Pike Township Family Stories
JOSHUA A. MILLS FAMILY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 260-266
By Jessie Mills LenzDavid Van Buren Mills was born 23 August 1813 in Columbus, Ohio. He died 25 April 1895. He married Ann Chrisman, daughter of John Chrisman in Ohio. Ann was born 16 May 1816 in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and died 31 December 1894. They came to Iowa in 1849 and located on the farm in Section 12, Pike township. They were parents of nine childen: Van Buren Mills, born 8 June 1840, died 1 January 1913; Amos Mills; Lewis F. Mills, born 8 January 1845, died 17 March 1916; Elizabeth H. Mills; William Mills, died young; “Jed” Gediah Mills, died young; Joshua “Josh” Adair Mills; Cordelia Mills, died in infancy; and another infant.
Joshua Adair Mills was the youngest son of David Mills and Ann Chrisman Mills. He was born 16 November 1856 and died 1 February 1927. On 6 April 1882 Joshua married Laura Awilda Schildberg, born 17 January 1864 and died 26 May 1941. She was the oldest child of the family of 14 children, the daughter of Emeline “Emma” Glazier (1848-1903) and Henry Frederick Schildberg (1835-1917).
Joshua Mills was born on the home farm located 3 ½ miles east of Nichols, formerly Adams Station, in Pike township. He took over the farming operation after his marriage to Miss Laura Schildberg. He remained on this farm until his death.
Laura Schildberg was born in Rock Island county, Illinois, and came with her parents to live in Adams Station, where her father was a wagon maker for twenty years. He also worked for Rock Island Railroad Service and ran the station at Adams for 13 years.
Joshua’s father, David Mills, lived with his son and family until his death at age 82. He had the nickname of “Zounds.” His pastime was fishing , and Pike Run was not far from the farm. It was abounding in all species of fish. One day, when he was 80 years old, he walked to the creek, cut a birch pole and put on the line with a sunfish hook. To his surprise, he caught a ten pound walleye pike which gave him quite a tussle. He was only fishing for sunfish.
Joshua and Laura were parents of thirteen children, all born on the home farm: Etta Pearl Mills, Louis Cleveland Mills, Clyde Cayton Mills, Charles Espy Mills, Ada Mae Mills, Hazel Frances Mills, Frederick David Mills, Emma Viola Mills, Frank Elmer Mills, Lester Edward Mills, Linnie Alberta Mills, Lloyd Harold Mills, and Burton Alvin Mills.
Etta Pearl Mills, first child of Joshua and Laura Mills, was born 13 january 1883 and died 21 January 1967. She was married in 1906 to LeRoy Lukenback, who was born 19 November 1884 in Minnesota, died 13 July 1948. They farmed in the Columbus Junction area and are buried in the Indian Creek cemetery there. They were parents of two children: Lorain LeRoy Lukenbach and Ona Margaret Lukenbach.
Lorain Lukenbach was born 23 October 1906 in Nichols. He married 4 January 1928 Annie Marie Hendrickson, who was born 8 May 1908, died 23 April 1962. They had two children: Phyllis Jean Lukenbach and Max Duane Lukenbach.
Phyllis Lukenbach married Thomas E. Grimes of Boone, Iowa. They had one daughter, Rebecca Jane Grimes. They were divorced, and Phyllis lives in California with her second husband, Jonathan Huie.
Max Duane Lukenbach was married to Rozelle Myersack, daughter of Frank Myersack of Superior, Wisconsin. Rozelle was a teacher in her home town. Max graduated from Columbus Junction community school and attended college at the University of Arizona and Iowa State Teachers college at Cedar Falls, Iowa. He enlisted as a cadet in the U. S. Air Force and graduated with a B. S. degree from Monteray college in California. He was a Lieutenant Commander and a jet-engine bomber pilot. His plan was shot down 22 December 9165 over North Viet Name and no word ever came back except that he was “missing in action.”
Max and Rozelle Lukenbach had two children: Steven Max Lukenbach and Kathryn Lukenbach.
