The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1913-12-16
ALFRED MILLS DIES
SUDDENLY AT HOME
Morris COunty's Oldest Lawyer
Passed Away on Saturday.

Macculloeh avenue Saturday morning
at eleven clock The end came sud
denly to the vel cradle lawyer though
he had been ailing for some time.
He had no particular ailment, sue
Stumbling to the infirmities of years.
He was in his eighty-seyenth year.
Mr.. Mills was born in Morristown
on July "a, 1927. He was the son
of Lewis and Sarah Este Mills. He
prepared for college at the Morris
academy and in 1874 entered Yale
where he graduated with high honor
in 1847 At that time Edward w.
Whelpley, ESQ.,, was practicing law IN
Morrlstown and Mr.. Mills entered the
office of Mr.. Whelpley, who after
ward became known as Chief Justice
Whelpley After serving three years
as a clerk Mr.. Mills was licensed in
1851, as an attorney and took ms
counsellor's degree in 1854.
Upon receiving his license in 1851
Mr.. Mills was invited to become a
member of one the most important
legal firms in the county but de-
clined because OF family reasons. In
1856, he entered into d partnership
with the late Jacob w. Miller, pre-
viously for twelve years United
oldIeS4 SeDdlOT HUN NOV JSloSy IlC
was associated with Mr.. Miller un-
til the latter's death in 1862. In
1872, with William e Church, he es-
tablished the firm OF Mills and Church
which continued until Mr.. Church,
in 1883, became Judge of the United
States circuit court for the district of
Dakota
Mr.. Mills all his life had been ac-
f, actively engaged in the practice Of
his profession, keeping his offices in
Morristown OF late years his sons,
former Judge Alfred Elmer Mills and
former Senator Edward X. Mills,
have been associated with him. He
was never an a pirant for office,
though often invited to become the
candidate of his fellow citizens. IN
1874 he was elected mayor of Morris
town and held the office until 1876,
when he was nominated as the repub-
lican candidate for congress in his
district 1t was understood at the
time of his nomination that his cleo
tion was impossible, it being con-
ceded that the democratic candidate,
the late Hon. Augustus w. Cutler,
counld not be beaten. But Mr.. Mills
patriotic principles would not permit
him to decline to become the candi-
date of his party.
In 1867 Mr.. Mills was appointed
prosecutor OF Morris county and
served with marked ability for one
term. He made the study of law his
delight His diction was distinct,
precise and to the point and his argu-
ments convincing and his mental per-
ceptions acute. For many years his
services were sought after in fidu-
ciary positions, such as executor,
trustee and guardian.
Until Mr.. Mills declined reelection
two years ago as lay delegate to
the general convention OF the Prot
estant Episcopal church in the United
States he had the distinction of hav-
ing served the longest term of any
lay delegate in the convention. He
began his official connection with the
church in 1868 when he was elected
a vestryman of st. Peters church
of this town. Three years later he
was elected junior warden and had
been senior warden of the church
since 1873, serving st. Peters for
over a half century as junior and
senior warden.
He was elected deputy to the gen
eral convention at meeting held in
Burlington. AT that time he was in
favor of dividing the New Jersey
diocese in two. There was opposition
to the scheme and debates were long
but Mr.. Mills succeeded in carrying
his idea and was elected deputy to
bring the matter before the general
convention Mr.. Mills got his PROPOSE
tion through the general convention
and the northern part of the state
1a1 hA I'll
the southern the New Jersey di-
ocese.
Mr.. Mills also served his church in
other capacities. AS a member of
the board of domestic and foreign
missions he was influential for years
in the extension of the work In
the diocese he was a constant mem
ber of the convention, for many years
a member of the standing committee
and actively identified with every
administrative and missionary body
of the Protestant Episcopal church in
northern New Jersey. His latest
service to the church was his labors
in creating an endowment for the
Episcopal fund.
For number OF years Mr.. Mills
was trustee of the General Theo-
logical seminary
The subject of public library be-
gan to be agitated in Morristown in
1861 but the war excitement pre-
vented action until 1865 when a cir
cular was sent out asking for funds
for the purpose of establishing a
library Mr. Mills was one of the
nine men who signed this paper and
with Jchn Whitehead and William G.
Caskey was one of the commissioners
appointed to receive subscriptions af-
ter the charter was granted in 1866
for the Morristown Library and Ly-
ceum. Since that time Mr. Mills had
been a member of the board of di-
rectors and had also served on the
committee on schools of the Lyceum
board.
Mr.. Mills was for many Years a
member of the directorate of the First
National bauk, of this town. and was
also interested in many other of its
enterprises.
In 1857 Mr. Mills mar1ded Katherine
Elmer, daughter of Judge Aaron Coe.
She died in 1886 He leaves four
children
Funeral services were held from St
Peters church this afternoon at two
thirty
The services were conducted by the
Rt. Rev. Bishop Edwin s. Lines, of
the Newark diocese and the Rev