Name:
Horatio Mills 
Location served:
Wheatley  
Years in Practice:
1833 to 1879
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. Horatio Mills was born in Montrose, Scotland on the 13th of September, 1813.  Dr. Mills was the 4th of 8 children born to William Mills and the former Ann Hannah Thetchoner.  His father was a dentist and a jeweller and his siblings were; John Mills, Ann Mills, William Mills, Robert Henry Mills, Richard Peirson Mills, Louisa Isabella “Ann” Mills, and Joseph Mills.  His father was a dentist and a jeweller in Montrose, Scotland.  After the death of Dr. Mills’ mother in 1824, his father was married to the former Jane Crow on the 4th of July, 1824.  William and Jane Mills had 3 sons; David Mills was born on the 8th of April, 1825, Henry Mills was born on the 30th of July, 1826 and Benjamin Hastie Mills was born on the 28th of January, 1828.   Mrs. Jane Mills died on the 2nd of November, 1829.  Dr. Mills’ father died in 1848.

Dr. Mills studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He practiced medicine for a short time in Montrose, (Scotland).   Dr. Mills was a surgeon on a whaling ship for 3 years before settling in Tilbury East Twp (Chatham-Kent), Ontario.  According to the 1878 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. Mills practicing medicine in Ontario prior to 01 January, 1850.  He joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 12th of February, 1874.

Dr. Mills married Martha Campbell on the 27th of November, 1838 in Tilbury East Twp.  Mrs. Mills was born on the 12th of  November, 1822 in Ballymoney County in Ireland, the daughter of Charles Campbell and the former Margaret Lamont.  Her siblings were; Andrew Campbell, John Campbell, Mary Campbell, James Campbell, Grace Campbell, Charles Campbell, William Campbell and Isaac Campbell.  Her family immigrated to Canada between 1832 and 1838.

Dr. and Mrs. Mills had 7 children; Joseph Mills (born about 1842), Margaret Jane Mills (born 02 June, 1844), Emma Louisa Mills (born in December 1847), James W. Mills (born about 1849), Robert Henry Mills (born about 1852), Horatio Edward Mills (born February 16th, 1854) and Hugh Isaac Mills (born 22nd of December, 1861).  With his sons, Dr. Mills cleared 100 acres on Lot 11, Concession 4, in Romney Twp which the Mills family farmed.  He opened a post office in his home in 1864.  With the consent of Canada Post, it was named Old Montrose.  The post office closed 16 years later in 1880.

For many years after he came to Canada, Dr. Mills also taught school in Chatham-Kent and in Essex County. In 1850 he was practicing medicine in Wheatley and continued to do so until his death on the 3rd of June, 1879 in Wheatley. Mrs. Mills died on the 31st of December, 1887.  They were buried at Erie Cemetery, near Wheatley.

The webmaster is grateful to the the Mills family for information and documentation used in this biography.