Norfolk County MA Archives Biographies.....Millis, Lansing 1823 - 1885
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 12, 2006, 8:12 pm

Author: E. O. Jameson (1886)

LANSING MILLIS, ESQ.

   LANSING MILLIS, son of William and Sallie (Holt) Millis, was born Sept. 3,
1823, in Lansingburgh, N. Y. His school days ended at the age of fifteen years,
and he soon after made a confession of faith in Christ, and united with the
church. He commenced trade when eighteen years of age, and was at first
unsuccessful, but afterwards able to retrieve his losses and pay his creditors
every dollar with interest. For some years he followed farming and mercantile
business until in 1855 he came to Boston and commenced his career as a railroad
agent and manager. In this business he was successful and at the end of thirty
years he had won great prominence among the railroad managers of New England and
the West, and was recognized as a man of superior judgment and great fidelity to
responsibility and trust. He held, also an honored place in the respect of the
religious circles of Boston for his Christian labors and large benevolence. In
1880 he purchased a farm in East Medway, and commenced improvements. He soon
after added another farm by purchase, to the first, put up new buildings, and
repaired the old. He fitted up a fine summer residence, and with a large outlay
made Oak Grove Farm famous in the region. Early in 1885 the easterly part of
Medway was incorporated a new town, and was named Millis, in honor of him who
seemed by his social qualities, his interest in the place, and his Christian
character, to win all hearts to himself. At the first meeting of the new town
Mr. Millis was chosen the moderator, and subsequently elected chairman of the
board of selectmen. But only a few weeks had passed when he was stricken with
paralysis of the brain and died instantly April 6, 1885. The funeral services
were largely attended, both at his residence and in Boston, where a large church
filled at noonday in that city, principally of business men, showed how widely
he was known and the universal respect in which he was held. His burial took
place in his native town, Lansingburgh, N. Y. The death of Mr. Millis was a sad
loss to the new town for which he had a great attachment, and to which his
personal presence was a great inspiration. His family, since his death, continue
to reside in the summer at Oak Grove Farm, and are carrying out his plans as far
as known for the benefit of the town of Millis.



Additional Comments:
From:

THE BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT PERSONS, AND The Genealogical Records 
OF MANY EARLY AND OTHER FAMILIES 
IN MEDWAY, MASS. 1713-1886.

Illustrated
WITH NUMEROUS STEEL AND WOOD ENGRAVINGS.

BY
E. O. JAMESON,

THE AUTHOR OK "THE COGSWELLS IN AMERICA," "THE HISTORY OF MEDWAY, MASS.." ETC.

MILLIS, MASS. 1886.

 Copyright, 1886.

E. O. JAMESON, MILLIS, MASS.

All Rights Reserved.

J. A. & R. A. REID, PRINTERS, PROVIDENCE, R. I.


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