According to family tradition, Stephen and Ann Mills left their children with friends while they travelled west to find a new homestead and were never heard from again.

Another story says Stephen departed Marion County, Kentucky and left his wife and children behind. Anne, not being able to care for all of the children, divided them among friends and family members to raise. Thomas Mills went to stay with Israel Cannon, who then moved to Warren County, Kentucky.

Yet another story suggests that Stephen Mills went to Oklahoma and wrote a letter back and said he had arrived safely and that he would come back for Thomas, but they never heard from him again.

Anna and Stephen Mills were members of the Holy Name of Mary Church Parish in Calvary, Marion County, Kentucky from at least 1831-1834.

According to Jane Thomas, Secretary of Marion County, Kentucky Historical Society, Stephen and Anna had two more children: Amanda born about 1834 who lived with Catherine Abell in 1850 Marion County, Kentucky census, and Nancy who was born about 1836 and living with Ignatius and Catherine Mills. Also there is the possibility of a son named Joseph born about 1835. He was living with Cornelius Raley in 1850 Marion County, Kentucky census.

Occupation: farmer

Religion: Catholic BET 1831 AND 1834 Holy Name of Mary Church, Calvary, Washington County, Kentucky

Text: Will of Stephen Mills

Known by all men by those present that I Stephen Mills of the County of Monroe and State of Missouri knowing the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death and being in feeble health and in declining yet sound mind and in proper mind to dispose of all my estate both personal and real do make this in the name God Amen.

My last will and testament.

1st I will my soul to the God that gave it and my body to the earth from whence it came.

2nd I bequeath to my beloved wife Milinda Mills all my estate both personal and real during her natural life except one good bed and bedding for Catharine Bright my stepdaughter and with power to sell for her use the following personal property to wit one set of carpenter tools and all wagons and plows and other farm implements and a gun and one fat cow on the place now.

3rd It is my will and desire that after the death of my beloved wife Milinda Mills that whatsoever is left of my estate be equally divided between my nine children or their heirs to wit Bernard Mills, Mary A. Mills, Elizabeth A. Lee, Joseph A. Mills, Benjamin T. Mills, Robert A. Mills, Samuel T. Mills, Elizabeth J. Whelan, Martha A. A. Pierceall. Bernard Mills and Joseph A. Mills both being dead their children will receive their fathers share.

4th It is my will and desire that Catharine Bright if living at the death of my wife Malinda Mills shall have our good bed and bedding the same that was reserved and to go to the one that takes care of her, but if she be dead at the death of my wife the same shall belong to my estate.

5th I bequeath to J. M. Pierceall my saddle for kinship to me in my sickness.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 4th day of August 1883.

Stephen Mills (seal)

We attest to the above and foregoing will by subscribing our names hereto as witnesses in the presence of Stephen Mills the testator this 4th day of August 1883.

Thomas Mills death certificate lists his father as Stephen Mills. This was given by Alva Mills, Dovie's

half brother who was born in 1884 to Tom's second wife

It has been reported to me by someone that their was a note on the back of the certificate giving

his name as Benjamin Thomas Mills and possibly listing his parents as Stephen and Anne Nancy Raley or at least they had made the connection. I had always been told that Tom's father was Benjamin. I wonder if his father is really Stephen and could it be coupled with Benjamin?

Dovie's certificate just say that father Thomas Mills and was given by Uncle Twain.

According to family tradition, Tom Mills was an orphan found at a grist mill at Bowling Green, Kentucky by the mill owner whose first name was Tom. It is believed that Tom Mills was abandoned by Indians that went through that night. He was named Mills because he was found at a mill. A "Tom Mill" used a large "hammer" to pound the grain. He was supposed to have been taken in and raised by a Wingfield family. This story appears to be incorrect, but widely spread. Mae Cowles of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Brent Mills Bledsoe of Brownsville, Kentucky and Hal D. Dinwiddie of Fairdale, Kentucky had also heard versions of this story. Jack L. Flowers reports that he had always been told that Tom Mills was an Indian

Burial: Pine Grove Church

Bernard Mills is believed to have died around 1869 after the birth of his son William Thomas Mills, because in the 1870 census of Monroe County, Missouri, we find Mary Luisa and her two sons living back with her father and his other children and Bernard is not included. It would also appear that Mary's mother is dead since she is not included in the census.

He spent his life in the area of Chalybete and Pigg, Kentucky which is near Smith Grove, a small community outside of Bowling Green. He was said to be a hard worker and had a firery temper. He was well known and respected in the community. Occupation: farmer and preacher

Burial: Townsend/Kinser Cemetery. Edmendson KY.

Occupation: Homemaker

Burial: Townsend/Kinser Cemetery. Edmendson KY.

