NICHOLAS WYNANT MILLS
A CHAIN OF EVENTS TRAGICALLY CHANGES THE LIVES
OF
NICHOLAS WYNANT MILLS and his FAMILY
By
Audrey (MILLS+LEHMANN-CREAGER+SHIELDS) HANCOCK
9 October 2000
Updated: September 2007
from
Stories, Records, Research:
1980, James Dennis MILLS, s/o Marcus MILLS & nephew of Nicholas Wynant MILLS,
via my mother, Rita Marie (MILLS-LEHMANN) SHIELDS,
g-niece/o Nicholas Wynant MILLS & dau/o Augustus MILLS and her family stories,
with the help of:
Oct 2000, Lynne STREICH, an ENYART researcher & lookup resource,
Oct 2000, Gary CARLSEN, Darke Co., OH lookup resource,
Oct 2000, Michael O. RECK, Darke Co., OH researcher,
Oct 2000, Dale POEPPELMAN, Darke Co., OH researcher
Nov 2000, William H. McNITT, Lookup resource
September 2007, James R. Mills, Descendant of Marcus Mills, bro/o Nicholas
September 2007, Sara "Sally" McGrath, Descendant of Nicholas and Mary
NICHOLAS WYNANT MILLS was born 19 September 1845 probably in Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio to Dennis C. Mills and Elizabeth R. Giesseman/Geeseman also of Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio. Nicholas was the grandson of William W. [probably Wynant or Winans] Mills and (1) Elizabeth Clark, the pioneering ancestors from Westfield, Union County, New Jersey.
Shelby County, Ohio Cynthian Township Undated #122-122 Dennis Mills, 35, male, farmer, Real Est. $1,000, NJ |
Shelby County, Ohio Cynthian Township 31 July 1860 #1041-1037 Dennis C. Mills, 45, male, farmer, Real Est. $2,575, Pers. Prop. $400, NJ Shelby County, Ohio Cynthian Township 31 July 1860 #1059-1046 Jon Griffis, 28, male, farmer, Real Est. $1800; Pers. Prop. $250, OH |
Nicholas Wynant MILLS was married 22 February 1876 Shelby County, Ohio by T. C. Reade to Mary Elizabeth Spraley with an affidavit filed by C. Roosa. Elizabeth was daughter of John & Veromiker [--?--] Spochnle/ Spraley.
Nicholas Wynant MILLS married Elizabeth SPARLING (sic) on 22 Feb 1876 by T. C. Reade. Notation: Affidavit filed by C. Rossa. |
Elizabeth possibly married out of her church, as it appears she was reared Roman Catholic, and thus her parents were unlikely to have signed for her marriage.
In 1877, “N. W. Mills” was recorded as being Justice of the Peace in Shelby County, Ohio. On 16 March 1877, the first child and daughter, Mary “Alma” Mills, was born to Nicholas Wynant Mills and Mary Elizabeth Spraley; and on 25 April 1879 her brother, Dennis Finley Mills, became a part of the family. Mary Alma and Dennis Finley would become wards of a paternal uncle, Marcus MILLS, in 1888. According to Sara McGrath, he (Morris/Maurice) was reared by Rob and Veronica Harrop and by Philomenia (Spraley) Marshall of Shelby County, Ohio.
N. W. Mills and family were enumerated as living in Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio at the time of the 1880 Shelby County, Ohio Federal Census.
Shelby County, Indiana Cynthian Township P. O.: Newport Pg. 43 Supervisor District 2 Enumeration District 208 23 June 1880 (Ancestry.com...p. 43 of 44) House # 312 Family # 329 17. Mills, N. W., white, male, 35, Married, Keeps Store, born Ohio, father b NJ; mother b OH |
As daughter of John Spraley (b 1816), Elizabeth (Spraley) Mills was mentioned with her other siblings in her father's will, which was probated 18 January 1881 in Shelby County, Ohio, and thus she became a legatee in her father’s estate. Her parents and some siblings were buried at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery, Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio.
JOHN SPRALEY: Will dated 30 December 1880. Probate file opened 18 Jan 1881. Of Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio. Names: Philomine MARSHALL, Vincent SPRALEY, Andy SPRALEY, Robert SPRALEY, ELIZABETH MILLS & Maria SPRALEY. No executor. Witnesses: Julius FOUST, Peter GOFFENA, Francis TURNER, J.P. Signed: John Spraley. |
Next, the birth on 16 February 1881 of another male child, "L. M. (sic)Mills" (probably Louis William Mills) was recorded in [probably Cynthian Township or Newport] Shelby County, Ohio for Nicholas & Elizabeth. This child died before 1888, as future guardianship records will not mention L. M. or Louis William in need of a guardian and an entry for an E. (sic) W. Mills appears in the burial records of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, who appears to be L. W. Mills. L. M. and E. W. are probably misreadings for Louis William Mills, who according to Sara McGrath's family papers was the child who died at age 6 from a broken back in February of 1887.
The next child, Morris (later known as Maurice) Andrew Mills, came two and one half (2 1/2) years later on 5 September 1883. Morris A. Mills would eventually become the ward of his maternal aunt, Philomena (Spraley) Marshall, who like her sister eventually died from consumption.
By 1885 it appears Nicholas Wynant Mills, aka “Wynant,” owned or rented a home for his family and operated a tavern/saloon at Osgood, Patterson Township, Darke County, Ohio. Possibly his home was part of the tavern, as was the custom of that time period with residences being above one’s business. On 11 June 1885 a tragedy would occur which would forever change and scar the lives of this once respected and prominent family. The order of many of the events is clouded in a web of passing time, but these occurrences would forever affect the lives of the children and extended family members left to carry the stigma of this tragedy. Within the next three years, the death bells would toll at the family door of Nicholas Wynant Mills in a variety of ways.
