Biography - COMMODORE MILLS
Commodore Mills, who owns a large farm in Bond county, Illinois, is one
of the leading agriculturists in that section of the country. He was born in
the southern part of Indiana, on the 6th of January, 1863, the son of H. E.
and Mary E. (Chewning) Mills. Mr. H. E. Mills was a native of Indiana and
was born on the 5th of February, 1829. Indiana was his home state until
1878, when he came to Illinois and located in Bond county, northwest of
Greenville, where agricultural pursuits engaged his attention. At the age of
twenty-one he was united in marriage with Miss Chewning, of Indiana. To this
union nine children were born, Mr. Commodore Mills being the sixth child.
Mr. Mills spent the later years of his life in Greenville, and passed away
there on the 18th of February, 1909. Mrs. Mills was called to the eternal
rest in January of 1892.
The early life of the subject of this sketch was passed in the state of
Indiana. When he was fourteen years of age the family moved to Bond county,
Illinois. Until he was twenty he attended school each winter for a short
time, after the fall farm work was finished. Later he worked on a rented
farm for a period, but in 1893 he purchased the farm, extending over one
hundred and ten acres, upon which he now resides.
On November 1, 1891, Mr. Mills and Miss Stella Billiard, of Bond county, the
daughter of Jerry and Emily (Gushing) Hilliard, entered the holy bonds of
matrimony. To this union six children were born: Helen, Blanche, Mildred,
Dorothy, Bernice and Isaac.
Like his father, Mr. Mills places his trust in the Republican party, which
he has served faithfully for many years. He is affiliated with but one
fraternal organization, the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. Mills
are both devoted attendants of the Baptist church, in which they are earnest
workers. Mr. Mills takes an active interest in the educational affairs of
his neighborhood and acts as school director of his district. He is also the
director from Central township in the Farmers' Institute. He is respected by
all who come in contact with him for his upright character and loyalty to
the loftiest ideals of citizenship.
Extracted 10 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 History of Southern Illinois, by George W. Smith, volume 3, page 1191.
