Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-12-09
JUDGE j. T. MILLS.
Review Of the Long Life and Splendid achieve
ments of Grand Old Mdn-Inedents that
Hmuse but Brighten the Piorure.

WAS Htiu from tue OOuglcHdtlpudA
church in Lancaster. Sunday, Deem
Der 5, 1897. The body was brought
in from Denver on special train the
night before in charge of j. Warner
Mills. the judges son. His daughter
Mrs Anderson and her husband. Judge
Anderson of Manitowoc had arrived
before.
The funeral sermon was preached
by Rev. S. w. Eaton, Judge Mills old
time pastor and warm friend. One of
the largest congregations ever brought
together in Lancaster gathered at the
Congregational church to hear the
venerable divine speak on the life and
character of the grand old man who
was so greatly admired and dearly be-
loved by him. Interest conferred in
the speaker and thoughts of his char
acter and achievements, as much as
in the grandeur of Judge Mills'car
which he so eloquently and feelingIy
portrayed.
The large number of old men in the
-assemblage was noticeable, most of
them no doubt personal friends of the
deceased. They, better than the
younger generation, knew the worth
of the man who mortal remains were
about to be laid at rest.
The exercises in the church con-
sisted of scripture reading by Rev.
Sinclair, prayer by Rev. Brown, vocal
music by quartette consisting of
the Misses Fannie and Lizzie Schmitt,
and w. b. Carter and Earl Ivey, and
the sermon by Rev. Eaton. DR..
Eaton spoke from the text, Job, V, 26.
Thou shalt come to thy grave in
full age, like as a shock of corn
cometh in his season
The sermon was scholarly and pow
erful, full of wholesome truth and
beautiful imagery. 1t was listened
to with rapt attention by the entire
audience.
~ "oo buC HlCh Vi WILLS
that the bar of this circuit should
participate in the exercises. Accord
ingly attorneys were chosen as pail
bearers. other members of the bar
present acting as an escort. Besides
resident LAWYERS there were Judge
Miner. of Richland Center. A. r.
Bushnell of Madison, and Homer
Beebe, Of Platteville. Beautiful floral
decorations adorned the casket
Joseph I. Mills was born in Paris.
Bourbon county, Kentucky, Deem
Der Is, 1911. His uncle. Benjamin
Mills, was Judge of the court of
appeals of that state and was man
of high literary attainments. This
uncle took great interest in young
Joseph Mills and acted as his tutor
for some time. Mills lived with his
uncle several years, his family in the
mean time having moved to Bond
county. Ill. He left Kentucky and
Joined his family but soon afterward
went to jacksonville where Illinois
college is situated. Edward Beecher.
brother of Henry Ward Beecher, was
president While here Mills came in
contact with some of the master
minds Of he times and from them re-
ceived an inspiration which influenced
greatly his life work. Richard Yates,
the famous war governor of Illinois.
was his classmate. When he left the
Illinois college Mills became private
tutor for the children of Zachary Tay-
Tor afterwards president of the United
States. At that time TAYLOR was
stationed at Fort Crawford. Prairie du
Chen, which was the military post
for the Western border of the country.
That was in 1885, Jefferson Davis.
afterwards president of the Southern
Confederacy, was at that time a mill
tarY officer at the post and knew
Judge Mills very well. For time
after that Mills held a government
position having business with the var
ious ports and Indian Agencies in
Wisconsin and probably in 80 or 'S9
settled in Lancaster. Here he lived
during the active period Of the re-
mainder of his life.
He continued the study of law, was
admitted to the bar, and practiced his
profession up to the year 1888, when
he retired from active labor. He
formed several partnerships. the last
being with Col. Clark and lasting