This is Charles Wesley Mills story, he was the son of Sarah A. Miller and Holland C. Mills, grandson of Delphia Mallicoat and Charles Wesley Miller, great grand of James H. Mallicoat and Rhoda Witcher. The information came from Jesse Mills, Sarah E Mills-Papp and Charles S, Papp. James H. Mallicoat and Rhoda Witcher are my g-g-g-g-grandparents. Charles married Bertha Cleveland Tate of MO. I have often wondered if she was related to my Tate/Pierson line in VA. but never found any proof. Anyone relating to this line, please contact me. Thank you Jean At a very early age the family moved from TN to MO in a covered wagon and settled on a farm east of the little town of Drexel. When he reached working age, Charles hired out to neighborhood farmers, doing whatever he could. At the age of 18 years, he enlisted in the 2nd. Missouri Company, a army where he served 9 mos during the Spanish-American war. These months he was stationed at Chickamauga, GA. He owned the Jewelry Store at 107 East Bridge Street, Drexel, MO. "When discharged from the Army, he had saved enough money to enable him to attend a watchmakers school in St. Louis. After this school, he was again without funds so he went to Colorado, somewhere near LaJunta, and worked until he had enough saved to buy a watchmaker's bench and to rent space for it in a drug store in Drexel, MO. Bertha C. Tate was employed at the City Drug Store and it was at that time that he met, fell in love and married. About a year later, they moved to El Dorado Springs, MO. Where he maintained a jewelry and music store. It was about this time that their first child arrived. A few years passed, he sold his business and moved back to Drexel and built a two story building. The latter floor consisted of two business rooms, one housing the town's newspaper the Drexel Star and the other, he had his own very nice jewelry store. The upstairs was divided into six rooms, two of which were rented to the dentist, and the remaining 4 rooms, were the living quarters for his family. Several years passed and again he spread out his savings and built a 5 room concrete block house, with a full basement. Just prior to moving into the new house, the second child was born. It was three years later that tragedy befell them and the little boy died of pneumonia. Later, another son was born. When this last son was about 4 years old, brighter fields in Oklahoma. This was in 1916. Here property was purchased, both a home and a store building for his jewelry store. Prosperity came to the family when the oil fields south of town reached their peak of production, and Charles sold out for a fair profit and moved to the town just 9 moles north. He invested his money in property and loved happily until, for the second time in Oklahoma, opportunity arose to sell out for a profit. He sold and moved back to Tonkawa, and again invested in a home and business. This was more permanent, though thru the depression years hard times caused them to suffer financial problems. During this time the fourth child was born. He maintained the store and home until July 29, 1942, when he passed away and was laid to rest in the Tonkawa Cemetery." By Lesbie Mills Allen. Sarah Elizabeth Mills Papp added this story," My father, Hiram Mills told his brother, Charles, having a band. Hiram, only 3 or 4 years old had a talent for rhythm and music. Charles would lift his little brother up on the stage to play drums. It must have been in Drexel, as that is where Hiram grew up. There is no wonder that Clarence became a professional musician. The Mills is blessed with the love of music." A Homesick Soldier Boy by C. W. Mills Missouri December 29, 1938 Tonkawa, Okla, November 23, 1938 Dear Friend: I noticed in last week's Star the 40 years ago item, I was a homesick boy just past 21 years old about this time of the year, 1898, at Albany, Ga, a soldier in the Spanish-American War. I wrote a parody on "Backward, Turn backward Oh Time in Your Flight,"and you published it. Look it up please and run it again. I'll look for it. We are having good winter weather, 15 above this morning. Hope you folks are enjoying good heath. Yours truly, C. W. Mills A Homesick Soldier Boy ( can't read next word) Backward, turn backward, O time in your flight, Take me back home again just for tonight, Let me sit down at my old father's door, And let me feel like a free man once more, Spread out the table, a bounteous good meal, With beefsteak, and mutton chops, pork and some veal, Put on some vegetables, some fruit and some fish, And some good old fat biscuits to fill up the dish, Put on some cake, with ice cream on the side, And let me set down and til morn fill up my hide. Take me away from this hard army life, Away from the noise of the ( ) and file, Let me lie down on a soft feather bed, Instead of these boards ( ) fire harder than lead, ( ), Take these blue tags to make scare crows, Take this old knapsack, this canteen and gun, And give them to some other man's patriot son. Give him my blanket, my gun and canteen, Give him my share of that bacon and beans, Let him strap on this forty pound load, Eat a light breakfast and then hit the road, Then let him walk out in this hot southern sun, And pass in review before some ( ) "big gun", And come in at night very nearly dead, He'll know to enlist he had "wheels in his head." Charles W. Mills Vol. Army, Albany, GA. Reprinted from the Drexel Star, March 3, 1899. Was this the young Charles' "battlecry"? He wrote this poem on March 3, 1899, when he served in the Spanish-American War in Albany, Georgia. This article is reprinted at his request in the Drexel Star 37 years later, on December 29, 1938.