My Genealogy Hound

M. Mills was born in Warren County, N. Y., in 1836, and is the son of Alonzo Mills, who was also born in the same county and State, and of English descent. The mother, whose maiden name was Murdock, was a native of the same State and county, and also of English descent. After their marriage the parents lived in Warren County, N. Y., where the father followed the carpenter’s trade for nearly twenty years. In 1852 he moved west, and settled in Illinois for one year. The following year he immigrated to Decatur County, Iowa, where he lived until his death, a period of thirty years. At Decatur he followed his trade in connection with farming, and was considered by all a good neighbor and an influential citizen. He was a Republican in politics, and for many years was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died in 1884. His first wife died in the year 1885, while still quite a young woman, and his second wife died in the year 1887. She was a Miss Carpenter. Our subject is the second of a large family of children by both marriages, five being by the first. The eldest son was a Federal soldier during the late war, and was taken sick, carried to the hospital at St. Louis, and here died. The third son died of typhoid fever, at the age of eighteen. The youngest son by the first wife lost his life at the hands of sharpshooters at Atlanta, Ga. Our subject made his home with his parents until seventeen years of age, and, with the modest sum of 60 cents in his pocket, started out to make his own living. He first worked on a farm for his cousin, Joshua Culver, with whom he remained about six months. In the fall of 1854 he began the blacksmith’s trade in Canton, Fulton Co., Ill., and was there but a few months when he went to Farmington in the same county, and served as an apprentice for two years. In 1850 he immigrated to Northeast Missouri, and by accident settled in Fairmont, where he engaged in the blacksmith business. He grew attached to the place, and purchased property. In 1800 he married Miss Sarah Fairbrother, daughter of Henry Fairbrother (deceased), who was an early settler and a prominent citizen of Clark County. To our subject’s marriage were born seven children, five of whom are now living: Ralph F., George R., Clara N., Mark H. and Alice. Ralph F. married Miss Lizzie Smith, a native of this county. The other children make their home with their parents. Our subject went into partnership with I. D. Hon, and at the end of nine months went into partnership with Smith & Nook. After seven months they dissolved partnership, and afterward Mr. Mills engaged in business for himself. He now owns a plow and wagon factory, and is doing a thriving business. He is one of the leading machinists in Northeast Missouri, and has invented a number of valuable improvements. He has always been a Republican in politics, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.