Thomas Hearn Mills (1835 - 1898)

Born Mar 1835 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Wilson) Mills — married about 1861 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 29 Aug 1898 at age 63 in Picton, Marlborough, Marlborough, New Zealand

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Biography

Thomas Herne Mills was born in 1835 at Portsmouth, England. The deceased was born at Portsmouth, England, in March, 1835, arriving in Nelson in, the ship Lord Auckland in 1842 aged 6 years, and was a son of Mr Richard Mills, who will be remembered as a store-keeper and merchant in those times ^[1].

On leaving school, Mr Mills was indentured to Mr Stallard, decorator, Nelson, and, after the completion of his apprenticeship, visited Sydney, N.S.W., where he was engaged for some years at his business, and also in the gold-mining industry, ultimately returning to Nelson, where he entered into partnership with Mr Stallard, junr., son of his erstwhile master, with whom he continued in business until 1863. The advantages of the Pelorus Sound for pastoralists having claimed his attention, in 1870 he took up the run now known as Hopai, which he eventually converted into one of the finest properties the Sound contains, and where he resided until some two months ago, when he was removed to the residence of his son-in-law, at Havelock, for the convenience of medical attendance.

The deceased married, in 1862, Mary, sister of Mr John Wilson, of this town, who predeceased him by nearly three years, and leaves seven daughters and five sons, with whom the deepest sympathy is felt. He was brother to Mr C. H. Mills, (M.H.R. for Wairau), Messrs Alfred, Harry, and John Mills, all of whom are well-known throughout this Colony, and with these gentlemen, who have from boyhood been closely associated with the deceased, and to the other members of the family, the bereavement they have sustained has caused widespread compassion and sorrow.

In private life the enlivening and genial nature of the deceased drew around him hosts of friends, and the hospitality of Hopai, extended to all, of no matter what degree, has, on all occasions, imprinted a deep feeling of pleasure upon those who have had the opportunity of partaking of it. In the death of Mr Mills many will regret the loss of a staunch friend, whose sympathy with suffering was never deafly called upon, and who will now have removed from them one who was ever ready to listen, advise, and assist, whilst the Colony has lost one of its most sterling colonizers and settlers, which the march of time is ruthlessly removing from the scene of their past triumphs in husbandry and development.

The Funeral. The high esteem in which the deceased was held was fully demonstrated by the large concourse of mourners that attended the grave-side in the cemetery, Havelock, yesterday afternoon. The solemn Burial Service of the Church of England was impressively conducted by the Rev. E. Ensor, whilst Messrs Dr. H. D. Mackenzie, W. E. Simmonds, T. H., and F. J. Scott, acted as pall-bearers. The mortal remains were laid in their last resting-place amidst much sorrow - a living monument to the reverence generated by his past deeds to his fellow-man, examples that will stand as recurrent to all eternity. (Pelorus Guardian & Miner's Advocate, Sept. 2, 1898).

He married Mary Wilson about 1861 ^[2].

He passed away in 1898 In Picton and was buried in the Havelock North cemetery with his wife ^[3].

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBWQ-RQH : 4 February 2023), Thomas Mills, 1835
2. ↑ "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Marriage Registration of Thomas Hearn Mills and Mary Wilson ; citing Marriage Certificate 1861/4033
3. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/154696753/thomas-hearn-mills

• "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDR1-G3Z : 21 February 2019), Thomas Hearn Mills, 1898; citing , Blenheim probate files [first sequence], 1876-1972, record number 340, Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office; FamilySearch digital folder 004589315.
• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2SM-4XQC : 15 March 2016), Thomas Hearn Mills, 1898; Burial, Havelock, Marlborough District, Marlborough, New Zealand, Havelock Cemetery; citing record ID 154696753, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.