• 1850 Census: Deerfield, Portage, Ohio. Age 20, b OH. Cooper. Living adjacent to Sanford Williams.727
• 1860 Census: Kenockee, St. Clair, Michigan. Age 30, b OH. Farmer. $1000; $100.728

• [excerpts] Lumbering reached gigantic proportions back in our early history, when Michigan was known as the lumber capital of the world. Ogemaw County contributed millions of feet of virgin timber during that era, which has acclaimed Michigan a giant in the annals of our history.
In the fall, when the first snow came, the Mills family’s horses and oxen were shipped from Stag Island in the St. Clair River to Ogemaw County to work in the lumber camps.
Around 1870 the Mills family owned hundreds of acres of Ogemaw County. They started a lumbering project which was carried for twenty years. After the trees were cut and trimmed into sizable logs, they were skidded into the Rifle River, during the spring freshets, and floated downstream. Upon reaching Lake Huron, they were rafted and pulled by tug boats to the St. Clair River, near Port Huron. Steam boats and tow barges transported them to Cleveland, Ohio, through Lake Erie.288

• Mills Township, with the Rifle River flowing through its center, is surprisingly free of early lumber settlements. Although lumber camps surely existed along the township’s waterways, supply and milling settlements flourished elsewhere.
Richland Township contained the settlements of Hardwood Lake and Mills, and is still the location of the village of Prescott. Mills was a train stop at the western county line. Prescott began as a camp called Camp Six. Its owner, Barney Mills, built a saw mill and shingle mill and owned much of the timber lands in Mills and Richland Townships.713, p 9
Prescott’s first saw mill was built by Barney Mills. He also built a shingle mill in Prescott. In 1889, the McLain brothers owned the mills that Mr. Mills had built.713, p 16
John Fitzmaurice tells of a Saturday evening he spent in a southern Ogemaw Camp.
January 17th, 1883, I find by reference to my notebook, was an occasion in which I was made partaker in a camp “Saturday night” that I will long remember. It was in B. B.[sic] Mills’ Rifle River camp, Mich., which like a singed cat, was much better than it looked. It was built upon the old-fashioned style, with what is known as a “caboose,” in place of a stove. The “bunk camp” was cosy, and with but little room, one would imagine, in which to give a variety theatre exhibition. Still, in that same camp was congregated more diversified talent, than I have met at one time before or since in the woods.713, p 31

• The Mills Transportation Company was formed February 4, 1878, with a capital stock of $250,000, divided into 10,000 shares of $25 each. Nelson Mills, of Marysville, held 2,812; Barney Mills, 938; August C. Gray, 1,250; Henry McMorran, Port Huron, 2,500; and Charles Neal, Bay City, 2,500 shares.283, p 547

• Prominent Port Huron Man Dead.
Port Huron, Mich., July 19 [1905] – Barnabas Mills, a brother of the late Nelson Mills and a partner of his in many of their business enterprises, died at this home at Marysville this morning, aged 77 years. Mr. Mills took sick while inspecting some of the lumber properties belonging to the estate in northern Michigan, and was brought home last week.276

• Died intestate.91, p 51, #179

• Barney Mills died intestate leaving a widow without children by him. The widow has one son and two grandchildren by a former marriage. There are thirteen families of Barney Mills kindred of which the heads of six are still living. Two near Chatham, Ontario, one in Washington state, two in Ogemaw County, Michigan, and one in this village. Of all the other families there is one minor child about sixteen years of age living near Chatham, Ontario.
Barney Mills estate consists practically as follows:
Farm, store, village property and house at Prescott, Ogemaw County, Michigan.
Stock in several corporations.
1/4 interest in this co-partnership.
The inventory of this company will be furnished you as soon as it can be obtained and an appraisal made. But for the purposes of this letter will state that the assets are chiefly as follows:
Real estate in Ogemaw, Montmorency, Sanilac and Saint Clair Counties, and in Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio.
Lumber yard and Planning [sic] Mill at Saint Clair.
Stock of lumber and store at this place.
Stag Island.
Interest in mill and land in West Virginia.
Interest in Electric Railway at Lansing.
Accounts and notes receivable.711