Occupation: Farmer

Burial: Kinser Cemetery, Chalybeate, KY

Loranzo was the husband of three wives, all redheads. Each wife had six children. 1st wife Sally Warnell died giving birth to Clara Minnie Cowles. 2nd wife waas louisa Mills aand the third was Lorena Ray

According to family tradition, he was a very good looking man and the men in their part of the world would not let their wives come outside when he was passing by

Known as TV Mills.

My grandmother (87) and grandfather Mills (85) (age at death - my recollection) are both buried in Smithgrove cemetery. At Smith Grove KY. He died in 1965 and she died Jan. 1, 1960. From what I have heard, just after they married, they sharecropped for 23 years on the Johnny Cole Place that was just north of the Davenport farm on 31W north of Bowling Green. In his early fifties when he was worried that the land owners would not lease to him any more he bought his farm on the knob owned by Duncan's now. TV Mills, farmed all his life and my dad and he frequently worked together. My Dad owned a farm about a mile from his (now Aubrey Mills Road) and Patricia and Harold Watt now live on the road. At age 79 he decided to retire since he had some heart pains one day when he was out running down a young cow to get her in the barn for the evening. He decided he would go and talk to social security since he had regularly paid SS every year for many years. Since they did not have any birth records of his birth, they finally found a man in Brownsville who was 93 that remembered when he was born. He also walked everywhere he went unless my dad drove him since he did not own a car. He regularly walked to the WA Cowles grocery on 31W about 3 times a week to get bacon flower and white loaf bread. He always drank a coke at the store and picked up a block of Bull Durham chewing tobacco. I guess he used a small block about every two or three days. He milked his own cows and had chickens for eggs and meat. I was 12 when my grandmother died and I stayed every night for the next 18 months with him since he was having occasional chest pains. He loved to listen to WCKY out of Cincinnati on the radio each evening since they told jokes and played bluegrass music. It was out of range during the day not that he would have ever been in the house listening during the day anyway. He listened to WKCT Bowling Green for local news and weather and the Baptist hour at 4:00 PM each day.

(wrtiten by Nathaniel Mills)

Abbrev: Letter: Lilly Mae Cowles to Eunice Mae MillsEstes

Title: Lilly Mae Cowles, Letter from Lilly Mae Cowles to her cousin Eunice Mae Mills Estes (Bowling Green, KY: 2 Feb 1979)ills Estesills Estes. Bowling Green, KY: 2 Feb 1979.

Text: Mrs. Eunice Estes Bowling Green, KY

Hollis, OK February 2, 1979

Dear Mrs. Estes,

I rec. your card and letter. So glad to hear from you. I meant to write for some time. If I remember right it was last Spring I wrote you. So much has happened since then. I had a wreck the 27 of May. A man hit me. He wasn't hurt, but I stay 27 days in intense care and 90 days in hospital. My oldest daughter brought me home and stay with me to Oct. I learn to walker a little and my wheel chair. So far I made most of the winter with my hired help. I hope when it warm up I can get some better. I had go back in hospital 5 Dec., then I went to Louisville. I had the best bone doctor in state. He said I wasn't healing right. He taken a 4 1/2 pin out my knee. I have two more and lots of small. I think another is working out. My left arm from shoulder to elbow is crush. That is giving most trouble. My right arm was broke. I can use it, but weak. I have a woman come two day week and clean house or anything I need done. We are still holding on to the store to try to keep my husband from going crazy. My daughter, Juanita been with me in the store for 4 years. They got a woman to take my place. She very good. She does most work. Wa won't agree on that. My oldest girl husband had heart attack the 18. He went to his brother's funeral and was caught in that snow. I know I seen it on TV in Ohio, had a attack and died. I went to Louisville Thursday. Come back same day. Margie's youngest boy is 17 year old. My grand--- take me up. I have 3 wonderful girl a-Sindows. Juanita has two girl. Is so good to me I don't know I do without Debbe. I am getting so tire I not writing very good so I try finish tomarrow.

I am back again. My arthritis is hurting me so bad I take everything and sometimes nothing helps.

Mills as far as I knew.

Tom Mills I was always told by my Aunt Mag, Gentry Cowles wife, Tom Mills was found by a grist mill where meal and flour was ground in them days. The owner found him. I never knew who he was, but his first name was Tom, and they give him Mills because they found him there. That as far back as he goes. A bunch of indians went thro that night, so they believe him to be a indian baby. He married a Cowles, had 3 boys, 1 girl. I know that bunch when I see them. I was very young then. All have passed on. More younger. I don't know any of the younger one. I will ask around this summer on more. I think your Grandfather was John Mills.

I am so forgettable any more. I am 73. There were George, John, and Joe. I forget which one was who. So I always said I was part indian. See Beulah, say hello to all for me.

Your cousin in KY,

Mae Cowles

merchant Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky

Note: They owned a general store.

Note: They were second cousins once removed.