Portrait and Biographical Album, pages 722-723John H. Mills was a small child when he was brought from his Kentucky birthplace to DeWitt County in early pioneer days, so that he has been a witness of nearly its entire development from the wilderness to its present advanced condition as a rich agricultural center, and he has had a hand in bringing about this great change, for he has for many years aided in carrying n its farming and stock-raising interests and has a good farm on section 24, Barnett Township.
December 10, 1827, was the date of the birth of our subject in Bourbon County, KY. His parents, Nathan and Catherine (Jameson) Mills were natives of Virginia and were there reared and married. They soon after went to Kentucky in the pioneer years of its settlement and there Mr. Mills made his home until death. He had intended, however, to take up his residence on the fertile soil of Illinois, and in 1832 had visited DeWitt County and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in the southwestern corner of Clintonia Township. He had then returned to his wife and children in Kentucky, and had suddenly died before completing his preparations for removal to this county. His household thus sadly bereft of its head, courageously set forth the following October for the unknown wilderness, where he had designed to build up a habitation for his loved ones. The mother and children settled on the land that he had taken up, and there she died in 1875 at the venerable age of ninety years. She reared nine children to good and useful lives, namely: Benjamin, who died at Clinton this county; Margaret, now Mrs. Barnett; William A., who died in Illinois; Rufus, Thomas, Paschal, Washington; Mrs. Ann Paine; and John H.
John Mills, coming thus early in life to Illinois with his mother, was reared in this State and gained what education was afforded in the primitive schools of pioneer days. He lived with his mother until he was twenty-two years old, and after marriage established a home of his own on section 24, Barnett Township, where he entered eighty acres of land. He has done well in his farming operations and now owns a valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which is under excellent tillage and is provided with a good class of buildings. When he entered upon his career as an independent farmer his only capital was the $47 which was his share of his father’s estate. But he was well dowered with sound sense, a self-reliant spirit and a good capacity for hard and continuous labor that have stood him in good stead and have materially contributed to his well being. He is a worthy citizen and is warmly interested in political affairs, taking sides with the Republican party as he sincerely believes its policy the best for the guidance of the nation.
The marriage of Mr. Mills with Miss Ruth Sprague, a native of Ohio, was solemnized September 7, 1847. To them two children were born, of whom one died in infancy while the other, Charles W. Was drowned in a well while at school when he was but twelve years old. The maiden name of the present wife of our subject was Talitha Parker and she is a daughter of John and Hannah (Burson) Parker. They were originally from Virginia, and were early settlers of Ohio, where Mrs. Parker died. Mar. Parker subsequently married Clarinda Carter. By his first marriage he became the father of one son and three daughters, Mary, Lockey, and Talitha; the son died in infancy. By his second marriage he had five sons and two daughters. Mr. Parker came to DeWitt in 1852 from Union County, Ohio. He was a son of John and Nancy (Carnes) Parker. The second wife of our subject came to Illinois in 1850. She was formerly married to George Cushman, and had one son, George, who now resides in Clinton. She is a woman of excellent character and is one of the truest members of the Christian church. Her marriage with Mr. mills has brought them five children, of whom they have reared three: Henry Ara, wife of B. Sprague; and Lora, wife of Joseph H. McKinney.
JOHN HENRY MILLS DIED LAST NIGHT
Pioneer Resident of County Passed Away at Home in Green Valley Neighborhood After Brief Illness
John Henry Mills, a pioneer resident of this county, died in his home in the Green Valley neighborhood west of Clinton, Monday night at 11 o'clock after a very brief illness of complication of diseases.
Mr. Mills was 89 years, 1 month and 26 days old at the time of his death and had been a resident of Clintonia and Barnett township for over eighty years. He was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, December 10, 1827, to Nathan and Catharine Mills, pioneers of Scottish decent, who had followed the rapid westward emigration from old Virginia to the green fields of Kentucky. When the deceased was six years of age his father with the desire to seek newer and better fields came to Illinois where he entered 200 acres of land in Clintonia and Tunbridge townships. He was taken ill with the fever while in Illinois and died soon after his return home. His wife courageously gathered her family about her and it was in Mr. Mills' seventh year that he was brought from his Kentucky birthplace to a new home in Illinois.
The trip overland was made in covered wagons drawn by horses and with the bad roads and other drawbacks, over a month was required to make the journey. The family arrived the latter part of October in 1835 and settled on the farm entered by the husband and father. Those who made the trip were the mother who died in 1876; Bentley, Pascal, Rufus, Thomas, Washington, Nancy, Ann, and J.H. Mills. A sister Margaret Barnett had come to Illinois three years previous and a brother arrived two years later.
Mr. Mills grew up in the rugged pioneer life of central Illinois gleaning his education from his mother, and from the meager courses of study enjoyed in the pioneer schools of that time. He passed through the early struggles of the family to farm their land without the aid of their father, and assisted his older brothers in farming the home place. In the year 1847, he entered eighty acres of land in Barnett township in section 24 which is still his home.
He set up a small house on this land and on September 20 of that year he was united in marriage to Ruth J. Sprague. To this union was born two children, a girl who died in infancy, and a boy, Charles, who was drowned in a well at the age of 11 years. This wife died in October 1850. He was married a second time this wife being Talitha Cushman. This wedding took place on February 27, four years after the death of his first wife. Five children were born to this union, two girls dying in infancy. The following survive: Henry C. Mills, residing on the home place, Ara Mills Sprague, and Lora Mills McKinney, and a step-son Frank Cushman of Clinton. Mrs. Mills passed away on February 2, 1903.
Mrs. Catharine Mills, the mother died in 1876 at the advanced age of 91 years. She was born in 1785.
Since the death of his wife Mr. Mills had given up active farming operations and had made his home with his three children, spending much time with his son, Henry, upon the home farm, at the home of B.C. Sprague in Clinton, and with J. Howard McKinney, in Barnett township.
Mr. Mills spent his active life on the farm and had from time to time added to his eighty acres of homestead land until he now owns 160 acres on the home farm, and some valuable timberland in Tunbridge township.
He was a man of rugged, sturdy character, a typical pioneer, a man who enjoyed the friendship of every acquaintance, of a kindly charitable nature and his death will be sincerely mourned by hundreds of relatives and friends in DeWitt county and central Illinois. Mr. Mills had been a member of the Christian church at Clinton for a long term of years and applied active Christianity to his daily life. He had been a life long Republican, and voted this ticket at the last election.
Mr. Mills, aside from his children, is survived by ten grand children and eleven great-grandchildren as follows: Frank Mills, Blanche Purcell McKinney, Fern McKinney Brinkman, Mary McKinney, Hattie Sprague McConkey, Alva H. Sprague of Clinton and vicinity, and Nora Sprague of Oklahoma City, OK, Orval Sprague, and Edgar Sprague of Clinton. The following are his great-grandchildren: Bernard Mills, Opal Mills, Hazel Mills, Kenneth Purcell, Guernsey McConkey, Bernadine McConkey, Helen Sprague, Marie Sprague, Wayne Sprague, and Evelyn Sprague
The funeral services will be held in the First Christian church in this city Thursday morning February 8, at 11 o'clock. Reverend E.A. Gilliland, former pastor of the local church, but now of Normal, will officiate. Internment will be made in Woodlawn Cemetery.
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