Fabius D. Mills and his good wife have reared a large family to honorable man and womanhood, and have the respect and esteem of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in the vicinity of their home in Custer county. They are among the oldest settlers of the region, and have always given their earnest efforts toward the support of every measure calculated to advance the welfare and interests of the public. Mr. Mills was born in Crawford county, Wisconsin, December 10, 1845, seventh in a family of ten children, born to John and Betty (Urmson) Mills. His parents were born in Lancashire, England, and died in Crawford county, Wisconsin, the father on January 18, 1873, at the age of sixty-seven years, and the mother in 1900, at the age of ninety years. They were married in England in 1831, and ten years later, came to America, settling in New Brighton, Pennsylvania.

     Mr. Mills received his primary education in the public schools, and later attended Sharon Academy in Pennsylvania. In April, 1858, the family moved to a farm in Crawford county, Wisconsin, and Fabius D. eventually engaged in farming on his own account. He taught school for a number of years, and served two years as superintendent of the schools of Crawford county.

     He was there married on March 31, 1869, to Miss Louise Copsey, a native of Primrose, Wisconsin, who had taught for a time in the schools of that state. She is a daughter of John and Susan (Green) Copsey, the former a native of Yorkshire, England, and the latter of Herkimer county, New York. He died in Wisconsin about 1903, and she now lives in Mt. Sterling, that state. Besides Mrs. Mills, there are three daughters and three sons living in Wisconsin, one daughter in Wyoming, one daughter in Colorado, and one son, Alonzo Copsey, living in Lincoln, Nebraska.

     In October, 1878, Mr. Mills brought his wife and their four children to Custer County, Nebraska, and secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land on section twenty-seven, township seventeen, range eighteen, which is still the home place, and also a tree claim of the same size. The farm is called White Lodge Farm, and is one of great fertility. Some idea of its productiveness may be gained from an eight-acre tract that in 1911 produced twenty-four hundred bushels of potatoes, thirteen of which filled a half-bushel measure. He has served in various public offices, was county supervisor during 1884 and 1885, justice of the peace for sixteen years, and notary public for twelve years. He is a true friend of progress, and since coming to the state has been closely identified with the up building of his region. He is recognized as a public-spirited and uses his influence for the betterment of all. He is now devoting, his time and efforts toward collecting funds for a railway, which is projected from Loup City, Sherman county, to Tryon, McPherson county, and it is expected the road will be constructed in the very near future. This will be of great benefit to shippers, and will greatly advance land values. Mr. Mills has a well-improved and equipped farm, and devotes considerable attention to raising alfalfa.

     Seventeen children have been born in this; family, as follows: John C., living two miles northwest of Westerville, has three children; Douglas E., living near Huxley, has eight children; Ella H., wife of John H. Robins, living near Rushville, Nebraska, has five children; Blanche and Arthur W., died in infancy, she in 1873 an he in 1875; Aristides, died in 1889; Bessie, wife of Dennis Leman, of Beaver, Wyoming, has five children; Edna L., wife of Andrew Allen, Custer county, has one child; Milton, died 1887; Mabel, wife of Dr. A. J. McArthur, of Weissert, has one child; Charles C., is married, and lives near Huxley, Nebraska; Roscoe C., lives in Custer county; Alice, wife of Myron Goddard, of Custer county, has one child; Franklin D., Bayard, Sylvia and Edward R., at home.
Mr. Mills lived in a "soddy" until 1888, he replaced the first frame house with the present dwelling, known as White Lodge.


COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.



    January 12, 1888, the day of the last great blizzard, Mr. Mills had come from Broken Bow to Ansley, and started to drive out home, but the storm was so severe that after facing it four miles, he and some friends were compelled to return to town, and remain until morning. In the early nineties, they experienced the most discouragaing [sic] period of their life in the west; 1890 and 1894 were years of drouth, while 1891 and 1893 were years of severe hailstorms, 1892 vouchsafing them the only good crop year in the five.
Mr. Mills is a democrat in politics, and, with his wife, is a member of the Westerville Methodist church. However, he is a believer in the Catholic church, though not a member. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow.