc. degree in 1864. He also studied law but only practised for a few years after being called to the New Brunswick bar.

In 1870, he founded the Chignecto Post, later known as the Sackvillle Post, and later purchased the Borderer and amalgamated it with the Post. He continued in control until 1884 when he resigned his editorial position. In 1874, he started a campaign for the construction of the Sackville-Cape Tormentine Railway, of which he became secretary. He was appointed collector of customs at Sackville in 1882. He held that position until 1897. He moved to Point de Bute where in 1898 he promoted and became manager of a company to drain the Missquash lakes and bogs to reclaim about nine square miles of land. In 1902, he moved to Halifax where he continued newspaper writing, chiefly on historical subjects.

In 1912, he accepted the position of Dominion archivist for the maritime provinces. He continued to hold this position until 1928. He retired that year and made his home at Wolfville, Nova Scotia. In his retirement he continued with writing with a great deal of original research into original records of New Brunswick. He wrote numerous publications on New Brunswick history.

In June 1887, Milner married Althea Smith, daughter of Horatio B. Smith at Stone Church in Saint John. They had two sons: Horatio R. Milner (b. 1889), of the firm of Milner, Dafoe, Poirier and Martland, Edmonton; and William Binney Milner (b. 1888).

Sources:
Ganong fonds F184;
Vital Statistics, 1887;