Elijah H. Mills

Elijah H. Mills
United States Senator from Massachusetts
In office June 12, 1820 – March 4, 1827
Preceded by	Prentiss Mellen
Succeeded by	Daniel Webster
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 5th district
In office March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1819
Preceded by	William Ely
Succeeded by	Samuel Lathrop
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1811-1814
Personal details
Born	Elijah Hunt Mills December 1, 1776 Chesterfield, Massachusetts
Died	May 5, 1829 (aged 52) Northampton, Massachusetts
Political party	Federalist
Spouse(s)	Harriet Blake
Alma mater	Williams College
Profession	Lawyer

Elijah Hunt Mills (December 1, 1776 – May 5, 1829) was an American politician from Massachusetts.

Mills was born in Chesterfield, Massachusetts. He was educated by private tutors and graduated from Williams College in 1797. Mills studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Northampton, Massachusetts. He was the district attorney for Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and opened Northampton Law School in 1823. Mills was also a founding member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1812.^[1]

He was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1811–1814). Mills was elected as a Federalist to the United States House of Representatives (March 4, 1815 - March 3, 1819). In 1819 he returned to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he became Speaker of the House in 1820. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1820 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Prentiss Mellen. Mills was reelected and served from June 12, 1820, to March 4, 1827. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1826. He retired from public life due to ill health.

Mills died in Northampton, and was interred in the Bridge Street Cemetery.

Legacy

One of Mills' daughters, Harriette Blake Mills, married Admiral Charles Henry Davis. One of their granddaughters, Anna Cabot Mills Davis, married U.S. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. One of their sons, poet George Cabot Lodge, was the father of U.S. Senators Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. and John Davis Lodge. Another of Mills' daughters, Sarah Hunt Mills, married Benjamin Peirce, the father of Charles Sanders Peirce.^[2]

References

1. American Antiquarian Society Members Directory
2. Adams, Henry. The Life of George Cabot Lodge. pg. 4-5. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1911

External links

• United States Congress. "Elijah H. Mills (id: M000774)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.