Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1904 — DEATH OF CHARLES E. MILLS. [ARTICLE]

DEATH OF CHARLES E. MILLS.

Charles E. Mills, whose sickness was mentioned recently in these columns, died Saturday afternoon at about 3 o’clock, after a second stroke of paralysis, the first stroke coming the day previous. Mr. Mills had apparently nearly recovered from his sickness and was up town only a few days before his death. On returning home from this trip, however, he was again taken down but was not considered in a serious condition until the paralytic stroke on Friday, The funeral was held Monday afternoon from his late residence, conducted by Rev. H. L. Kindig, assisted by Iroquois Lodge, I. O. O. F. Interment was made in Weston cemetery. IN MEMORII’M. Charles E. Mills was born in Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois, August 7, 1858, and is of English ancestry. His grandfather, Daniel Mills, came to America with his family, but recrossed the ocean, and while there the father of the deceased, Daniel C. Mills, was born While he was yet a lad the family once more crossed the ocean to America, the grandfather becoming associated with the father of our eminent statesman, Roscoe Oonkling, in the manufacture of veneering at Cohoes Palls, New York, the first enterprise of the kind in this country. The family afterwards moved to Ottawa, Illinois, where the grandfather died and the father still lives. Charles E. Mills was reared on a farm and attended the public schools during his youth, afterwards entering Adrian College, at Adrain, Michigan. He then passed considerable time in teaching school and was very successful in this profession. During this period he began the study of law at Ottawa. He located in Remington, Ind., in 1885 and was admitted to the Jasper County Bar in 1888, and moved to Renßselaer three years later. Like many a country-born youth who attains eminence in our country, he worked his own way by perseverance and industry, from teaching to aw, and from law to public life. Mr. Mills chose as the partner of life’s vicissitudes Miss Ann Rebecca Smith, of Marseilles, 111. They have three sons, Edward F., Emory 8. and Howard. Mr. Mills w>s a member of the Knights of Pythias and Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodges. He was a Republican in politics and has served bis party faithfully. He has been on several local committees, was secretary of the Jasper County Republican committee in 1894 and its chairman in 1896 and from 1894 has

! been secretary of the Republican Committee oi the tenth Congressional district. He was appointed Prosecuting Attorney for this circuit by Governor Mount in tbe year 1898 and filled his position faithfnlly. He had a good law practice in this county and was honest in all bis dealings. He was fair to tbe coart in all bis practice as well as kind to bis brother attorneys. Mr. Mills was the first count}' assessor nnder tbe new law and filled this position to tbe satisfaction of all. In addition to his law practice Mr. Mills took an active part in all local improvements which were intended to better the community in which he lived and at the time of his death was secretary of the Jasper County Telephone Co. Our brother has been in poor health for some time, yet to a great number of his friends this fact was unknown and when the news came of his death on April 30th, 1904, it created great Borrow among his many friends and neighbors, and whereas, Charles E. Mills was a member of the Jaßper County Bar and in good standing, and whereas, In order that a brief biography oi his life may become a part of the records of the Jasper Circuit Coart and a token of respect shown to bis family and a recognition of the esteem in which he was held by his fellow members of this bar, therefore be it resolved, * That these resolutions be spread of record in the order bpoks of this Coart and that a copy of same be handed to the family and to the editors of this city.

On the second day of May, 1904, under the auspices of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge he was laid to rest in Weston cemetery in the city of Rensselaer near the Iroquois river. He has left ns. At this bar his presence we will not see nor his voice hear but in memory they dwell. He sleeps in the quiet chamber of death, the mystery of which still surrounds the living; its door is closed to all and he who knocks and asks admission most do so after the mists have rolled away. ‘Tis best that this be so. ‘Tis a divine pleading, yea ‘tie law. We demur but this is overruled as it always has been and always will be in this life. ‘Tis wise that it should be so. 'Tis beat. To live in hope of the fntore is better for mankind than the actual knowledge, if not, God wonld have rnled otherwise. Oar time is coming; when it does the way will be made clear and the true future revealed. And when "The death change comes, Death is another life, we bow

oar heads at going out, we think, and enter straight another chamber of tbe King’s, larger than this we leave, and lovelier, and tben in shadowy glimpses disconnect, the story, flowerlike, closes thus its leaves. The will of God is all in all, he makes, destroys, remakes for his own pleasure, all.”— Bailey. Moses Leopold, Frank Foltz. E. P. Honan.