Norma and Eva Mills
Living in Ranger, TX today are sisters, EVA MILLS & MORINE NORMA MILLS.
Eva, 88, was born Aug. 7, 1914, a twin. Her twin sister, Iva, died
a short time after birth. Norma, 82, was born Aug. 23, 1920. They,
along with their brother, ARCHIE RAYFORD MILLS, now 92, born in
1910, were all born in Ranger, however Archie and his family live in
California. Archie was in the Ranger High School Class of 1927, Eva,
the Class of 1933 and Norma, 1938. Eva and Norma have long been
mainstays of the Ranger community. Both were employed by the Commercial
State Bank for a number of years and Eva also was employed by the J.C.
Penney store while it graced the main street of Ranger.
The MILLS families were early Ranger pioneers and the family covers the
20th century and into the 21st century in Ranger.
William H. Mills, born 7 May, 1854, & Elizabeth Weaver, born April 16,
1856, were married in Tennessee but came to Ranger, where they died; he
on April 15, 1915 and she on Dec. 17, 1918. They left a legacy of
two sons and two daughters to Ranger.
Egbert Preston "Pres" Mills was born April 10, 1989 and died October 18,
1948, in Ranger. His brother, Elvis Hardeman Mills, was born May 5, 1883,
and died in February of 1975.
Together, with their families, they owned and operated the Mills Grocery
Store in Ranger.
E.P. Mills was married to Mary Langford who was born December 10, 1888,
in Milam, Texas, and died May 13, 1955, in Ranger. They were married in
Ranger on December 22, 1909, by the Reverend Tunnell, pastor of the
Methodist Church. This was Reverend Tunnell’s first marriage ceremony
he performed after becoming pastor of the Ranger church. E. H. Mills
was married to Lucinda "Lucy" Brashier who was born April 20, 1886 and
died December 16, 1981 in Felton, California. All four are buried in
Ranger at the Evergreen Cemetery.
Tunnell’s first marriage ceremony he performed after becoming pastor of
the Ranger church. E. H. Mills was married to Lucinda ‘Lucy’ Brashier
who was born April 20, 1886 and died December 16, 1981 in Felton,
California. All four are buried in Ranger at the Evergreen Cemetery.
E.P. and E.H. Mills had two sisters, Margaret Minerva Mills, who was
born June 19, 1878, and died in Ranger on November 27, 1948, and Debby
Alice Mills, who was born August 10, 1885, and died at Merced, California
on October 20, 1981.
The E.P. and Mary Mills children also include:
A son, Elvis Thornton, Ranger HS Class of 1933 (named for Thornton Cooper)
Mills who was born June 13, 1913, in Ranger and died January 4, 1977 in
Inverness, Florida, and buried there. A twin brother was born and died
a few hours after birth and buried at Pioneer Cemetery, Ranger, Texas.
A daughter, Iva Mills, twin sister to Eva Mills, died about 3 months
after birth at Ranger and is buried at Pioneer Cemetery, Ranger. A
daughter Reva Mills, born September, 1912, died in infancy, at Ranger,
and is also buried at Pioneer Cemetery.
Archie Rayford Mills married Beulah Mae McInturff, born August 12,
1908, Hay County, Oklahoma, in Inglewood, CA, July 10, 1934. She
died January 31, 1991, at Oakhurst, CA. They had two children, Terry
Rayford and James Preston Mills.
The children of E.H. and Lucy Mills included Charles E. Mills, born
September 27, 1902, died April 10, 1991; William H. “Bill” Mills, born,
October 2, 1905, married Catherine, died October 14, 1952 in California
in a plane crash that occurred under the Golden Gate Bridge; Murkle
Mills, RHS Class of 1924, born March 9, 1907, died December 8, 1989 in
California; Myrtle Lucille Mills, Class of 1933, born March 27, 1915,
died April 26, 1999, in Grants Pass, Oregon and Colonel Buster Mills,
Ranger High School Class of 1927, born September 16, 1908, Ranger, died
December 1, 1991, Arlington, Texas.
Colonel Buster Mills was a legendary athletic star in Ranger and played
football at the University of Oklahoma but chose to play professional
baseball. He was married to Catherine Rutherford of Breckenridge, who
died. His second wife, Madge E. Mills, born 21 March, 1907, died on
June 28, 1996, in Ranger.
Lest you think this was the only Mills family in Ranger, there was an
Imogene Mills back in the Class of 1926; an Onos Roland Mills who was
in the Class of 1929 and who was born 21 October, 1910, died on Feb. 28,
2001, in Dallas, and his wife was Marie Jones of the Class of 1932 who
currently lives in Dallas. At one time or another Ranger has played
host to a Barry Joseph Mills, Britain Ashley Mills, Regina Kinsey
Mills, Tracy Utsinger Mills, as well as to Nana Mills and Lula Mills,
but we know little more about them.
But Ranger is fortunate to currently house Dr. Joe L. Mills, President
of Ranger College and his wife, Dorothy Young “Dottie” Mills, teacher
and RHS faculty member. So, perhaps, not the same family of the last
100 plus years but the name Mills, nevertheless, may reside in Ranger
for many years ahead. And Ranger hopes it is blessed with Norma and
Eva Mills as residents for many, many years to come.