William J. Mills
| William J. Mills | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 19th Governor of New Mexico Territory | |
|
In office March 1, 1910 – January 15, 1912 |
|
| Nominated by | William H. Taft |
| Preceded by | George Curry |
| Succeeded by |
William C. McDonald as state Governor |
| Chief Justice, New Mexico Territorial Supreme Court | |
|
In office January 31, 1898 – January 30, 1910 |
|
| Nominated by | William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Thomas W. Smith |
| Succeeded by | William H. Pope |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 11, 1849 Yazoo City, Mississippi |
| Died | December 24, 1915 (aged 66) East Las Vegas, New Mexico |
| Political party | Democratic/Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Alice Waddingham |
William Joseph Mills (January 11, 1849 – December 24, 1915) was an American jurist who served three terms as the Chief Justice of the New Mexico Territorial Supreme Court and as the nineteenth and final Governor of New Mexico Territory.
Mills was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi on January 11, 1849 to William and Harriet (Beale) Mills. His father died when he was young and his mother relocated the family to Connecticut where she married William H. Law. Mills was educated at the Norwich Free Academy. He worked briefly in New York City before enrolling at Yale University and graduating from the law school in 1877. Mills was admitted to the bar the same year he graduated and set up a private practice in New Haven, Connecticut.
Soon after graduation, Mills became active in politics and identified with the Democratic Party. He was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1878 and Connecticut Senate in 1881 and 1882. Mills wed Alice Waddingham of West Haven, Connecticut on January 14, 1885. The marriage produced three children: Wilson W., Alice L. and Madeline.
Mills moved to New Mexico Territory, where his father-in-law, Wilson Waddingham, owned significant tracts of land, and established a legal practice in 1886. From August 1888 till April 1890 he was partnered with Thomas B. Catron, an influential member of the territory's Republican Party. Mills returned to New Haven in 1894.
...
Wikipedia