Lorain Lukenbach and his family moved to Tucson, Arizona, for his health, where he became a radio dispatcher at Davis Monthan Air Force Base. He was married, second, to Marguerite Skidmore.
Ona Margaret Lukenbach, second child of LeRoy and Etta Pearl Mills Lukenbach, was born 13 August 1917. She married Albert Morgan, who was born 28 June 1914 and died 17 June 1970. They had two children: Walter LeRoy Morgan and Etta Sylvia Morgan. Ona married, second Charles Willefored, who was bon 15 November 1916, died 11 December 1973.
Walter Morgan, first child of Ona Lukenbach and Albert Morgan, was married to Judith Courtney at Wapello, Iowa. Their children are Scotty Morgan and Jeff Morgan.
Etta Sylvia Morgan, daughter of Ona Lukenbach and Albert Morgan, was married to Jack Harris. They were divorced. They had two children: Chellie Renee Harris, born in Tucson, Arizona, and John T. Harris, born in Tucson, Arizona. Etta Sylvai married, second, James Denning. Their children are James Albert Denning and Michael Shawn Denning.
Louis Cleveland Mills, son of Joshua and Laura Mills, was born 26 September 1884, died 16 August 1937.
Clyde Cayto Mills, third child of Joshua and Laura Mills, was born 18 September 1886, died 22 July 1950.
Louis and Clyde remained single and lived together in a little cottage on the home farm. They helped to farm the home place, as they did a lot of truck farming. Sweet corn, cantaloupe, watermelons and sweet potatoes were raised and required a lot of hoeing and care through harvest. They peddled their fresh produce to nearby towns to stores and special customers.
Charles Espy Mills was the fourth child of Joshua and Laura Mills. He was born 19 June 1888, died 2 February 1971. He married 27 February 1913 Maude Smith, daughter of Leonard B. Smith and Mary A. James Smith. Maude was born 1 March 1893, died 10 June 1956. Charles married, second, Neva Fellinger. For details of the family of Charles Mills and Maude Mills, see the Leonard B. Smith family story.
Charles Mills worked hard helping his father and two older brothers with truck farming, wood cutting, ice making, as well as caring for their livestock. The boys went to the Adams school during the winter terms.
After his marriage, Charles continued to raise a lot of melons and loaded railroad box cars full at Eugene “Gene” Dean’s spur. The melons were packed with straw and shipped to Minnesota.
Charles Mills and Maude Smith Mills had four children: Jessie Marie Mills, born at Nichols; Donald Virgil Mills, born at Nichols; Dorothy Virginia Mills, born at Nichols, and Benjamin Charles Mills, born at Nichols.
We all had our chores to do – and we were anxious to get our work done so we could go fishing. That was our treat, everyone enjoyed it and the fish we caught were a part of our meat supply. We also butchered hogs, beef and chickens – cold packed the meat and smoked bacon and hams.
One summer when I was about five and my twin brother and sister were 2 ½ , our dad did some “hog fishing” with our good neighbors, Ray Norris, Thompson Newton and his sons, Lynne Newton, Jesse Newton, Clarence Newton and Lyle Newton. The idea was to wear old clothes and shoes, go into the creek and drive the fish to a deep water hole, where they caught the big carp by hand in the gills. This was a lot of fun and very rewarding.
One day my brother, sister and I decided we’d do our own “hog fishing.” Since we were never allowed to go into the deep water, we decided to use the big hog wallow filled with slimy mud to catch our fish. What a disaster we all were with our good clothes on when we were found. Needless to say, after hours of scrubbing our hair, our bodies and our clothes, we never did that kind of fishing again.
We were close neighbors of the Theodore Neff family, and we spent many happy occasions fishing, picnicking, having fish fries, boating and playing in the water from the over-flow at their fish pond.
We traveled in the winter time by bob sled and played cards at our neighbors’ homes. The radio was just new, and many Saturday nights we went to Ray and Nellie Norris’ home to sit and listen (with head phones) to the Grand Ole Opry at Nashville.
Threshing time was always an event. We all looked forward to getting together with our neighbors. It was always a lot of hard work for the men on the hottest days, the women worked together to feed the big crew at each place, and the kids had a lot of fun.
