USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches > Part 123
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BIOGRAPHICAL
pute arising among themselves. . He kept the chain of friendship bright, and retained the most amicable relations with them, until the Indians, by virtue of the treaty of 1825, sold their reservations, and left the valley. He always treated them with the utmost consideration; and they recognized his friend- ship and generosity by bestowing upon him the name of "So-no-jo-wa," which in their language signifies "a big kettle" or generous man, and among the few surviving members of the Indian tribes now living on the Allegany and Catta- raugus reservation the village of Mount Morris is called "So-no-jo-wa-ge" in honor of his memory.
The land on which William A. Mills settled was as before mentioned, owned by Robert Morris. At a later period it passed into the possession of the Bank of North America, and in 1811 was thrown upon the market and sold to differ- ent purchasers, the bank retaining one-eighth interest. Mr. Mills then bought twenty acres, paying thirty dollars an acre in silver, this being the minimum price be paid for property on the Genesee Flats. He was a man ot inflexible purpose and resolute will, energetic and industrious, and not only placed his original purchase under cultivation, but, as his means increased, bought other tracts, and at the time of his death was a wealthy and extensive landholder. and one of the most influential and prominent citizens of Livingston county. Previous to the building of the dam across the Genesee river in this locality, the nearest mill was twenty miles distant; and much valuable time was lost in performing the necessary journeys to and fro. With characteristic enterprise, Mr. Mills succeeded in placing the bill for the erection of a dam across the river at this point before the legislature. The river being navigable for smalt boats, some opposition was brought to bear upon the project; and be was forced to appear before the General Assembly in support of the measure, which was
passed. 'Thus a valuable water-power was secured to Mount Morris, and was the immediate cause of new growth and prosperity to the town. General Mills was the founder of the village of Mount Morris, and was as patriotic as he was public spirited. On the breaking out of the War of 1812 he organized the first militia company in Livingston county, and from the command ot that com- pany rose to the rank of Major-general of the State militia, his command embrac- ing the counties of Livingston, Genesee, Ontario, Steuben, Monroe, and Allegany. Many of the distinguished men of New York have served on the military staff of General Mills, among whom we may mention the names of Colonel Reuben Sleeper, of Mount Morris, General Frank Granger, of Canan- daigua, the Hon. Daniel D. Barnard and the Hon. Charles J. Hill, of Rochester. General Mills was a man of unbounded generosity and kindness of heart, and extended every possible aid to the struggling pioneer, frequently making the payments due on the little tract of land, which might have otherwise reverted to the original proprietors. While yet in apparent physical vigor, the General suddenly died of heart failure, on April 7, 1844, in the sixty-seventh year of his age, leaving to his surviving children a large landed estate and the memory of a life spent in doing good to his fellow-men.
The union of General Mills with Susannab H. Harris, of Tioga Point, Pa.,
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was solemnized in 1803, and of this marriage ten children were born, of whom nine grew to mature years.
Myron H. Mills received a broad and liberal education, and when a young man began the study of medicine and surgery in the office of Dr. Hiram HIunt, a valued friend of his father, and the family physician. He subsequently entered the Geneva Medical College, from which he received his diploma in 1844. The following year Dr. Mills began practice in the city of St. Louis, where he soon won an enviable reputation as a physician, and was appointed a practitioner in the City Ilospital. After the declaration of war with Mexico he resigned his position in the hospital, and volunteered as a private soldier in the company being then organized in St. Louis by Captain Hudson. At the
instigation of influential friends, before being mustered into service, Dr. Mills applied for the appointment of Assistant Surgeon in the United States army, going himself to Fort Leavenworth, the headquarters of General Stephen W. Kearney, five hundred miles from St. Louis, to whom be presented in person his papers, hoping to receive his indorsement before applying to the Secretary of War for his commission. In this he was successful; and he served bravely throughout the entire war, and at the battle of Canada received a wound in the fleshy part of the right leg, below the knee. The Doctor, having recently graduated from the school of medicine and surgery, put into practice the knowl- edge of improved methods that he had acquired as a student, and was the first to introduce the "flap operation" in amputations in the "Army of the West," the circular method having been previously used from time immemorial; and for this valuable service he was promoted by the medical director, Surgeon DeCamp, of Baltimore, to the head of the medical and surgical department of the army, At the close of the Mexican War the regular standing army of these States was increased by the addition of eight regiments. Upon the recom- mendation of Brigadier-general Stephen W. Kearney, commander of the Army of the West, in which Dr. Mills served all through the war, the Hon. William L. March, Secretary of War, tendered him an appointment of Assistant Sur- geon in the regular army, which he declined, and returned to private life. Having again become a resident of Mount Morris, he was invited by a special committee to deliver an address on "The Mexican War." He accepted, giv- ing an eloquent and graphic description; and at the request of special com- mittees he was induced to repeat it at Nunda and Perry.
