• Mother’s maiden surname is Anderson.265

• Mr. Houseman had been prominent in National Insurance Circles since 1936 and had lived in California since 1944. He was graduated from the University of Chicago and a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, a member of the Annandale Golf Club; survived by wife, Virgie, son Robert, daughter-in-law Linda, granddaughter Pamela, Mrs. Henry Lumb.267

• 1910 Census: Goldsberry Twp., Howell, Missouri. Age 4, b MO.268
• 1930 Census: Chicago, Cook, Illinois. Age 29, b MO. Single. Lodger. Manager, Manufacturing. Parents b England.269

• He [David Williams Mills] was married in 1909 to Miss Maud Merrell, of Detroit, and they have one son, Nelson.12, p 684

• Three Stanford Students, Including Nelson Mills of Santa Cruz, Hurt In Crash [Santa Cruz Evening News, 26 Jan 1929]
Pinned beneath the automobile he was driving when it overturned on the Stanford university campus at Palo Alto early this morning, Nelson Mills, son of Mr. and Mrs. David W. Mills of 39 Highland street, and two others, were injured, The News learned. Young Mills, a student at the university, Miss Elizabeth Doyle of Fresno, and Donald Wright of Pasadena, also students, were those injured. Miss Doyle, the most seriously hurt, sustained three fractured ribs. Mills, though not badly injured, suffered a deep scalp wound on the back of his head and was cut on one hand with flying glass. Wright was cut above the eye. All were pinned under the car, it was reported.
The injured were removed to the Palo Alto hospital, but Mills and Wright were allowed to go to their fraternities after receiving medical attention.
As soon as news of the accident reached them, Mr. and Mrs. Mills left for Palo Alto. They are expected to return home tonight with their son.
Mr. Mills, father of the injured young man, formerly was president of the Monterey Bay Lumber company, resigning several months ago.13

• …Nelson Merrell Mills, formerly of Santa Cruz and now of South Pasadena.
Mr. Mills, the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Mills, lived in this city with his parents about five years before leaving for South Pasadena where he is connected with the Standard Oil Company. He is a graduate of Stanford university.
[Note: the connection with Standard Oil was as a gas station attendant]11

• Purchased house at 725 Winthrop Road, San Marino by April 1, 1935.4

• SAN MARINO HOME WINS DISTINCTION
[photo caption] This home at 725 Winthrop Road, San Marino, was selected by the editors of a national magazine for its distinction in design. The residence was bought by Nelson Mills.5

• Nelson Mills Heads Pacific Outdoor
The Board of Directors of Pacific Outdoor Advertising Co., Los Angeles, today announced the election of Nelson Mills as president of the firm, effective July 1, 1949.
A graduate of Stanford University, Mills previously was executive vice president and general manager, and has been with the company 14 years serving in all phases of the business.
The new executive succeeds Hal W. Brown, who continues as chairman of the board.9