Our country school, Pike No. 2, was the center of a great many good times. We had programs several times during the year and box socials. Everyone came to the last day of school for a picnic and closing day program.
On 15 July 1934, we survived one real bad tornado at night which blew all the trees down in the front yard and uprooted a sixty year old cottonwood tree, blowing it on to the house, crushing the porch roof and smashing the window into the bed where my two brothers had been sleeping. The original house was an old stagecoach inn and had a kitchen built on to it on the east side. The southwest wind was so fierce with torrential rain and severe lightning, we all huddled together by the partition between the two houses and prayed together while the storm roared and we thought any minute the roof or house might go. Then suddenly it was all over and we were saved. We spent a lot of time with lanterns trying to find mother hens and little chicks in overturned coops blown against the fence. It took weeks to work up the wood, clean up debris and repair the damage to the house, but we were thankful we had survived the storm.
We had many happy times when our families often gathered at the grandparents’ home and we had so much to eat and visited together. A special trip was to visit my great-grandparents, Thomas James and Melissa James at Cairo, Iowa. They had a large apple orchard and shared their fruit with us. My great granddad had survived the Civil War, but he lived until he was 81 and carried a bullet that was lodged in his lung.
The fifth child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills was Ada Mae Mills, born 27 March 1890 and died 9 November 1978. She married William Curtis, son of John Henry Curtis and Elizabeth Leonhard Curtis of Lone Tree. He was born 12 September 1891, died 17 January 1974. They had five children: Doris Curtis, born 13 July 1911; Wayne Curtis, born 8 November 1913; Erma Curtis, born 29 August 1916; Hazel Curtis, born 3 may 1919, died 8 December 1979; Fern Curtis, died at birth 9 April 1921.
Doris Curtis married Harold DePrez and lived at El Paso, Texas and Pueblo, Colorado. They had no family.
Wayne Curtis married, and his wife is deceased. They had no family.
Emma Curtis married and divorced Loren Brown of Davenport, Iowa. Their daughters were Joanne Brown and Joyce Brown. Erma’s second husband is Ray L. Spies. They have a daughter, Patricia Lee Spies.
Joanne Brown married Walter Nash. They had two daughters, Joyce Jean Nash and Debbie Nash. Her second marriage is to John Smith.
Joyce Brown married John Lyttle. Their children are Tony Ray Lyttle and Kimberly Dawn Lyttle. Her second marriage is to Don Schiffke. They have a daughter, Melissa Ann Schiffke.
Hazel Curtis married and divorced Edwin Selzer. Her second marriage was to William L. Ancell. Hazel had no family. They lived in Quincy, Illinois.
Hazel Frances Mills, sixth child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills, was born 30 October 1892, died 14 April 1973. She was married in 1910 to Benjamin Arnold Oostendorp, son of William Oostendorp and Katherine Schlapkohl Oostendorp, Sr. Ben was born 6 March 1890, died 21 March 1952. They were parents of four children: Charles Benjamin Oostendorp, Veryl Bernard Oostendorp, Mary Loretta Oostendorp and Robert LeRoy Oostendorp.
Charles Benjamin Oostendorp was born 17 January 1911, died 17 July 1982. He married Genevieve Hillyer Middaugh, born 2 April 1922, daughter of John Hillyer of Nichols. They had no children, but he raised her son by a previous marriage, Robert Middaugh.
Veryl Bernard Oostendorp was born 24 November 1912, and died 14 march 1931 at age 18 years of pneumonia.
Mary Loretta Oostendorp was born 6 November 1921 She married Richard Hanft, born 23 February 1917, son of Hale Hanft of Nichols. They had no family.
Robert Leroy Oostendorp was born 26 December 1926. He married Ruth Madsen, and they live in Mesa, Arizona. They had two daughters, Deborah Sue Oostendorp and Teresa Lynn Oostendorp.
