John Mills (abt. 1737 - bef. 1790)

Born about 1737 in Scotland

Husband of Anna (Hunter) Mills — married 3 Dec 1770 in Savannah, Georgia

Descendants

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Biography

John Mills was born in Scotland.

John Mills was a Georgia colonist.

Capt. John Mills was a Loyalist in the American Revolution.

John Mills' date of birth cannot be documented. Given that he was Master of a ship in 1767, his birth year is estimated to be about 1737. According to his Loyalist claim cited below, he was born in Scotland, and went to Georgia in 1766 as Master of a Ship.

In 1767 The Georgia Gazette recorded at the Savannah Custom-House the Ship Hawke, John Mills entered outwards for London on several voyages.^[1] He was also recorded on the Schooner Sally from Savannah bound for St. Kitts, St. Christophers, St. Augustine, and South Carolina in 1768 and 1769.^[2] Two entries from The Georgia Gazette for ships at the Custom House in Savannah in 1770 recorded the Sloop Jane with John Mills.^[3][4] The Loyalist Claim also noted John became a Lumber Merchant two years before the Savannah colonist rebellion which would be about 1773.

A marriage settlement was entered into between John Mills of Savannah, Georgia, Mariner and Anna Hunter Spinster showing the 1st day of December 1770, and prior to the marriage for the personnel estate of Anna Mills to be put in Trust, which at her death for the use of and among the heirs of her body. It was signed on the 3rd of December 1770 by John Mills, and one of the witnesses was Jane Russell.^[5] The documents recorded her estate consisted of all that town lot situated in Tyconnel Tything Darby Ward and known by the number one, and also all that Farm Lot known by the number three in Tyrconnel Tything Darby Ward containing 45 acres. In listing his property on his Loyalist claim, he stated that the house was built in the year 1772, and had three rooms and four fireplaces, a dry cellar under the house, and Piazza [veranda] containing 30 feet by 20 feet. One of the witnesses for his claim stated the house was wood.^[6]

In 1779, Capt. John Mills was documented at the siege of Savannah on Saturday, the 25th.

"there was a sharp cannonade for a short time from the French battery of one 18 and one 6 pounder; a Hessian was killed in his tent by an 18 pound shot; several balls went through houses in town, but no person was hurt. The rebel gallies, in the evening began again to fire at ours, which was returned, and likewise a good many shots were fired at them from the battery at the Trustees' Gardens, where Capt. John Mills commanded."^[7][8]

He survived the siege. John was the administrator of the estate of William Bath, deceased, late Pilot in the Navy according to a legal ad in The Royal Georgia Gazette on the 6th of January 1780.^[9] The American Loyalist Claims recorded a Memorial for John Mills late of the Province of Georgia in North America was

"an inhabitant of the Town of Savannah firmly attached to the British Government. During the usurpation of the Rebels in the latter end of the year 1775 and the final overthrow of the British Government, he was at last under the necessity of leaving Savannah and taking refuge on Board his Majesty Sloop Raven, Capt. Stanhope, who remained as Guardship in Savannah River, where he exerted himself on every occasion for the good of the Majesty's Service, and seeing no prospect of returning to his family, your Memorialist became Pilot and since that time has acted in that capacity."^[6] He further stated he was "laboring under a very dangerous and painful disorder and by remaining in the Country during the approaching inclement season must be attended with the fatal consequences which will appear more fully by the Surgeons Certificates herewith delivered, and asked for his case to be taken under immediate consideration that he may be at liberty to proceed to the West Indies or the Bahama Islands."

The evidence on the Memorial was dated the 3rd of November 1784, and noted:

A Native of Scotland - went to Georgia in 1766 as Master of a ship intending to return but the ship was cast away. He settled in Georgia, and Commanded a ship to and from the West Indies, two years before the troubles he commenced Lumber Merchant, when they broke out he joined in a protest against the Proceeds of the American was obliged to take refuge on board the Raven Sloop in March 1776 continued in the Navy and served as a coasting Pilot on the American Coast during the whole war. Came to England in April last certificate to Loyalty from Sir James Wright.