In June. 1849, Dr. M. H. Mills was wedded to Mary E. Mills, the only daughter of Hiram P. Mills of Mount Morris. Theirs was a felicitous marriage. she having found in him a devoted husband, and he in her a true companion and friend, who faithfully discharged the duties of wife and mother. The sor- row common to mortals cast its shadow over their pleasant home, four of the six children born of their union having passed to the "life elysian."
In the spring of 1850 Dr. Mills engaged in the drug business in Rochester, where for a while he carried on a lucrative trade. But, finding the occupation uncongenial to his tastes, he embraced the first advantageous opportunity to dispose of his stock of goods and was subsequently employed in the construc-
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BIOGRAPHICAL
tion of public works for the State of New York. He was well fitted for that responsible position, and received for his services a liberal remuneration, which, being well invested, enabled him to retire from the active pursuits of life in 1868, and to enjoy his well-earned leisure. In 1863, while a resident of Rochester, he was appointed by the Mayor and Common Council to represent the city in the National Ship Canal Convention held in Chicago. In June of that year he served on a committee with the Hon. Chauncey M. Depew and another man. Mr. Depew was then a young man, and had been a member of the legislature from Westchester county, New York. Removing in November, 1870, to Mount Morris, his native place, the Doctor bought the parental home- stead, which had passed from the possession of the Mills family, and thereafter be devoted his energies and money to its improvement and adornment. He improved and enlarged the house, erected beautiful and convenient outbuild- ings, and converted the three acres of land surrounding the mansion into a veritable park. This attractive home is located at the northern extremity of Main street, and commands a magnificent and extensive view of the Genesee valley, the situation being one to inspire the pen of a poet or the brusb of an artist to its highest effort.
Under the familiar nom de plume of "Cornplanter, " Dr. Mills published a valuable series of articles on Indian history, and the history of the Mount Morris tract. His services as a public speaker and lecturer were often in demand. In 1878 he delivered the address of the day before the Wyoming Historical Pioneer Association, at the dedication of their "log cabin" at Sil- ver Lake, the twenty thousand people there gathered listening to his eloquent words with unabated interest till the close of the very last sentence. In Feb- ruary of the same year Dr. Mills was induced by special invitation to lecture before the literati of Dansville on "The Prehistoric Races in America" and the intelligent and scholarly audience which greeted him was enthusiastic in its approval of his utterances. On the 14th of September, 1880, the residents of Detroit listened to an address given by him to the State Association of Mexican War Veterans, reviewing the results and benefits of that war to the country, and stating the claims of the veteran soldiers upon the government for a pension. At the annual meeting of the Livingston County Pioneer Association in August, 1877, at Long Point, Conesus Lake, he held a vast audience enthralled for more than an hour, even though black and lowering clouds and the ominous peals of thunder betokened the near approach of a deluging shower, from which their only shelter was the wide spreading and friendly boughs of the forest trees. At various times he has spoken with great acceptance before the farmers' institutes aod kindred associations. Dr. Mills was one of the organizers of the Livingston County, New York, Ilis- torical Society. At the organization of the society at Mount Morris, February 13, 1877, the Doctor formulated and presented the able and comprehensive con- stitution and by-laws of the society, which were adopted. lle was the founder of the Livingston County Pioneer Association. He has ever taken an active interest in educational and local affairs, and has served as President of the
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Mount Morris Board of Education, and twelve successive years as President of the Livingston County Historical Society, and was at the time of his death President of the Mills Waterworks Company, and Railroad Commissioner of the town of Mount Morris. The system of waterworks, which has added more than any other enterprise to the welfare of the village, was constructed after plans submitted to the village trustees and the citizens of Mount Morris by Dr. Mills, at a meeting held on the 4th of June, 1879, and has greatly improved the sanitary condition of the town, besides being most useful for domestic pur- poses and of great protection to the property of its inhabitants. For this enterprise and the great benefit and protection to the village from destruction by fires and the blessings resulting therefrom, the citizens are indebted wholly to Dr. Mills, who furnished the entire capital.
In politics Dr. Mills was always affiliated with the Democratic party, and, though never an aspirant for official honors, has occasionally accepted places of trust and responsibility, and these he has filled with credit to himself and to the honor of his constituents. He was thoroughly democratic and simple in his manners, the honors heaped upon him during his career having in no way elevated his pride or detracted from his frank and cordial friendliness in his intercourse with others.
Dr. Mills died at his home surrounded by his loving wife and daughters on the 14th day of August 1897.
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For "approach," in third line, page 96, read "reproach." The footnote at page 55 should refer to Appendix No. 4. The footnote at page 65 should refer to Appendix No. 5. The footnote at page 204 should refer to Appendix No. 10. The footnote at page 208 should refer to Appendix No. 11. The footnote at page 214 should refer to Appendix No. 12.
To avoid constant footnotes in connection with Chapter VII the statement is here made that very much of the matter in that chapter descriptive of the "Treaty of Big Tree" is appropriated from Mr. Samson's account.
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