Frederick David Mills, seventh child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills, was born 28 July 1895, died 3 October 1980. He was married 21 February 1923 to Odetta Frances Arnold, daughter of John Henry Arnold and Emma Sophia Meyers Arnold. Odetta was born 20 February 1906. They farmed in the Adams neighborhood west of the home place. They were parents of five children: Belva June Mills, Mervin Edwin Mills, Kenton LaVern Mills, Wendell Burlin Mills and Mary Lou Mills.
Belva June Mills, first child of Frederick Mills and Odetta Mills, was born 1 June 1925. She was married to Harvey William Burr, son of Clarence Burr and Irene Isabell Smith Burr of West Liberty. They had two daughters, Dorene Ann Born and Vicki Lou Burr.
Mervin Edwin Mills, second child of Frederick Mills and Odetta Mills, married Dorothy Lowe, daughter of Gloris Fisher Lowe Vetter and Leslie Lowe of Columbus Junction, Iowa. Mervin and Dorothy had five children: Dan Mills, Doug Mill, Dee Mills, David Mills and Dick Mills.
Daniel Joseph Mills married Susan Lane of St. Charles, Illinois. They were divorced. They had no family.
Mervin Douglas Mills, second child of Mervin Mills and Dorothy Mills, married Renee Hazen, daughter of Albert Hazen and Dorothea Polman Hazen of Nichols. Their son is Albert Douglas Mills.
Dee Ann Mills was the third child of Mervin Mills and Dorothy Mills.
David Ernest Leroy Mills, fourth child of Mervin Mills and Dorothy Mills married Kim Elaine Voss. They have two sons, Anthony David Mills and Ryan Joseph Mills.
Richard Michael Mills is the youngest child of Mervin Mills and Dorothy Mills.
Kenton LaVern Mills, third child of Frederick Mills and Odetta Mills is married to Garnet L. McConahay, daughter of W. H. McConahay and Opal Lavery McConahay of Columbus City, Iowa. They have four children: Sally Anne Mills, Lisa Lea Mills, Kirk Alan Mills and Kim LaVern Mills.
Sally Anne Mills was married to Charles Hazen, son of Albert Hazen and Dorothea Polman Hazen. They have a daughter, Sara Lea Hazen.
Lisa Lea Mills was born 9 April 1959, died 13 December 1975 at age 16 years, 8 months and 4 days. She died of multiple injuries from an auto accident. She was a junior in the West Liberty High school.
Kirk Alan Mills and Kim LaVern Mills were the youngest of the children of Kenton LaVern Mills and Garnet L. McConahay Mills.
Wendell Burlin Mills, fourth child of Frederick Mills and Odetta Mills, married Patricia Agnes Nolan, daughter of Clarence Nolan of Muscatine. Wendell is a barber with his father-in-law. They have three children: Theresa Marie Mills, Scott G. Mills, and Craig R. Mills.
Theresa Marie Mills, daughter of Wendell Mills and Patricia Mills, married Mernon W. Peck, Jr. He farms with his father, M. W. Peck, Sr. on Route 6, Muscatine. Theresa is a nurse, did social work and is activities director at Lutheran Homes. She has a daughter, Tricia Peck.
Scott G. Mills, son of Wendell Mills and Patricia Mills, married Janice K. Zaehunger. He works for HON Industries in Muscatine. They have a son, Joshua Mills.
Mary Lou Mills is the fifth child of Frederick Mills and Odetta Mills. She married Harold Elmer Forbes. He is a son of Elmer Forbes and Martha Oberman Forbes. Mary Lou is a musician and entertains at the Lone Tree Care Center. They have four children: Terry Lee Forbes, Deborah Kay Forbes, Tammala Mary Forbes and Glen Harold Forbes.
Terry Lee Forbes, son of Harold Forbes and Mary Lou Forbes, married Annette Rodgers, daughter of Francis Rodgers of Iowa City. They have a child. Her children by a previous marriage are Heather Marie Hill and Christian John Hill.
Deborah Kay Forbes, daughter of Harold Forbes and Mary Lou Mills Forbes, married Patarick Rodgers, brother of Annette Rodgers Forbes. He works at University hospitals. They have four children: Braden Odetta Rodgers, Abigail Theresa Rodgers, Patrick Thaddeus Rodgers, and Rebecca Forbes Rodgers.
