Joseph Trotter Mills

Joseph Trotter Mills (December 18, 1812 – November 22, 1897) was an American attorney, jurist, Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served four one-year terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, and was Wisconsin circuit court judge for the 5th circuit from 1865 through 1877.

The Honorable Joseph T. Mills
Portrait from History of Grant County Wisconsin (1900)
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 5th Circuit
In office January 2, 1865 – January 1, 1877
Preceded by	Montgomery M. Cothren
Succeeded by	Montgomery M. Cothren
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office January 6, 1879 – January 5, 1880
Preceded by	Thomas J. Graham
Succeeded by	John A. Klindt
Constituency	Grant 2nd district
In office January 6, 1862 – January 5, 1863
Preceded by	Hanmer Robbins
Succeeded by	J. Allen Barber
Constituency	Grant 3rd district
In office January 7, 1856 – January 4, 1858
Preceded by	William W. Field
Succeeded by	Charles K. Dean
Constituency	Grant 4th district
District Attorney of Grant County, Wisconsin
In office August 1861 – Summer 1864
Appointed by	Alexander Randall
Preceded by	Allen R. Bushnell
Succeeded by	Allen R. Bushnell
In office January 3, 1859 – January 7, 1861
Preceded by	Edward D. Lowry
Succeeded by	Allen R. Bushnell
Personal details
Born	(1812-12-18)December 18, 1812 Cane Ridge, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	November 22, 1897(1897-11-22) (aged 84) Denver County, Colorado, U.S.
Resting place	Hillside Cemetery, Lancaster, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Evalina Warner ​ (died 1841)​ Rebecca Warner ​ ​ (m. 1842; died 1857)​ Mary Ann Coumbe ​ ​ (m. 1860; died 1893)​
Children	Mary Evelina Warner Mills (b. 1844; died 1845) Evalina (Anderson) (b. 1846; died 1930) Jared Warner Mills (b. 1852; died 1907) Benjamin Mills (b. 1857; died 1858)
Relatives	Benjamin Mills (uncle)

Biography

Born in 1812 in Cane Ridge, Kentucky,^[1] near Paris, Joseph Trotter Mills as a youth lived and studied with his uncle Benjamin Mills, who was a judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Moving west, in 1831 Mills studied at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois.

He worked as a tutor in 1834 and 1835, teaching the children of Colonel Zachary Taylor,^[1] then commanding officer of Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien, Michigan Territory. Later Mills married and had a family.

He prepared to change his work by reading the law with an established firm; in 1844, he was admitted to the Wisconsin bar. He practiced law in Lancaster, Wisconsin. From 1865 to 1877, Mills served as Wisconsin Circuit Court judge. In 1856, 1857, 1862, and 1879, Mills served in the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican.^[2] His son-in-law, James Sibree Anderson, was also a member of the Assembly.

Mills died at his son's home in Denver, Colorado.^[1][3]

References

1. "An Old Resident Gone: Judge Joseph Mills of Manitowoc Passes Away in Denver". The Daily Tribune. November 27, 1897. p. 6. Retrieved May 8, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Wisconsin Blue Book 1879, "Biographical Sketch of Joseph T. Mills," p. 493
3. Report of the Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin State Bar Association, Madison, Wisconsin, February 2–3, 1901, Tayor and Gleason Book and Job Printers, Madison, Wisconsin: 1901, "Biographical Sketch of Joseph Trotter Mills," pg. 326

External links

• Joseph Trotter Mills at Find a Grave

Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by William W. Field	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Grant 4th district January 7, 1856 – January 4, 1858	Succeeded by Charles K. Dean
Preceded by Hanmer Robbins	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Grant 3rd district January 6, 1862 – January 5, 1863	Succeeded by J. Allen Barber
Preceded by Thomas J. Graham	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Grant 2nd district January 6, 1879 – January 5, 1880	Succeeded by John A. Klindt
Legal offices
Preceded by Edward D. Lowry	District Attorney of Grant County, Wisconsin January 3, 1859 – January 7, 1861	Succeeded by Allen R. Bushnell
Preceded by Allen R. Bushnell	District Attorney of Grant County, Wisconsin August 1861 – Summer 1864	Succeeded by Allen R. Bushnell
Preceded by Montgomery M. Cothren	Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 5th Circuit January 2, 1865 – January 1, 1877	Succeeded by Montgomery M. Cothren