F. P. MILLS was born in York State, and is a son of Henry Mills. His early life was passed in Ohio, where he was educated at Hudson College, fourteen miles from Cleveland, and where, also, he married Miss Mary, a daughter of Christian Weltz, and a native of Ohio, who died in 1868, the mother of two children - Francis (now Superintendent of the Youngstown Iron Mining Company) and Mary. He next married Miss Sarah J., daughter of John Hay. This lady has borne him four children, viz., George H., Henry H., John H. and William H. Mr. Mills was engaged for twenty two years in mining in the upper portion of the Michigan peninsula, chiefly handling magnetic ores. He was Superintendent for the Cleveland Iron Mining Company, and had at first about 100 men under his supervision; but the business so increased that he eventually had over 800 men under his management. While thus engaged; he accumulated what is probably the largest and most valuable collection of specimens of iron and other metals held by any private individual outside of the large cities. In the fall of 1879, he came to his present farm of 500 acres, which is improved with a fine frame dwelling and all other needed buildings, and ornamented with five miles of hedges.

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