Moved to Indiana when 13 (1845) where his brother Alfred had some farmland. He stayed until 1855, when he moved to Michigan. (There are many Millses, St Johns, and Lockwoods in the area.) It was here he met Olive Granger. After their first son was born, they moved to Chicago.79

17 Sept 1864 he enlisted at Chicago to fight in the Civil War on the Union side. He fought at Chattanooga. He was an engineer at Fort James, where gunpowder blew into his eyes while blasting rock and he was discharged. He only served in the Army for a year; Edna Ruth suspects he may have enlisted to claim the $300 bonus given to new recruits.79

Private in Co. E, 1st Regiment of US Veteran Volunteers Engineers in 1864 (Civil War) at Springfield IL. Enlisted at Chicago on 17 Sept for 2 years. “Mustered out” at Nashville TN 26 Sept 1865.78

After his discharge, the family moved to Crown Point, where he ran a contracting business which built the courthouse. Edna Ruth has letters that “the grandfather” (George?) wrote.79

Archie Mills recalled to his kids that he remembered when his grandfather John Mills died, he was laid out in a coffin with his Civil War uniform on and sword by his side. Archie remembered pushing a chair up by the side of the coffin so he could get a better look at the sword. As John was an engineer, not an officer, Edna Ruth and Kenny were perplexed as to where he got the sword. Turns out he was a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the VFW of the Civil War, which gave swords to its members. Unfortunately, the unit of the GAR of which John was a member had an argument with its commander and tossed him out. In a fit of spite, the commander then destroyed all the records!79

Archie Mills recalled to his kids how he and his dad and Stell would get on a raft and float down the Kankakee to visit their Granger relatives. Stell remembered sitting “quiet as a mouse” and watching all the beautiful women in dresses at the Grangers’ hunting club.79

“The land in Indiana where the Granger Hunting Lodge was in Thayer is currently owned by my mother-in-law [Marjorie Granger McDonald] and we have the original deed which was in the name of Lucretia Granger (with later mention to a husband, Henry).”129

Mrs. Olive Mills
Died, at the family home in Crown Point, about three o’clock in the morning of Dec. 23, 1887. She was a member of the Grainger [sic] family of Lake county, and had ten brothers and two sisters, four of her brothers still living. She was born March 21, 1838, and was married to Mr John Mills in May 1865, and was the mother of ten children, eight of whom six sons and two daughters, remain to feel a mother’s loss, and in the language of scripture to “arise up and call her blessed.” She gave evidence of beinga true Christian woman; she had been failing in breath for many months; she was resigned to the will of her heavenly Father, and left the world rejoicing in the Christians’ glorious hope. Her niece, Mrs Brockway, was with her, as also, her two daughters, during the last weeks of her life. The burial services, Monday Dec. 26th, were held, at her request, in the Methodist church, and were conducted by Rev. T.H. Ball, as acquaintence and friend for many years of the Grainger [sic] and Mills families. In the midst of even Christmas festivities we must care for the dying and the dead. Well did one say, on “Christmas Keeping.”
Crown Point Register, 5 June 1888