Tammala Mary Forbes graduated from Lone Tree High school.
Glen Harold Forbes is a student at the Lone Tree school [1984].
Emma Viola Mills, eighth child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills, was born 5 August 1897, died 13 April 1983. She married Clyde E. Park, son of Charles Park and Lulu H. Brown park, of West Liberty. Clyde Park was born 26 June 1894, died 23 February 1981. He was a veteran of World War I and lived on the home farm all his life. Emma Mills Park and Clyde Park had three children: Gladys Ethel Park, James Lyle Park and Floyd LeRoy Park.
Gladys Ethel Park married Donald “Whitey” Kemp. They lived at Fredonia, Iowa. He operated excavating equipment and big machinery. They had no family.
James Lyle Park, second child of Emma Park and Clyde Park, farmed with his father, remaining single.
Floyd LeRoy Park, youngest child of Emma Park and Clyde Park, married Genevieve Meyers, daughter of Newton Meyers and Emma Mahler Meyers of Muscatine. Genevieve operated a beauty shop. Floyd has retired from U. S. Postal Service in Muscatine. Floyd and Genevieve had two children: Penelope Ann Park and David Charles Park.
Penelope Ann Park married Alberto Polina, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Polina of Muscatine. Alberto was born in Haskel, Texas. Penny and Alberto have two children, Anthony David Polina and Joseph Daniel Polina.
Frank Elmer Mills was the ninth child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills. He was born 25 July 1899, died 7 March 1956. He was married 8 February 1928 to Wilma C. Kirchner, born 1 February 1909, daughter of Fred Kirchner and Augusta Kirchner. Frank owned and operated Mills Motor company in Nichols. He had a cottage on Pike Run where he loved to fish and hunt. Frank and Wilma had two sons, Keith Frederick Mills and Victor Franklin Mills.
Keith Frederick Mills was married to Velma Rose Marine, daughter of David Marine and Helen Ayers Marine of Nichols. Keith is an M. D. in Lone Tree. Keith and Velma Mills have three children: Pamela Sue Mills, Kevin D. Mills and Laurie Beth Mills.
Pamela Sue Mills, daughter of Keith Mills and Velma Mills, was married to Duane Krueger, son of Walter Krueger and Gladys Attig Krueger of Lone Tree. Duane is an instructor in the Turkey River Valley schools. Duane and Pamela have three sons: Nathan Keith Krueger, and twins, Daniel Lee Krueger and Joseph Allan Krueger.
Kevin D. Mills, second child of Keith Mills and Velma Mills, was married to Cindy Burr, daughter of Jerry Burr of Lone Tree.
Laurie Beth Mills, third child of Keith Mills and Velma Mills, was married to Maxwell Duvall, son of George Duvall of Ames, Iowa. Laurie was employed at the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Lone Tree prior to her marriage. Max is a teacher and coach at Clarksville High school.
Second child of Frank Mills and Wilma Mills is Victor Franklin Mills. He married Barbara Jo Hanft, daughter of Hale Hanft and Gertrude Green Hanft. After serving in the U. S. Air Force, Victor took over Mills Garage at Nichols. They have three children: Phillip Eric Mills; Dawn Etta Mills, born 2 March 1957, died 8 October 1957, and Gordon L. Mills.
Phillip Eric Mills was in the U. S. Army. He married Melodi Rae Smith, daughter of George Smith and Charlotte Smith of Nichols. Their children are Carrie Ann Mills and Mark Phillip Mills.
Gordon L. Mills married LeAnn Johnson, daughter of Royal Johnson of West Liberty. Their child is Lindsay Jo Mills.
Lester Edward Mills is the tenth child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills. He was born 11 May 1901. He married Gladys Mae Hintz, daughter of John Hintz of Nichols. Gladys Hintz was born 26 May 1907; she died 13 May 1982. Lester and Gladys had two children: Milton Albert Mills and Shirley Ann Mills.
