Levantia Dorleska (Guy) Mills (1836-1907)

GUY, MILLS, WILSON, DARLING

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/6/2017 at 18:47:31

From Nevada Representative June 24, 1907

OBITUARY

MRS. E. C. MILLS

Mrs. E. C. Mills died at her home in Maxwell on the afternoon of June 21, and her funeral was attended Sunday, the 23d. In her death Story county has lost a substantial pioneer citizen, a woman of large information, forceful character, broad sympathies and beneficent influence. She has done a good work and left the world better for her having lived.

Levantia Dorleska Guy was born July 13, 1836, at Guilford, Chenango county, New York. She attended the public schools there and at the age of sixteen she came to De Kalb county, Illinois, with her parents, where she resided and taught school. Although deprived of the privileges of the east, she enjoyed the happy freedom of pioneer life in the west. At eighteen she attended school a Rock Island, Illinois and taught in the same city for sometime afterward. While she was there she became interested in religious work and united with the Baptist church afterward uniting with the Presbyterian church in whose communion she lived and died. While teaching in the city of Ottawa, Illinois, she became acquainted with Edward C. Mills whom she married September 13, 1860. Eight children were born in them, all of whom are now living except Ida Louisa who died in infancy. All of her children have been with her during her illness, except Chas C. whose home is at Santa Fe, Isle of Pines. In 1865 she came with her husband to Story county, Iowa, where she has since resided. She endured the hardships incident to settlers in a new country without complaint and took high place in the community among her neighbors and friends. Her husband died in 1876 and left her with a large family of small children to rear and support. She lived to see these children all grown to manhood and womanhood, and as they take a retrospect of her life and influence they attribute whatever success has been theirs, to her help and encouragement. She is survived by two brothers, G. O. Guy, of Seattle, Washington and C. T. Guy of Moline, Illinois, and two sisters, Mrs. Lydia A. Wilson at Rock Island, Illinois, and Mrs. Amelia C. Darling of Moline, Illinois. Mrs. Mills illness lasted a year and a half. She suffered greatly but complained very little.