My great grandmother was Pearl Daphne Mills, she was the daughter of John Oscar Mills b. 1857 Fulton Co IL, his mother was Rosilla Douglas Simmons b. about 1829, d/o Lebbeus Simmons and Esther Kelsey, he was son of Lebbeus Simmons and Mary Douglas of Maine. John Oscar Mills left Fulton Co IL and settled in La Grande, Union Co OR. He married Emma Brower in 1888 there, and they remained there until 1895 when she died and he buried her there. He raised their daughter and was living with her when he passed away and she buried him along side his wife and his sister Estella Mae Mills, who never married. Lebbeus Simmons (#1) was a Revolutionary War Vet from Mass, but moved to Maine where he raised a family and died. We do not yet know his ancestry. Lebbeus Simmons (#2) was his son, he was born in Maine, married an Esther Kelsey, though I have not seen a marriage record for this, I have this info on hearsay alone. Apparently Lebbeus Simmons and wife moved at some point to Mercer Co PA along with other Simmons families and raised a family there. Among their kids was a Rosilla Douglas Simmons. At some point Esther must have died,perhaps in PA, or later in IL, I do not have a death date for her, or place. But later Lebbeus Simmons with some of his children did move to Fulton Co IL. Some of his unmarried daughters married in Illinois, and settled permanently there. (Mary Simmons and Rosilla Simmons) My ancestor Rosilla Douglas Simmons did marry William H. Mills b. about 1827 , s/o Gideon Mills b. 1798 NY, of Deerfield twsp, Fulton Co IL. Rosilla and William Mills raised a family in Canton and Cuba, Fulton Co IL. The official marriage record states William H. Mills married Rosilla D. Simmons July 11, 1849 Fulton Co IL, this is an official record. The kids of William H. Mills and Rosilla Douglas Simmons were: George Mills b. 1851 IL, d. 2-6-1913 Callaway, Custer Co NE Charles Mills b. 1855 IL John Oscar Mills b. 1853 IL d. 6-18-1916 Portland, Multnomah Co OR Lebbeus Gideon Mills b. 1860 IL (named for both grandfathers) Estella Mae Mills b. 4-12-1865 Cuba, Fulton Co IL, d. 1-3-1913 buried in La Grande, OR with her brother. Ellen Mills b. 1862 IL Edward Mills b. 1855-57 IL, alive as of 1920 census at Fulton Co IL. Rosilla and William Mills did not have a normal family life, in some census they have some of their kids with them, and in other census they have the kids farmed out to grandparents (Gideon Mills) and even farmed out to cousins. So the "average" household where Mom and Dad and all the kids are found was not the life they lived, either there was poverty, or some problem which prevented them from raising their children all together, it was a FRactured and scattered family, unfortunatly. Perhaps William was just not a good provider for the family. At some point, Lebbeus Simmons (#2) married again, to a Sarah Thorn, a young woman who had previously been married. Even though there was a big difference in their ages, they started a new second family for both of them. After having a full family, Sarah Thorn Simmons found she could not be married anymore, and deserted her family, leaving her husband with alot of very small kids, one was still a baby as I recall. Very tragic story for all parties involved, especially the kids, of course. Those kids were then farmed out to various places, and Lebbeus Simmons (#2) and one son named Charles Simmons, went back to Mercer Co PA, and are listed there in the census. Possibly not long after that census Lebbeus Simmons died, and is most likely buried among relatives in Mercer Co PA. So the travel pattern of the life of Lebbeus Simmons (#2) might be listed as such: born and raised in Maine, most likely married in Maine?, moved to Mercer Co PA and raised a family, perhaps widowed in PA or IL, re-married and started a new second family of kids in Fulton Co IL, was deserted in IL, moved back to his original home area of Mercer Co PA, died. My MAIN list of questions for Lebbeus Simmons family line are: #1. Lebbeus Simmons (#1): who were his parents? #2. Lebbeus Simmons (#2): who was his first wife? Her name and parents name? Marriage record? Date? place? When did she die, and where buried? Where is Lebbeus buried? #3. Rosilla Douglas Simmons (m. William H. Mills): when did she die? Where buried? WHERE is she in the 1880 census? The only match I could find was for William Mills, Rosilla and daughter Ellen, all listed together at Washington, DC and he was working as a Huckster. This could be them, or is it another family with the same names and ages? Did William H. Mills and his wife Rosilla D. Simmons ever return to Illinois? There is a PEORIA Co. IL probate record # 412, in the probate book covering years 1825 to 1887, probate for a William Henry Mills, this looks like it could be my ancestor, but would need to examine this record to verify names mentioned. In the exact same book is a probate for a MOSES SIMMONS #904. Let me tell you something about the various children of William H. Mills and Rosilla D. Simmons: #1. George Mills: the oldest child, he probably never married, he is in the 1910 census at Grant, Custer Co NE as 59 yrs old, single. I have never found a marriage or kids for him. He owned his own farm, and thanks to Laura I have his death date, so there is probably a probate for him, and a look at that might prove if he had kids or not. #2. Charles Mills: he is shown in the 1860 census with his parents at Canton, Fulton Co IL, but I don't know any more on this man. There was a marriage record for a Charles S. Mills married to Clara B. Cameron 9-17-1890 at Fulton Co IL, this might be the same mane, or a different man. #3. John Oscar Mills b. 1857 IL, died 