Mills, Ellery Ellsworth (1874 - 1898)

MILLS, EDWARDS

Posted By: Amy Butler
Date: 8/13/2013 at 15:53:56

HIS WARFARE IS ENDED.
The Remains of Private Elery Mills Laid to Rest.

LARGEST FUNERAL EVER IN ATLANTIC.

The G. A. R. Post as an escort and the Firing 8qnad IB Formed from Soldiers of Both Wars, Abont 150 Carriages
Follow the Remains to the Cemetery. Funeral in Charge of the M, W. of A.

The last sad rites of one of Cass county's patriotic son, Elery E. Mills, were performed yesterday afternoon. The remains arrived here Tuesday evening from San Francisco coming via Kansas City and Des Moines. They were taken to O. B. Osborne's undertaking rooms where they were removed from the government coffin to a casket more befitting his station and in keeping with the respect shown by his friends, and then taken to the Buck Creek church five miles north-west of Atlantic where the services were held at one thirty yesterday afternoon. Rev. L. H. Humphrey of that church made a very touching address and was assisted by Dr. E. S. Hill of the Congregational church of this city, who offered prayer and made a short talk.

The church was too small to accommodate the large number of friends who went there from points miles away to view the face of the deceased for the last time and show their respect. The funeral cortege was the longest ever seen in the city of Atlantic, taking over a half hour to pass a given point. At the city limits the members of the G. A. R. post and the Modern Woodmen of America met the procession and acted as the escort and guard of honor through the city to the Atlantic cemetery where the remains were interred. The city officials attended in a body. The services at the grave wore conducted by. J. M. Dean of the M W. of A. A firing squad of soldiers of '61 and '08, among them Ward Willie of the Spanish war and his father a veteran of the civil war, an incident seldom met, were present and fired the parting salute.

The floral tributes were many and elegant. There were many bouquets, wreaths, and a large design "Gates Ajar" that came with the remains from comrades at San Francisco, and former residents of Atlantic now on the Pacific slope. Large designs from the Woodmen lodge, of which the deceased was a member, the Epworth League of the M. E. church, and one from his Buck Creek Sunday school class. Chas. Scott telegraphed his mother from the camp to have a floral tribute made here and an anchor was selected and sent. Many others of this city and vicinity sent offerings. To take away the hard rough appearance at the grave kind friends had the walls lined with green foliage. The following is the obituary sketch as read by his pastor:

Ellery Ellsworth Mills, son of Solomon B. and Fransina Mills, was born in Pymosa township, Cass county, Iowa, Sept. 24, 1874, and died in Camp Merriam, San Francisco, Cal., Sept. 14, 1898, aged 22 years, 11 months and 20 days. He was baptized and taken into the M. E. church in the summer of 1891, under the pastorate of Rev. J. D. Moore, and has been a loyal true member of the Buck Creek class since that time. At the call of his country he left his father and mother and only sister, and went forth to defend and maintain the honor of his native land. He enlisted in Co. M. Fifty-first Iowa Infantry on June 14, 1898, and just three months to a day the sad and startling news was flashed over the wires and conveyed to his parents and sister that Ellery was dead.

He was a teacher in the Sunday school and an efficient worker in the Epworth League. Oh, how badly we shall miss him from his place in the church, and what a great sorrow has come to the dear ones at home, and we pray that our blessed heavenly Father may sustain them by His grace and enable them to bear this great affliction.

He left this precious message: "Tell my folks I died as I tried to live, a firm believer in the Lord Jesus Christ!'