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Also see [ Railway Officials in America 1906
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HUGH BROOKS MILLS, the founder and a prominent business man of Millston, was born in Mountain. Canada, January
14, 1828, a son of Thomas and Margaret (Mcintyre) Mills. His father was born and reared in Delaware, and lived
there until about twenty one, when he went to Canada, where he met and married his wife. Early in the '30s his
father moved back to Delaware, and a year or so later removed to St. Lawrence County, New York, where he lived
until about 1856, and then came to this county and spent the remainder of his life. He was a farmerm and he and
his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. His grandfather was Alexander Mills, a Scotchman who served in
the war of 1812 as an officer, and died from injuries received while in the service. Our subject's mother was born
in Scotland, near Glasgow, and died in Jackson County, Wisconsin. He had four brothers and one sister, viz.: Catherine
(deceased) was the wife of Ira Partridge, of Macomb, St. Lawrence County. New York; Thomas, a farmer in this county;
Daniel, and John H. (deceased), formerly lumbermen in this county.
The subject of this sketch, the second child in order of birth, was reared in St. Lawrence County, on a farm, He
remained with his father and gave him the benefit of his labors until twenty one years of age, when he came in
the spring of 1849 to Wisconsin, and began working by the month in the praeries at Shawano and remained in that
vicinity three seasons. He then came on to Black River and continued working in the piaeries until 1853. when he
commenced lumbering on his own account, in what is now Clark County, and has since been continuously in the lumber
business. Later he moved back into Jackson County, and bought and ran a mill in the town of Manchester several
years. In 1862 his mill was burned, leaving him almost penniless. in 1873 he located where he now lives, and started
the town of Millston, or rather the village, and the township took his name. He erected the first buildbig in the
place. He is now running a mill at Millston and also owns about 3,000 acres of timber land,- pine, hard wood, etc.
He owns considerable farming land in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and also property in Superior
Mr. Mills was one of the organizers of the Jackson County Bank at Black River Falls, and at the first election
of officers was made its vice-president, and later was elected president, in which capacity he served five years.
He has since been one of the directors. He is also interested in a steam grist mill at Black River Falls. He has
served his town in some official capacity ever since he has been in the county, was a member of the State Assembly
one term in 1877, from Jackson and Clark counties, He is a meniber of the F & A. M at Black River Falls, and
is now a thirty second degree Mason. In polities he has all his life been a Republican.
January 12, 1857, Mr. Mills married Miss Mary Rogers, of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, who was then engaged in teaching
school. She was born in Quebec, Canada, in 1837. They have had nine children namely : Thomas B., John H., Alexander,
Ira, Edward, Dennis, Hugh B., Mary M. and Margaret M. Ira and Dennis arc deceased.
Mr. Mills is an old pioneer and a selfmade man in the fullest sense of the word, In 1852 he barrowed $25 to pay
his expenses to what is now Jackson County, and began the struggle for a fortune to which he can now with honorable
pride lay claium. When he first came here, he with six others kept bachelor's hall, going occasionally to Black
River Falls for a sack of flour and supplying themselves with meat by hunting and fishing, killing deer, bear,
partridge and other wild game. One old United States rifle was the only gun they owned, and each would take his
turn in killing game. The Winnebago Indians were then under tribal relations and not as near civilized as they
now are, but were always friendly with the old pioneers. Mr. Mills speaks of those days as some of the happiest
of his life. "Then," he says, "a man's word was his bond, and honor was law; and all differences
were settled by arbitration."
Mr. Mills' own life is an example for young men to follow. Starting with no Capital but brain and muscle, inspired
with a determination to succeed, he went to work and never squandered his hard earned dollars in drink and riotous
living, and his present accumulations speak for his success. He has always contributed liberally in an most tentatious
way to every public enterprise, and has added as much to the wealth and prosperity of Jackson County as any of
her citizens. His sons are all good business men and are "chips off the old block," following closely
the footsteps of their worthy sire. Mrs. Mills is a lady of refinement, and her gentle but cordial manner makes
cvery one around her feel happy. She is devoted to her husband and children, and her children are such that she
can justly feel proud of them.
FROM:
Biographical History of
Clark and Jackson Counties Wisconsin
Lewis Publishing Company.
Chiago, 1891.
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