6-4-1916 Portland OREGON, he is buired at La Grande, OR Hillcrest Cemetery, next to his sister Estella Mae Mills and his wife Emma Brower Mills., When he died, he left $1,500.00 to Lebrius Gideon Mills of St. Paul, Howard Co NE, and Edward Mills of Cuba, Fulton Co IL, they were his 2 last living siblings as of his death date. #4. Lebbeus Gideon Mills: his name is sometimes spelled as Libbeous G. Mills, sometimes he used his middle name of Gideon as his first name, it varies. Libeous, Lebeous, Lebius, Libbius, these are all spelling variations. He was definately named for his maternal and paternal grandfathers, both. Libbeous G. Mills married Clara E. Wright 1-13-1886 Fulton Co IL, they had 2 daughters: Ola M. Mills b. Jan 1887, and Leila Mills b. May 1889, in the 1900 census at Putnam, Fulton Co IL, Gideon L. Mills b. Jan 1860 is shown as a widow, with his 2 daughters, living inside the household of Catherine Wright b. March 1840, she would be is dead wife's mother. In the 1880 census he was listed in the household of James Stewart, Cass, Fulton Co IL, working as a farm laborer. In the 1910 census at Cass twsp, Fulton Co IL, he is shown as 50 yrs old, born in IL, doing odd jobs in labor, his son in law was Fred Williams b. 1882 IL, married to his daughter Anna b. 1890 IL, they have 2 kids Nora William b. 1908, and Wilfred Williams b. 1910 IL. It is not clear if Anna Mills Williams is actually Ola or Leila, or a third daughter. #5. Estella Mae Mills: never married. b. 4-12-1865 Cuba, Fulton Co IL, d. 1-3-1913 LaGRande, OR buried at Hilcrest Cemtery, La Grande, Union Co OR 1870 census- living with her grandfather Gideon Mills at Deerfield , Fuilton Co IL 1880 census- living with her cousin Jennie Crall, at Peoria, Peoria Co IL (daughter of Mary Simmons) 1900 census- boarding alone in Canton, Fulton Co., IL later went to live with her widowed brother John O. Mills in La Grande, OR, and died there. #6. Ellen Mills b. about 1862-4 IL, listed in 1870 census with her sister Estella Mills inside the household of their grandfather Gideon Mills at Deerfield, Fulton Co IL, listed in 1880 census with her parents William and Rosilla Mills living at Washington DC. I am not 100% sure this is her family, but the names and ages match correctly, so this is as much as I have to go on right now. I have no more info on her. #7. Edward Mills b, about May 1865, he is listed on 1900 census at Orion twsp, Fulton Co IL, farm hand, single; listed on 1910 census at Orion Twsp, Fulton Co IL, doing labor odd jobs, single listed in 1920 census at Cass, Fulton Co IL, single, working at farm labor. He states fairly consistantly that his father was born in NEW YORK, and his mother was born in Pennsylvania. Gideon Mills b. 1798 NY, I believe is listed at Moriah, Essex Co NY in the 1830 census, I believe he might be the son of William and Hannah Mills of Moriah, Essex Co NY, they are buried at Mineville Cemetery, Moriah, Essex Co NY. Gideon Mills first married a woman unknown to me, but later after settleing in Fulton Co IL, he married a widowed lady, her maiden name was Emeline Bishop, d/o Ira Bishop, they married June 23, 1840 at KNOX Co IL, that is an official record, they had a family together at Fulton Co IL. William H. Mills b. about 1827 New York possibly, was the son of Gideon Mills and a first unknown wife. I believe that Gideon Mills first entered Fulton Co IL about 1836 time frame. There is a COURTHOUSE record for Gideon Mills versus John Walling, case # 416, Book #1- year 1836. Gideon Mills versus Franklin Dobson, case # 1299.2, dated 1847, Book #3 Gideon Mills versus IRA MILLS, case 2262.2, dated 1853, Book #9 **I believe that Ira Mills and Gideon Mills might be brothers, they both settled at Copperas Creek, Fulton Co IL, Ira Mills was a batchlor, he established a landing on the Creek with a log cabin warehouse, and he was not easy to get along with according to neighbors, he always lived next to Alonzo Mills, who is also probably a brother. Other courthouse cases are: People versus Gideon Mills et all, case # 1165.3, dated 1859, book #8 Charles Kilson versus Gieleen Mills, case 1123.2, dated 1846, Book #3. (this is a mis-spelling of his name) I should list the SECOND family for Gideon Mills b. 1798 NY, he married Emeline Bishop b. 1811 CT, d/o Ira Bishop b. 1799 CT d. 1856 Trivolia, Peoria Co IL. First of all, Emeline Bishop married Lemuel Martson, he died 1838, they married in Canada, they had a son named James Martson, who served in the Civil War. Gideon Mills first married an unknown woman, they had at least one son named William H. Mills b. about 1827 NY. Gideon Mills married Emeline Bishop, and together they had these kids: 1. David Mills, served in the Civil War 2. Nelson Mills, served in Civil War, b. 4-8-1844 Fuylton Co IL, served in Co. B, 70th IL INF, on 11-16-1871 married Ellen Jones in Strak Co IL, d/o Isaac and Ruth Jones. The kids were: Isaac N. Mills; Henry O. Mills; Ruth E. Mills. In the 1900 census, he was 66 yrs old, living at Macomb twsp, McDonough Co. IL. He had been raised in Deerfield twsp, Fulton Co IL. 3. Ann Mills 4. Sarah Mills 5. Mary Mills 6. FRancis Mills, aka Frank C. Mills. b. Dec 1854, married Mrs. Mary Hufford, m. 1-23-1894 Fulton Co IL, she was born 2-1868, her daughter by her first marriage was Hazel Hufford b. 1889. Children by Francis' first marriage, to an unknown woman, are: Bertha Mills b. 7-1886 Leroy Mills b. 8-1888 Children of Francis and Mary were: Fern Mills b. 3-1899 As of 1900 census, and 1920 census Frank C. Mills was living with his family at Lewistown, Fulton Co IL. Please let me know what questions or comments that anyone might have for me. Best regards, Lilly Martin