Joseph MILLS
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to view a 1955 picture (18KB).
Born 26 OCT 1871 West Leake,Nottinghamshire,England
to
James MILLS
and
Elizabeth GASCOYGNE.
Christened 26 Nov 1871, St. Helena's Church,
West Leake, Nottinghamshire.
Immigrated to Toronto by ship at age 16 (1889) in charge of a load of
horses. There is an unconfirmed rumor of a marriage in Canada.
Worked in Toronto, Ontario.
"From Toronto he went to Topeka, Kansas to work on a horse importers
ranch, from Topeka he went to Iowa, then to Saskatchewan, Canada,
then to Colorado, back to Lost Nation [Iowa]." (From
his 1961
autobiography
.)
Married 10 Apr 1901 Lost Nation, IA, to
Elmyra I. RICHEY.
Children:
"They rented a farm in Iowa for a few years, then they bought a
farm in Northern Minn., back to Northern Iowa, then to Spring
Valley [Minnesota] where they bought a farm. They lived on it
33 years until his wife got dropsy...Joe was also a faithful
member of the Episcopal Church and sang in the church choir.
He also was a member of the Pleasant Grove Lodge for many years..."
According to George Heine, Jr.,
the farm was located about 8 miles north of Spring Valley.
Farmed 8 miles north of Spring Valley, MN, 1912-1943;
after his wife's death, lived with daughters Viola and Margaret;
then spent 17 years in a nursing home in Stewartville, MN.
Died Jun 1965 Stewartville, MN, from natural causes.
Buried Millet Cemetery, Sumner Twp, Fillmore Co., MN
NOTE: Brother Herbert Mills, lived at Lost Nation, IA;
2 daughters, Florence Mills (McGandy) and Lillian Mills (Hebert Glynn).
See a transcript of Joseph Mills'
autobiography, written at the age of 90,
or a collection of his poetry, written
about age 89.