Milon Reno Cline  

Mr. Cline is standing in front of a display wheel, his own invention and handiwork, on which he has a patent pending. He has always been interested in woodworking and can rememeber a spanking received as a small boy for driving a nail in his mother's best chair. He was born in Shelby, O. and came to a farm east of the lake with his parents while still a baby. He attended school in the old Washington country school. Later the family moved to Maxinkuckee, and Mr. Cline bought tools to learn the jewelry trade and took a course of study, but at the age of 21 years he took up the carpentering trade. 40 years ago he moved to Culver and worked as a carpenter and contractor. In 1910 he opened a cement block manufacturing plant and in 1914 opened the lumber business he now operates. He is specializing now in shop work, which Mr. Cline admits he thoroughly enjoys. He is different from most carpenters in that he drives a nail and saws left-handed.

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Mr. Cline is standing in front of a display wheel, his own invention and handiwork, on which he has a patent pending. He has always been interested in woodworking and can rememeber a spanking received as a small boy for driving a nail in his mother's best chair. He was born in Shelby, O

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1952 - Dec 28 - One apartmenr House. New and modern. A good rental property. 1 fine modern home, can be used for t families. Lumber yard and harware and cement products factory. 1 lakefront cottage at Lake Maxinkuckee. All prices to sell . Reason for selling - Wife in hospital and I am 82. M. R. Clune Ph. 23 of 275-W Culver, Indiana. - South Bend Tribune (Indiana)

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Milon Reno Cline, son of George Perry and Catharine Landis Cline, was born October 19, 1870 and died April 30, 1960. He is buried in the Culver Masonic Cemetery, Culver .

Mr. Cline was born near Shelby, Ohio, but moved in 1872 to a small rural neighborhood known as Washington loctated southeast of Culver .

He started doing carpenter work when he was just a young boy and built his first house at the age of 19 for George Rittenhouse. In 1909 he started the cement block business and in 1914 he opened a lumber yard in Culver . In 1946 he sold the retail lumber yard to George Babcock and continued his interest in the building business by constructing custom buildings. He also operated M. R. Cline Novelty Works for a number of years. Several years before his death he turned the business over to his two sons, Noah N. and M. Roth Cline. Roth operated the Building Supply and Hardware Store in Culver until it was sold on January 9, 1963.

Mr. Cline built more than 100 homes and other buildings in and around Culver and the Lake Maxinkuckee area. He helped build the first building for the Culver Military Academy, that building being constructed on the site of a former tabernacle in 1894. He became a friend of the Culver family, especially Edward Culver .

The home in which Mr. Cline lived at the time of his death was one of the most unique buildings in Culver . Located at 421 College Avenue, it was constructed of many rare and beautiful hardwoods and was a two story home with f ull attic. The attic walls and floors were finished. Mr. Cline considered this the favorite among the homes he built.


as the area appeared in the 1920's when the
town was being persuaded into paving College avenue



as the home appears today

Since Mr. Cline's main interest was in the building profession he continued to build and remodel homes after he had officially retired from active ownership of the business. However, he met his death because of his love of the trade. He was attempting to move a large cement tile making machine when it fell on him causing his death.

He married Elizabeth Eldora Flagg on January 25, 1898 in the East Maxinkuckee Washington Methodist Protestant Church which was located southeast of Marmot, now Culver . They were the only couple to be married in this church. They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary at an open house reception at their home in Culver in January, 1948. They had two sons, Noah Nolan Cline and Milton Roth Cline.

After many years of membership and service in the Methodist Episcopal church, Mrs. and Mrs. Cline transferred to the First C hurch of Christ, Scientist at Plymouth. Mrs. Mary Cline.

History of Marshall County Indiana Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 -, Taylor Publishing Co., 1986, Publication # 357 of 1422, Marshall County Historical Society pg. 125