Milton Albert Mills married Roberta Curry of Muscatine. They had two children: James Milton Mills and Debra K. Mills.
James Milton Mills married and divorced Susan Raine Workman of Muscatine. They have a son, Scott Anthony Mills.
Debra K. Mlls, daughter of Milton Mills and Roberta Mills, married Michael McCallister, son of Morris McCallister and Doris McCallister of Muscatine. Their child is Casey McCallister.
Shirley Ann Mills, daughter of Lester Mills and Gladys Mills, married Marion Riddle, son of Clarence Riddle and Allie Crees Riddle of West Liberty. They are parents of two children: Wayne Michael Riddle and Dennis Lee Riddle.
Wayne Michael Riddle married Peggy Wise of Austin, Texas.
Dennis Lee Riddle married Susan Holland, and they live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Linnie Alberta Mills, eleventh child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills, was born 1 November 1903. She married Clarence Ivan Finley, son of Fred Finley and Esther Wesson Finley. They farmed until they retired to Muscatine. They had three children: Phyllis Marie Finley, James Dale Finley and Theodore Douglas Finley.
Phyllis Marie Finley, daughter of Linnie Finley and Clarence Finley, married Walter Lisle. They live at Beardstown, Illinois. Their son, Jerry Lisle, was born 18 February 1944 and died 17 may 1980 in a car accident. He married Gerry Lou Hesse, daughter of Walter Hesse and Leona Hesse of Davenport, Iowa. They had a son, Jeffrey Michael Hesse. After Jerry’s death, Gerry remarried Kenneth Whyte of Davenport.
James Dale Finley, son of Linnie Finley and Clarence Finley, married Marion M. Daniels of Muscatine. They had three children: Janet Diane Finley married James Luetka. Their son is Brian James Luetka.
Dean Lee Finley married and has a son, Clinton Dean Finley.
Theodore Douglas Finley, third child of Linnie Finley and Clarence Finley, married Betty Minder of Muscatine and later they were divorced. They have three children: David Brian Finley, Barbara Ann Finley, and Ricky Joe Finley. Ted married, second, Evelyn Finley.
Lloyd Harold Mills, born 28 December 1905, was the twelfth child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills. He married on 28 March 1937, Martha Winters, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Charles Winters of Winterset, Iowa. Martha was born 24 December 1912 and died 18 February 1954. Martha was a teacher in North Liberty schools, and on a frosty morning she had a fatal accident on the way to school. Their daughter, Kay Elizabeth Mills was with her mother and was seriously injured but recovered. Lloyd is a radio and television repairman and does woodworking for a hobby.
Lloyd Mills graduated from Nichols High school in 1923. When they added the twelfth year, he went back, took it and graduated again in 1926. He says he is the only person to graduate twice from Nichols High school.
Lloyd’s second marriage was to Jeanette Sybil Tofting, daughter of John E. Sybil and Lottie Burke Sybil.
Kay Elizabeth Mills, daughter of Lloyd and Martha Mills was married to Gary Kenneth Hansen, son of Kenneth Hansen, an optician in Iowa City. Kay and Gary have two children: Tracy Hansen and Jeff Hansen.
Burton Alvin Mills was the youngest child of Joshua Mills and Laura Mills. He was born 14 December 1908, died 23 October 1979. Burton married Amelia Ferry Hadley, who was born 26 October 1918, the daughter of I. D. Hadley and Vesta Brown Hadley.
Burton became my uncle when I was born on his fifth birthday. Amelia went to Lacey school when I taught there, and she became my aunt when they were married. Burton and Amelia had two children: Gary Lynn Mills and Vesta Awilda Mills.
Gary Lynn Mills, son of Burton Mills and Amelia Mills, married Connie Sue Madsen. Connie is the daughter of Paul Madsen of Atalissa, Iowa. They are parents of three children: Brandon Thomas Mills, Julie Mills, and Bethany Sue Mills. Gary and his family live on the Mills homestead.
Vesta Awilda Mills, daughter of Burton Mills and Amelia Mills, was married to Clayton Stammer in Muscatine.
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