New-York tribune., 1910-01-05
LIFE OF MIR. MILLS
LONG CAREER OF
V4RIED ACTIVITIES.
His Great Philanthropic Work
in Building Hotels Here for
Homeless Men.

the adjacent shores of Connecticut BY
the beginning of the century they had
spread 10 westchester County. New York.
There, on September 5. 1925, was born
Darius Ogden Mills. the fourth son of
James Mills and Hannah Ogden Mills. of
North Salem. That was then an agricult-
ural and grazing neighborhood. although
now near the suburbs of New York.
James Mills was for many years lead
ing man in this quiet community; con-
siderable landholder, postmaster, justice
Of the peace, and engaged in various busf-
ness enterprises. One of these, during the
youth of ID. o." Gas the fourth son was
familiarIy called. led him to the pur-
chase of a hotel and dock property In
Sing Sing. now Ossining, whittier be
removed and where, in 1S41, he died.
He left a wife (who survived him nine
years., five sons and one daughter.
The Sing Sing investments, as we'll as
some others of James Mills's later life,
did not turn out fortunately, and thus.
at the age OF sixteen, Cd o." was left
with no prospects in life save what he
could make for himself.
But his father had taken great pains
with the education Of his family, and
had, besides, both by his precept and by
his example, carefully impressed upon
them the principles of sound morality
and scrupulous integrity as the basis
of the only success worth having. They
We're. as they came to school age,
trained at the North Salem Academy.
Later "D. O." was sent to the Mount
Pleasant Academy, then the chief edu-
cationaI institution of Sing Sing, if not,
indeed. of Westchester County. Here
his tastes We're observed to run strongly
TO mathematics, and it was noted that
his fancy already inclined to a busi-
ness life. At seventeen he left the acad-
elny and set about the work of sup
porting himself and making his way in
the world.
At first he secured a clerkship in
New York. Here, and in some work
relating to the settlement of his fathers
small remaining estate, he was occu-
pied for several years. BY this time he
had shown such business capacity and
steadiness that his cousin Con the
mothers side. Z. j. Townsend, invited
him 10 Buffalo TO serve as cashier in
the Merchants Bank of Erie County,
with an arrangement for a one-third
interest. In 1S47, when only twenty
two years old, he joined his cousin in
Buffalo, assumed at once the duties of
cashier, and soon seemed to have found
his vocation and location IN life. Their
bank was one OF deposit and issue, un-
der a special charter. The new cashier
oT-G frErC tad
and the cousins had what was for those
times good and an increasingly profit
able business. They enjoyed excellent
credit, both at home and with New York
bankers-a circumstance that was soon
to be of benefit to them in a new and
very different field.
TO CALIFORNIA.
In the summer of 1S4S gold was dis
covered in California By autumn the
gold fever was visibly affecting the Buff
falo community. IT struck also the
members of the Mills family in New
York, and presently two OF the brothers.
James and Edgar. started on a sailing
vessel around the Horn for California.
taking with them d stock of goods, with
which they purposed to begin business
on the Pacific Slope. Still the young
Buffalo cashier was little impressed. His
temper, though bold and resolute, was
also essentially conservative; he was
doing well and was satisfied. In the
early winter the news from California
became still more aIluring. One evening
he and TWO of his friends. William B.
Rochester (then young man Of about
Mr. Mills's own age, in business with his
uncle, Israel T. Hatch, and afterward
Paymaster General Of the United States
army, and Joseph StrinGham Ga consid-
erably older man, then in the exchange
business, and afterward president of a
bank), Were in conversation over the re-
ports from the diggings. Suddenly Roch-
ester proposed that the three should go
10 California and start in business to-
gether. Mr. Mills's reply was an early
example Of that rapidity of decision
which afterward served him so well in
his business career He said at once
he would go if the others would and
would be ready To start in ten days.
They talked late into the night over
their plans. and We're enthusiastic at
the prospect; but Rochester mad TO con-
suit his uncle and Stringham had TO see
whether he could close up his business.
Next morning both reported difficulties
in the way, to which Mr.. Mils's prompt
response was; Very well; / am going,
and ] shall start in ten days"
In ten days he did start, although in
the mean time he had stood a hard siege
from friends and relatives. who remon-
strated with him for leaving d field
where he was doing SO well and had al
ready made valuable associations. But
his cousin and partner raised no objec-
tions. Mr.. Townsend thought ii well
North while to try what the chances
were in the new land of gold, wanted TO
retain the same interest in any business
that might develop there. said he would
take care of the business in Buffalo and
honor his partners drafts. and added
that he thought he could make at least
as much AS Mr.. Mills would want TO
spend.
And So young Mills started late in De-
cember, ls4s, with through ticket by
way OF the isthmus, calling for passage
On the Pacific side on the first up trip
Of The new steamer California. AT Pan
anna he found three thousand persons
Waltlng for steamers or for any other