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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Independence County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Killis J. Mills, an enterprising farmer and stock raiser of Greenbriar Township, Independence County, was born in White County, Tenn., in 1835. His parents were James and Rachel (Pennington) Mills, natives, respectively, of South Carolina and Tennessee. At the age of five years James Mills went with his mother to White County, Tenn., his father, Lewis Mills, having been killed in the War of 1812. He was a farmer by occupation, and spent the greater part of his life in White County, Tenn., where he died in 1883. His wife is still living in White County, aged about seventy-four years; she is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and is a daughter of John Pennington, also of White County, where he died, having made his home there for many years. To James and Rachel Mills were born three sons and six daughters, of whom our subject was the third. In February, 1858, Killis J. married Lean, daughter of Thomas and Deidamia Elms, who located in Independence County in 1859. Mrs. Elms is still living. Mr. Elms was a teacher by profession, and for several years served as sheriff in Putnam County, Tenn.; he died in 1860. Mrs. Mills is a native of White County, Tenn. The year after his marriage Mr. Mills located in Van Buren County, but three years later removed to his present farm in Independence County, which was then unimproved; he has two farms, 136 acres in all, which he now has well improved and under cultivation. During the late war he served nearly four years in the Confederate army; he first enlisted in Company D, First Arkansas Infantry, in which he served nearly three years, subsequently joining Capt. McGuffin’s company of cavalry, remaining until their surrender, at Jacksonport, in June, 1865; he participated in the battles of Prairie Grove, Helena and Little Rock, and while serving in the cavalry was with Gen. Price on his raid through Missouri. At the close of the war Mr. Mills returned to his home, and again turned his attention to farming, at which he has been very successful. He is a member of Neill Lodge No. 82, A. F. & A. M., at Jamestown. Politically, he was reared a Whig, but is now a Prohibitionist. Mrs. Mills is a member of the Methodist Church. They have two children — James T. and Elizabeth.

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This family biography is one of 158 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Independence County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Independence County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Independence County, Arkansas family biographies here: Independence County, Arkansas Biographies

View a map of 1889 Independence County, Arkansas here: Independence County, Arkansas Map

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