Mills Family
of Pike & Covington Counties, Alabama

Compiled & contributed JAN 2000 by Ralph Mills Jr.

Wilson Lumpkin Mills

Walter Pearce Mills

Wilson Lumpkin Mills

A Biographical Sketch

 

Wilson Lumpkin Mills was born on May 26, 1828 in Georgia. He died on October 25, 1902 in Covington County, Alabama. He married Mahala Latham (?) about 1854 in Alabama. Mahala was born in January of 183 5 in Alabama and died on November 8, 19 10 in Covington County, Alabama. Wilson and Mahala are buried in the Harmony Baptist Church cemetery in Covington County, Alabama. Wilson's father was Jacob Mills who was born in North Carolina. Jacob migrated to Jones County, Georgia where he died in 1847 leaving a will. He had ten children, seven boys and three girls.

 

Wilson stayed on the homestead in Jones County after his father's death with two of his older brothers, Morgan Malberry and Robert Jacob Mlls- They were found on the 1850 census in Jones County. He must have migrated to Alabama shortly after that because he patented 40 acres of land in Pike County, Alabama on January 1, 1852. Again on September 1, 1858, Wilson patented 80 acres of land in Pike County, Alabama.

 

Wilson was next located in Alabama on the 1860 census in Coffee County. It was for precinct Number 8 and the Buzbeeville Postoffice. His family was now a wife, Mahala, and three children, Mary E., John W. and Martha Mills.

 

Wilson Mills served the Confederate States of America. He enlisted in March of 1862 at Victoria, Alabama. He was a Private in Company D, I O'h Regiment, Alabama Volunteers. He was wounded in the battle of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee (or Kentucky). He was discharged in May of 1865 and returned to his family.

 

By the 1880 census, Wilson is locate in the Leon Community of Crenshaw County, Alabama. His family now is a wife and eight children. The oldest boy, John W. Mills is no longer living at home but also is not fisted as a head of household. The new children are Wilson Thomas, Laura, Lena, William J, Benjamin F. and Ellen Lee Mills.

 

In 1900, Wilson had moved into'C614119U)n County, Alabama near the Straughn Community. The census states that Mahala was the mother of nine children and that all were still living at that time. One additional &milY member was listed, a grandson named Walter.

 

By the census of 1910, Wilson had died and Mahala is found living with her youngest son Benjamin F. Mills. Ben was listed as a School Teacher on the 1900 census but is now shown as a farmer in the Straughn Community. He must have taken over the family farm when his father died.

 

Wilson L. Mills was a farmer and landowner all of his life. Having started with his portion of his father's estate settlement in Georgia, he raised and cared for a large family. He moved about seeking his "Eden" to tend and nourish so he could provide for his family a better fife.

 


Walter Pearce Mills

 

A Biographical Sketch

 

Walter Pearce Mills was born on October 5, 1885 in Pike County, Alabama. He died on November 2, 1944 in Andalusia, Covington County, Alabama. He married Mary Eliza Straughn on December 22, 1904 in Covington County, Alabama. Mary was born on January 28, 1885 at Straughn, Covington County, Alabama and died on July 5, 1953 in Andalusia, Covington County, Alabama. She was the daughter of Daniel Isaac Straughn and Georgia Ann Jones. Walter and Mary were married at her father's home by B. R. Harrelson, a Minister of the Gospel. Walter and Mary are buried in the Harmony Baptist Church cemetery in Covington County, Alabama. Walter's mother was Mary E. Mills, the daughter of Wilson L. Mills, the son of Jacob Mills who was born in North Carolina.

 

Walter was reared in his grandfather's household. He was only a little younger than his uncle Benjamin F. and his aunt Ellen Lee. His father is presumed to be John Walters (or Waters) who was born in Mississippi. The family rumor had always been that Walter was illegitimate. From the research, it would appear that it was true.

 

The first record that we have of Walter is the 1900 census of Covington County, Alabama. He is counted in the household of his grandfather and identified as a grandson. They were living in the Straughn Community. He is fisted as being fourteen years old at that time. By the 19 10 census, Walter had left his grandfathers home and started his own family in the Straughn Community. He has been married for about five years now and has two daughters, Lena Mae and Ruby Lyndall. There had been a son (the firstborn), Willie Latham, but he lived only six months.

 

Walter sharecropped most of his early life for a Mr. Wilder in River Falls, north of Andalusia. In the "off season," he would travel to Montgomery and lay brick to meet his family's needs. About 1924, Walter moved his family to Montgomery. He felt that he could do better staying there year round. They eventually returned to Covington County where they remained until their deaths.

 

Walter's Grandfather, Wilson L. Mills, and Eliza's Grandfather, Leroy Marion Straughn, both served in the Confederate AnT*d&m-g the Civil War. Walter as a Private in Company D, 10' Regiment, Alabama Volunteers and Leroy as a 2' Sargent in Company B, WhRegiment, Alabama Volunteers.

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