Dr. Thomas Lilley Mills, East Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Also East Feliciana Parish, La.
File prepared and submitted by Sherry Sanford.

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Biographical And Historical Memoirs, Vol. II
The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1892

Dr. Thomas Lilley Mills, Wilderness Place, Lindsay, La.,
who is one of the most prominent farmers of East Baton
Rouge parish, is a native of Louisiana, born in the parish
of La Fourche, May 6, 1835.  He was educated in Thibodeaux
and the private schools of East Baton Rouge.  At the age
of nineteen he began the study of medicine under Dr. J.W.
Jones, of Jackson, La., and remained under his instruction
two years.  In the autumn of 1855 he entered the medical
department of the University of Louisiana (now Tulane
university) and was graduated in March, 1857, doing
credit both to himself and his preceptor.  He was married
in 1859 to Miss Mary L. Young, a daughter of the late
R.T. Young, a man widely known for his ability and
strict integrity.  Mr. Young was of a noted Virginia family,
and could boast of a long line of noble ancestors.  He
was a member of the constitutional convention of 1879.
He was the largest land owner and planter in the parish.
Seven children were born to Dr and Mrs. Mills -- four
sons and three daughters, all of whom are living.  His
plantations, "The Wilderness," contains 750 acres, the
principal part of which is in cotton.  In addition to this
he owns a half interest in 2,000 acres, the other partner
being his brother, Capt. G.C. Mills, a sketch of whom
appears on another page of this volume.  In 1865 Dr. Mills
embarked in the mercantile trade, which he continued
for four years, but he abandoned this industry and now
devotes his time wholly to farming.  In 1872 and 1873
he represented his people in the legislature, which was
known as the "McEnery's" legislature.  For four years
he was a member of the police jury of his parish.  Dr.
Mills was on the orgainzation of the "Louisiana Central
Farmers' association," elected vice-president, and after-
ward elected its president, serving two terms, and is now
vice-president of the Sixth Congressional district of the
State Farmers' association of Louisiana, which meets
annually in different cities of the state.  He belongs to
the Masonic fraternity, in which he has held many
important offices, and has represented Plains lodge,
No. 135, twice in the Grand lodge, discharging the
duties of this position with honor to himself and his
home fraternity.  He is a member of the Plains
Presbyterian church, near his home, one of the oldest
and most noted in the state.  Dr. Mills is a man who has
given impetus to agriculture in his own community.  He
has made a success of his undertakings, and while the
profession of medicine lost a practioner, the farmers of
the parish were strongly re-enforced by the addition to
their ranks of a man with his energy, push and preseverance.