My Genealogy Hound

JAMES H. MILLS was born in New York State August 13, 1843, and is a son of Nahum and Lucy (Wisewell) Mills, the former a native of Massachusetts and the latter of Vermont. The senior Mills was reared to manhood in the Green Mountain State, and the couple were married there. Subsequently they located in York State, but Mrs. Mills died in 1872, in Nebraska. Mr. Mills was a blacksmith in the early part of his life, but followed farming in the latter part. He died in 1890. Both were devoted Baptists and honored and respected by everyone.

James H. Mills, the subject of this biographical notice, is the youngest of a family of seven children, only two of whom are now living. He had no special school advantages in his early days, but notwithstanding this fact he has been a close observer and has kept himself posted on almost all the leading questions of the day. Mr. Mills was an active participant in the late war and his record is one that no man need be ashamed of. He enlisted August 11, 1862, in the One Hundred and Twenty-second New York regiment, and participated in the battles of Antietam, South Mountain, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He was wounded on the third day of July on the famous field of Gettysburg, from the effects of which he suffers to this day. He was struck by a bullet in the right shoulder, shattering it all to pieces. He was in the act of aiming his gun and getting ready to pull the trigger when he was shot. The ball entered his shoulder from the top, and the physicians who dressed the wound, were considerably puzzled to know how he could have been wounded in such a manner unless he was lying down, but he insists that he was on his feet and in the act of shooting. It was afterwards learned that the lientenant of his company accidentally discovered a “Johnny” cleverly seated in the bow of a tree shooting Union men as fast as he could load his gun. He had already shot six of Mr. Mills’ comrades in the head, and it was then that the mystery was explained as to how he came to be shot in the top of the shoulder. The lieutenant who discovered the ingenious rebel in the tree pointed him out to the boys in blue and a volley from a score of muskets brought him to terra firma. Mr. Mills was confined to a hospital for two years, and to-day has but partial use of his right arm. He was mustered out of the service in May, 1865.

Mr. Mills came to Buffalo county, Nebr., in the fall of 1871 and took a homestead in Sharon township, taking the southwest quarter of section 30. He built a sod house and prepared to receive his family, who came out the following spring. The country was wild and presented a barren and forlorn appearance, but he had faith in its ultimate development and believed it was only a question of time when it would become a great country. He stood by and looked on three years in succession while the grasshoppers harvested his corn crop. The grasshoppers in those days were almost as thick as snow flakes in a blizzard, and were without doubt the most destructive army that ever invaded any country.

On April 24, 1866, Mr. Mills was married to Miss Susan Baker, a native of Vermont. This union has resulted in the birth of nine children, namely — Clayton, born March 17, 1867; Frank, born September 15, 1869; Lucy, born July 13, 1873; Lua T., born April 18,1876 (deceased); Effie, born August 27, 1878; Ivie, born October 27,1880 (deceased); Elvie and Elsie (twins), born October 29, 1884, and Susie, born February 3, 1888.

Mr. Mills is an honored member of the G. A. R., A. O. U. W. and Alliance organizations, and his political views have always been in accord with the principles of the republican party. He and his estimable wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church and both enjoy the confidence and esteem of the community in which they live.