Thomas Mills 1825 - 1908
Thomas was the son of Felix Mills (1799-1873) and Rachel Owens Mills (1805-1880). He was born 17 July 1825 in Mt. Vernon, Posey County, Indiana, USA.
He married Lucretia Barton on 20 August 1846 in Posey County, Indiana, USA. They had the following children:
John Mills (1849 - 1928)
Fielden Mills (1851 - 1920)
Mary Jane Mills (1853 - 1932)
Virgil Mills (1856 - 1927)
Felix Mills (1857 - 1915)
Romelia Jay Mills (1860 - 1944)
Allen Mills (1862 - 1944)
Rachel Mills (1864 - 1927)
Joseph Mills (1866 - 1951)
Lawrence Mills (1869 - 1954)
Lee Mills (1872 - 1953)
As of the 1850 census, Thomas and Lucretia lived in Robinson Township, Posey County, Indiana, USA (census image here) (View neighbors in HTML)
As of the 1860 census, Thomas and Lucretia were still in Robinson Township. Virgil and Fielden were living with Lucretia's cousin William Barton during the census that year, and thus were erroneously recorded in the census as Bartons. (census image here) (View neighbors in HTML)
As of the 1870 census, Thomas and Lucretia had not left Robinson Township. The census mixup this decade involved Romelia J. Downen, who was staying with them and was erroneously listed as a Mills. Romelia was the son of Thomas's sister Rachel Mills Downen and Lucretia's first cousin Timothy Downen
. (census image here) (View neighbors in html)
As of the 1880 census, Thomas and Lucretia showed up once more in Robinson Township, although this is the last census which survives that shows them living in Indiana. (census image here) (View neighbors in HTML)
As of the 1900 census, Thomas and Lucretia lived in Asbury Township, Gallatin County, Illinois, USA (census image here) (View neighbors in HTML)
Thomas passed from this life on 15 October 1908 in Cottonwood, Asbury Township, Gallatin County, Illinois, USA.
He was buried at Old Cottonwood Cemetery, Cottonwood, Asbury Township, Gallatin County, Illinois, USA.
From the History and Families of Gallatin County Illinois, Volume I, 1988:
[Thomas & Lucretia] made their home in Section 6 of Robinson Township of Posey County.
They moved to Gallatin County, Illinois in 1896. They built a new home, almost identical to the one they had left in Posey County, at the top of the hill a little west of Cottonwood. Their granddaughter, Marie Mills Millspaugh, lives in it (this was as of 1988, Florence Marie died in 1995). All of their family, with the exception of Fielden Nickolas and Joseph, had moved to Gallatin County, Illinois by this time. Nick and Joe lived the remainder of their lives in Posey County.
Thomas gave each of his children 40 acres of land and helped them to buy an additional 40 acres when they married. Eighty acres was adequate for a young family starting on their own.
There were 60 relatives and in-laws present to celebrate Thomas' 83rd birthday 17th July 1908. Allen was the only one of their children unable to attend.
Thomas and Lucretia were buried in Old Cottonwood Cemetery. It was reported that the funeral procession of horses and buggies at Thomas's interment was a mile long. That was a testament to the high standing he had in the community.
Thomas was active in civic affairs in Posey County. Many of his sons continued to take an active interest in local affairs of Gallatin County.
Other Links
Thomas Mills page at Find A Grave
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