..."Claimant married Anna Hunter in 1771 and has three children William, Jane & Ann who are at Savannah says they have no relation there, they live with a widow lady and he has remitted money for their support."^[6]

He claimed his property as that described in the marriage settlement, and also claimed the property had been confiscated, but did not know if it had been sold. Fortunately for his children, by his agreement to the Marriage Settlement, he was only entitled to the land during his natural life. The widow referred to would be Jane Russell spouse of Anna Hunter's deceased guardian, William Russell. Jane was also one of the witnesses on their Marriage Settlement.

He passed away before 1790. According to the Last Will and Testament of Jane Russell of Savannah relict of William Russell, John Mills and Anna Mills his wife were deceased when she signed her will on the 20th day of March 1790.^[10] She left legacies to William Mills, Jane Mills, and Ann Elizabeth Mills, all noted as children of John and Anna Mills deceased.

Children

Three children are documented born to John Mills and Anna Hunter Mills:

William Mills

Jane Mills

Ann Elizabeth Mills

Sources

1. ↑ The Georgia gazette. (Savannah, Ga.) 1763-1776, July 29, 1767, Image 3, citing Ship Hawke, John Mills. Digital images: Georgia Historic Newspapers.
2. ↑ The Georgia gazette. (Savannah, Ga.) 1763-1776, July 13, 1768, Image 3, citing John Mills, Schooner Sally. Digital images: Georgia Historic Newspapers.
3. ↑ The Georgia gazette. (Savannah, Ga.) 1763-1776, March 14, 1770, Image 3. Column 1, citing John Mills. Digital images: Georgia historic newspapers.
4. ↑ The Georgia gazette. (Savannah, Ga.) 1763-1776, February 28, 1770, Image 2, column 2, citing John Mills. Digital images: Georgia historic newspapers.
5. ↑ Colonial Government, Conveyances, RG 49-1-3, Georgia Archives. Georgia Colonial Conveyance Book V 1769-12-20 to 1771-06-10, Record ID vol3-8973.page 411, 412, 413, citing John Mills, Anna Hunter. Digital images: Virtual Vault. Accessed 26 Oct 2020.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; American Loyalist Claims, Series I; Class: AO 13; Piece: 004. page 374-376. citing John Mills. Ancestry.com [database on-line], image 208 of 250, Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Accessed 29 Oct 2020.
7. ↑ Collections of the Georgia Historical Society. Vol. V., Part 1. Savannah Georgia, Braid & Hutton, Printers and Binders. 1901. A British Source. Account of the Siege of Savannah. Page 133, citing Capt. John Mills. Accessed 5 Oct 2020.
8. ↑ The South-Carolina and American General Gazette (Charleston, South Carolina) 10 Dec 1779, Friday, Page 4, citing column 2, paragraph 2, Capt. John Mills . Digital images: Newspapers.com. Accessed 8 Oct 2020.
9. ↑ The Royal Georgia gazette. (Savannah, Ga.) 1779-1782, January 06, 1780, Image 3, column 2, citing John Mills. Digital images: Georgia Historic Newspapers. Accessed 31 Sept 2020.
10. ↑ Chatham County, Georgia, Wills, v. C-D 1780-1807, Page 177 to 189, citing Jane Russell. Digital images: Familysearch.org [database with images] Film 005759791 image 108 of 363. Accessed 1 Oct 2020.

• Warren, Mary Bondurant, “Marriages and Deaths, 1763 to 1820, Abstracted from Extant Georgia Newspapers,” ® 1968 by M. B. Warren, Heritage Papers, Danielsville, GA.

Acknowledgements

Profile of John Mills (-bef.1790) originally created by Sarah Sharpless 13 Aug 2020.