Biography of James Mills, 1902, Baker Co. Oregon: Surnames: Mills, Laughran, Bird, Phelps.

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Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
W. David Samuelsen - November 2001
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An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902
by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 353

James Mills, an old and esteemed pioneer of Pine valley, and a man who has
always enjoyed an enviable standing among his neighbors, by whom he is trusted
and respected, is a native of Ballygawley, Ireland, born in 1836, the son of
James and Ester (Laughran) Mills, likewise natives of that place. He remained
under the shelter of the parental roof until fifteen years old, then began for
himself the battle of life. Believing the new world contained excellent
opportunities for an energetic, ambitious youth like himself, he took passage
in 1852 for the United States. His first home on this side of Atlantic was in
Warren, Ohio, where he worked two yeas, going then to the lead mines of Grant
county, Wisconsin, where ensuing three years of his life were passed. The fall
of 1856 found him in the then highly agitated state of Kansas, where he
continued to reside until the spring of 1859, when he started for Pike's Peak,
Colorado. The ensuing sixteen or seventeen years of his life were devoted to
farming in that commonwealth, but in 1877, he determined to try his fortune
further west, so came to the state of Oregon. Purchasing a place six miles
north of Union, he remained here three or four years, but in 1881 witnessed
his entrance to Pine valley. He settled upon a farm of eighty acres two and a
half miles north of Pine post-office, and to the cultivation and improvement
of this he has devoted some portion of his time and energy since, though he
has also been engaged for years in the search for hidden treasure, and has a
very promising mine at Cornucopia.

Mr. Mills has always fully sustained the good name his countrymen have for
industry, frugality, and thrift, and is one of those whom all good citizens
are glad to welcome to our shores.

In Weld county, Colorado, in 1861, our subject married Miss Cornelia, daughter
of Eli and Jane (Bird) Phelps, and to their union have been born nine
children: William E., Edward, Minnie, Alice, Ester, Nora, Patrick H., Andrew
J., and an infant that died in Colorado in 1864.

Mrs. Mills' father is a native of Canada, and was twice sheriff of Buchanan
county, Iowa.