From the book, Under the Blue Hills, Scotch Plains, New Jersey by Marion Nicholl Rawson, and published by The Historical Society of Scotch Plains and the Fanwood & Scotch Plains American Revolution Bicentennial Committee, we read on p. 127 under the subtitle "MAN OWNS MAN" about "William MILLS" whose "property" had to be sold to settle his estate.

"Back in the heyday of slavery when the consciences of the northerners were not yet beginning to prick them, we are able to visualize those colored folks who probably did much more than their share of the work of developing and prospering the growing town. There was Tom, the fourteen-year old slave boy who at the settlement of the William Mills estate had to be sold with the rest of the property, and became slave-help on the Joseph Line plantation over the Mountain. At the time of Tom's sale in 1795, a slave boy was worth something, for Tom's price was "eighty five pounds of good and lawful money." Within the boy was of course the potential man and all the work which could be sweated out of him, yet we would think twice today before paying out $425.00 for any modern work boy no matter his potentialities, regardless of the morality of the matter."

From the book, Scotch Plains, "The Story of an Old Community," by Reignette Marsh, page 46:

William Mills was one of many colonists in New York and New Jersey and other parts of northeastern colonial America who owned slaves. For the most part we associate this transgression against mankind as a southern diabolical way of life, yet many of us are totally unaware that our northern ancestors subscribed to this practice. So it is, that in researching my Mills family, I discovered this information.

William Mills, believed son of Samuel Mills, was born 1723; married Amy {--?--), and lived in Westfield Township, probably in what is now Mountainside, Essex County (now Union County), New Jersey. He and Amy are the parents of seven known children. He died 16 March 1795 and was buried at the Colonial Cemetery (First Presbyterian Church Cemetery) in Westfield, Union County, New Jersey.

A mystery now lies with the administrators of this estate. It is probably safely to conclude that William Mills, adm., was a son born about 1752. Research appears to validate his being a probable son of William Mills (1723-1795). However, although information has been found concerning Jeremiah Mills, adm., born about 1746, there is no record found as yet that indicates his exact family connection. It could be assumed that he is also a son, perhaps a son of a former marriage of William or the son of William & Amy. We find the names of Amy Mills and Jeremiah Mills on the rolls of the Scotch Plains Baptist Church, Scotch Plains, Union County, New Jersey, where there appears to have been limited record keeping in those early years. Most MILLS in this area attended the Presbyterian Church in Westfield. He and William were not mentioned in the will of Amy Mills, widow of William. She left her estate to her daughters.

So...we are seeking any record that would validate the parentage of Jeremiah Mills and his connection to William Mills who died 1795.