• DWM telephone conversation with Harold Hadfield, 10 Mar 1990:
At a recent DAR meeting, Gretchen met Mrs. Harold Hadfield. While talking with someone else, Gretchen mentioned her son, Nelson, which Mrs. Hadfield overheard, and she thereupon inquired if this Nelson was some relation to the Nelson Mills she once knew. Gretchen explained the family connection, and Mrs. Hadfield said that her husband knew Nelson from Santa Cruz days.
Mr. Hadfield called David Mills, Saturday morning, March 10th, and provided a glimpse into an area of MILLS family history which has previously been sketchy.
Mr. Hadfield moved from Hanford, California to Santa Cruz in 1926. He soon met a contemporary who had also moved there recently: Nelson Mills. They struck up a lasting friendship. In those days there were national high school fraternities, which were “outlawed” in California, but the “Gekes” (Gamma Eta Kappa) still survived in Santa Cruz. Mr. Hadfield described the initiation of four pledges: himself, Nelson Mills, Jimmy O’Connors, Louie Rittenhouse – as being a ritual conducted by “drunken old men.” Seems the kids were picked up by the men, taken to the pier, blindfolded, and then taken to a hotel back in the Santa Cruz mountains for the initiation. They were beaten with the paddles which each had made. When it was over and they were initiated, Nelson pulled down his pants to reveal a leather strap under his pants which had protected him from the sting of the paddle!
According to Mr. Hadfield, the Mills family moved to Santa Cruz so that David Williams Mills could pursue his lumber interests in the nearby mountains of the Soquel Creek area. He and a partner purchased a lumber company. The family was obviously well-to-do, and lived in one of the nicer areas of Santa Cruz – Cliff Drive.
At Stanford Nelson Mills had a “hot and heavy” relationship for a long time with Virginia Wilson, sister of Tanner Wilson, of the Wilson real estate company of Santa Cruz. (There is apparently a family history written by Tanner Wilson which gives more.)
In the early part of 1933, Nelson was courting Harriet Eckart. The Mills family first lived in West Los Angeles, then Burbank, and finally, Pasadena. During the Depression of the early 30’s, the Mills family had lived in the large house at the corner of Avoca and Columbia, with six boys in the house as boarders, including Harold Hadfield. It was difficult for Maud, since she had to cook for everybody, and she wasn’t accustomed to that responsibility. Harold states that Nelson supposedly first met Hal Brown at a Standard Oil station at Beverly & Fairfax, where Nelson was pumping gas. Nelson was very personable and handsome and “people just liked him.” So apparently did Hal Brown, and hired him, which is how Nelson’s career with Pacific Outdoor Advertising Co. started.
Harold describes a picnic in South Laguna including Nelson and Harriet and Ann Armstrong and himself. Nelson said “let me borrow your car (Nelson did not have a car) and go get some beer.” He and Harriet were gone for a long time, and finally returned having rolled Harold’s car. The car was not in good shape.
They had many good poker parties “in late 32 and 33” drinking “rotgut.” He tells a story on Don Wright (to be Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court in the 70s) where Don wanted to go down to Main Street in LA to watch the “burleque.”
Harold remembers very well the funeral of Maud Mills at Forest Lawn in 1937. It was pouring rain. Her death had been sudden and unexpected. She was small of stature, was high strung, and smoked heavily.14

• Nelson's Best Man and lifelong friend was Don Wright, who rose to be Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. He was appointed by Ronald Reagan, and subsequently had many run-ins with Jerry Brown, when he was Governor of California. Don served from 1973 to 1980. Don graduated from Stanford in 1929, Harvard Law School, practiced law in Pasadena, California, was appointed to the Municipal Bench in Pasadena, Superior Court in Los Angeles, where he became Presiding Judge, then was appointed to the California Court of Appeals, before being named Chief Justice - which came as a complete surprise.
Source: Recollections of DWM, 8/20/95
See also15 Hon. Donald Richard WRIGHT

• Upon Harriet’s death, [Nelson] sold the Eckart house in San Marino (at 1525 Oak Grove Avenue) in 1967. Nelson and young Don moved to an apartment on Orange Grove in Pasadena, and lived there until his wedding to Virgie Houseman.16

• Dad requested that Gretchen and I arrange for his wedding to Virgie Houseman be conducted in a chapel. He indicated this was important to him.

• Dear Nelson
Many thanks for the penny. I have put it in my savings. In return I am sending you a good luck dime.
Love, Grandpa17

• Former long-time San Marino resident Nelson Merrell Mills died Dec. 22 in Palm Desert, following a lengthy illness.
Mills, born in Cleveland in 1910, was a graduate of Stanford University.
He married his first wife, Harriet, in 1934, and they resided in San Marino until her death in 1966.
Before retiring in 1972, Mills had been president of Pacific Outdoor Advertising for 19 years.
He was a past president of Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena and Marrakesh Golf Club in Palm Desert and a member of Zeta Psi fraternity and Rotary International.6

• 1910 Census: East Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. Age 3/12ths, b OH. Father b MI; mother b IN.18
• 1920 Census: Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga, Ohio. Age 9, b OH. Father b MI; mother b OH [sic].19
• 1930 Census: San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Age 20, b OH. Student. Father b MI; mother b IN. Living with parents.20
• 1940 Census: San Marino, Los Angeles, California. Age 30, b OH. Salesman, Outdoor Advertising. Same house for 5 years.4
• 1950 Census: San Marino, Los Angeles, California. Age 40, b OH. President, Advertising.21