Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-10

Taylor Mills, his father having been a native
of Dundee Scotland and his mother a de-
scendant of Landgrave Thomas Smith, Provi-
sional Governor of South Carolina in 1890.
Young Mills was educated at the Charleston
College, and at 19 years of age entered the
Office of James Hoban at Washington, Mr..
Hoban having come to the National City to
supervise the construction of the Presidents
House, which he designed. At the time Mills
engaged himself to Mr.. Hoban the latter was
the architect of the United States Capitol.
Mills remained in Washington until about
1910, when he went to Philadelphia for two
years. and thence to Baltimore, until 1920,
when he returned to South Carolina, where he
remained until 1880 He then returned to the
Federal Capital and made Washington his per-
manent residence
While he was in Washington President JET
ferson grew very fond of young Mills and gave
him access to his library, in which were numer-
Gus architectural works He also had him as
a guest at Monticello and employed him to
make plans for the mansion. When in 1902 he
made a tour of the States, Jefferson gave him
a letter of introduction, dated July i, 1902,
directed to Charles Bulfinch of Boston, SUISSE
quently architect of the United States Capitol,
and other writings of Mr.. Jefferson indicate
that Mills had part in the planning of the
University of Virginia.
Young Mills proved an apt and sincere stu
dent and while yet serving with Hoban he
won a half share in a prize Of $500 for the
first building of the South Carolina College,
or Ruthledge College.
TN 1903 Benjamin H. LatTobe succeeded
Hoban as architect of the Capitol, and Mills
became assistant to the new architect.
Though enthusiastic in his chosen profess
sion, vet the young architect at times had
other things to think Of and in 1908 we find
him writing love letters TO his sweetheart, Miss
Edith B. Smith, near winchester, Va, one OF
which reads:
philadelphia, April 20 1905
my heart signs for the society Of my be-
loved Eliza. When will the happy moment
arrive when shall clasp my sweet mountain
girl to my fond bosom, and say, thou art mine
by ties irrevocable only to be dissolved by the
chilly hand Of death!"
I'm Philadelphia" according to Allen c.
Clark, president Of the Columbia Historical
Society," who generously turned his notes over
to the writer "Mr. Mills planned the two
wings of independence Hall and supervised
their construction. He is credited with the
Bank of Philadelphia, the first Gothic build
ing in America, and real Gothic at that and
the Staughton Circular Church SAMSON
street, having a seating capacity Of 1000.
HE planned the bridge which he himself de-
scribes as the greatest span OF arch that ever
was attempted in any country and executed
in this over the river Schuylkill, Phila-
delphia. 1t is 800 feet in the chord, verse sine
only 10 feet 1t was wooden bridge built in
1912 and burned in 1888. At this period Of his
life about 49, he is mentioned in connection
with such public Improvements as canals, roads
and ferries for the section which has Phila-
delphia and Baltimore In Philadelphia he
was of the founders of the Society of
Architects = and its first secretary
Mr. Mills received the prize of $500 for the
design of the Capitol to be built at Harris
burg, Pa The State House finely situated on
an eminence near the center, is handsome