First: According to the testimony of Turner Graham (a black man), he and his wife (Fanny) had moved into Osgood, Patterson Township, Darke County, Ohio in August of 1884.
According to a MILLS family story/legend, one night about six or seven white men were drinking heavily, and they decided to scare the two into leaving town. They asked Wynant to loan them his revolver. He did. He loaned it, it is said, believing that the men only meant to scare the undesirable black couple into leaving town. The men went to the house. When the couple came out, the men supposedly shot over the man's head. The man fell down, pretending to be dead. The wife began screaming and the men shot her, believing they had also killed the husband. All the men were sent to prison, as was Nicholas for providing the gun, for the unplanned murder of Fanny Graham.
Was Nicholas a participator as an involuntary contributor to the fate and destruction of this black family? Did his actions lead to the eventual destruction of his own family? Court records and newspapers reporting of the events appear to verify a different story of this fateful night. Nicholas appears to have been convicted as an active participant in the events that were etched in time…destruction of Turner’s property, wounding of Turner, murder of Turner’s wife, and a retreat to Mills’ saloon by the “mob,” as the newspapers so aptly declared.
In the early days of village developments, it is said that saloon proprietors were held to high esteem and wielded tremendous political power. Besides being the saloon owner, Nicholas Wynant Mills, apparently was respected enough to have been elected to or appointed as town clerk within his adopted Darke Co. community, having served previously in Shelby County, Ohio.
The other accomplices, a doctor and town officials, charged in this “savage like killing” also appear to have been men of good standing and evidently held in high regard within the community. The four were defined as “prominent men in the Osgood neighborhood.” Other men named in newspaper accounts of the trial were a Mr. Sparks/Sparr and Charles Dearworth, but evidently these men were not held. Newspaper articles dated June and July 1885 indicated that the four men…namely, Dr. Aaron R. Greer, a practicing physician and Town Council member; Isaac “Ike” N. Medford justice of the peace & mayor of Osgood; Winan (sic) Mills, clerk; & Jobes “Job”/Jacob Gosley/Goslee corporation treasurer, were indicted for the murder of Fanny Graham, committed 11 June 1885. As of the 26th of June, Greer and Gosley were sent to jail. Mills was able to post a $5,000 bond, and Medford posted $3,000 bond, but their freedom was to be short lived.
Another son, George W. MILLS, was born 2 or 3 September 1885 to Nicholas & Elizabeth. This birth appears to have taken place at the tavern/home or at a friend’s/relative’s residence in Patterson Twp., Darke County, Ohio according to the birth record. Since Nicholas apparently was incarcerated, Elizabeth appears to have taken up residence back in Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio prior to delivery, as parents of George were listed as being “residents of Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio.” However, apparently she was in Darke County, Ohio at the time of birth, as Wynant was perhaps imprisoned there.
Within ten days, Death’s Angel would be knocking at the door of Nicholas Wynant Mills, but this time one from his own family would become its victim. His wife, Mary Elizabeth, died at the young age of 30 years 0 months 5 days on 13 September 1885. Her death was attributed to consumption (tuberculosis), yet it appears possibly childbirth and depression could have contributed to her early demise, since her son (George) was born 10 days previously, and her husband had been imprisoned.
MARY E. MILLS born in Cynthian Township, died 13 Sept 1885 as a resident of Cynthian Township of Consumption. She was age 30y 00m 05d. |
Before another month could pass, death would soon visit upon Nicholas Wynant MILLS again, as his infant son, George, was claimed by the heavens on 11 October 1885 at 1m 11d. This child was laid to rest on 13 October 1885 next to his maternal grandfather and near his mother and brother at St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church Cemetery.
The children, Mary "Alma", Dennis "Finley," & "Morris" Andrew, were left as orphans by their mother’s death and separated from their father due to imprisonment and eventual death, and eventually in time separated from each other. Dennis & Alma initially went to live with their Uncle Marcus, but Alma and Morris were taken away to live with their maternal Catholic relatives. [1980s, James D. Mills] Dennis Finley continued to reside in the Protestant home of his Uncle Marcus Mills and was reared with his cousin, James D. Mills. Morris/Maurice was reared by his Catholic maternal relatives: Robert & Veronica Harrop and Joseph & Philomena (Spraley) Marshall. [2007, per Sara McGrath].
The newspaper reported on 10 December 1886 the following:
"In the trial of the State vs. Mills, on the charge of murdering Fanny Graham, at Osgood, the jury brought in a verdict, Thursday morning, of guilty of shooting with intent to wound. Penalty, from one to twenty years in the Penitentiary."
Nicholas Wynant MILLS is said to have died in prison on 7 Jun 1888 at the age of 42y 8m 18d. His son, Morris, was told only that Nicholas died of blood poisoning [2007, per Sara McGrath]. Nicholas is buried in Section 2, Lot 42 at the Old Houston Cemetery at Houston, Shelby County, Ohio as is his father [Dennis C. Mills], mother [Elizabeth R. Mills], siblings and others of the MILLS family.
Died June 7, 1888
42y 8m 18d
Mary Alma Mills eventually left Darke County and Shelby County, Ohio; was married and removed to Pennsylvania. About 1920 at age 20, Morris/Maurice also left Ohio with only his bike and went to Roystone, Pennsylvania, where his married sister, Alma, and her husband, Dennis O'Leary, had relocated. [Sara McGrath] D. Finley Mills remained in the Shelby County, Ohio area, where he married and rose to prominence as a Shelby County, Ohio judge. It is said that he adamantly opposed drinking.
Osgood Folks Osgood, Patterson Township, Darke County, Ohio 1885 Plat of Osgood shows the location of Mrs. Graham's body |
Revised: 25 September 2007