• In a separate email I am going to send you a photo of the first store in Prescott, which was built by Barney Mills as a general department store. The two-story brick building was built sometime before 1900 on Sherman Street. Mills closed the store and the building was purchased by the I.O.O.F. and Geneve Rebecca Lodges. The groups held their meetings upstairs and used the first floor for large gatherings, such as banquets, dances, and large community meetings. For quite a number of years (about 15) the first floor was also used by the school where temporary classrooms were established. After 1965, when the I.O.O.F. charter expired and was not renewed, the building was sold to Bed and Bernadine Haskin and used as a recreational facility.
Do you have the book called PRESCOTT COMMUNITY IN PIONEER HISTORY by Ervadeen Hosbach?714

• Barney Mills was another pioneer lumberman. He owned hundreds of acres of wooded land north of town. After the land was cleared it was sold to men who became farmers. Mills also had one of the first general stores before 1900 in the two-story brick building on Sherman Street, which now houses Bud and Bernadine Haskin’s Rec. Hall.715, pp. 3 & 4

• The town had several mills as well as in the rural area. Barney Mills had a grist mill and Bob Cliff, Sr. had a shingle mill. Both were destroyed by fire.715, p 9

• Harold Currie lives on the farm of his grandfather, Gilbert Currie, Sr., two miles north of Sage Lake Road. It had been purchased from Barney Mills.715, p 28

• Yesterday I spent some time at the Oscoda library in the genealogical room. (I love it there!) Anyhow, I found some little things about Barney Mills in the newspapers. I figured this was easier to just type the info out rather than scan the copies, as some are such poor quality.
TAWAS HERALD June 5, 1891: Barney Mills long timber camp is in operation at West Tawas, again with Joseph Lalone, the old standby foreman. Part of the old crew is on deck, with Tink at the helm.
TAWAS HERALD May 20, 1892:  (two entries)
Louis Grant, representing E. Morse, the lumber King of the east, of Tonawanda, was in town this week visiting Jos. Lalone, Barney Mills' foreman. Mr. Morse has purchased a quantity of timber from Mr. Mills.
Jas. Lalone, foreman for Barney Mills, informs us that he has started rafting at the mouth of Tawas River, and will add another force of men in a few days. Quite a number of the old boys are at their old posts of duty.
TAWAS HERALD July 28, 1893: (part of the Prescott social column)
A train of Barney Mills long timber goes out every day from Bush Lake to Tawas Bay.
J. B. Mills, better known as "Cheap John," handles hardware and everything very extensively. He keeps in stock hardware from a needle to a threshing machine. J. B. is quite a hustler.
TAWAS HERALD December 15, 1893: (part of the Prescott social column)
The Keystone flouring mill here is now owned by Messrs Barney Mills and C. E. Cannan. The third partner pulling out of the business.
TAWAS HERALD March 29, 1895: C. E. Cannon has served his connection with the Keystone Milling Co. Having sold his interests in the firm to Barney Mills.
TAWAS HERALD June 27, 1902: (part of the Whittemore social column)
Barney Mills visits our village quite often of late. He has a fine span of drivers of which he is justly proud, and then he is found of good company.716

• Mr. B. Mills
Prescott, Mich.
Dear Sir:-
In reply to yours of the 17th. We are very sorry to say that we are short of cash at present and if we sent you the $500.00 requested would have to borrow same. We expect to get our money on Steamer Sparta insurance very soon and will then send you the $500.00. If you must have it sooner kindly let us know and we will loan same.
Will make you price on land you mentioned in your letter later.
Yours truly,
N. & B. MILLS
By ______________________717

• 1842 Census: Mosa Twp., London District, Ontario.297
• 1851 Mosa Twp. Census: “in the states,” age 23.298, p 2,299,300, p 7
• 1870 Census: Marysville, St. Clair, Michigan. Age 42, b Canada. Lumberman.718
• 1880 Census: St. Clair, St. Clair, Michigan. Age 51, b Canada [sic], lumberman. Father b New Brunswick [sic]; mother b Ireland.719
• 1894 Michigan Census: St. Clair Township, Michigan. Age 66, b Canada. Lumberman. Father b Canada; mother b Ireland.720
• 1900 Census: Mills Township, Ogemaw, Michigan. Age 71, b Jul 1827, Canada Eng. Farmer. Father b Canada Eng; mother b Ireland. Married 30 years. His wife is absent.712

• 1903 Plat map of Richland Township, Ogemaw County, Michigan.721