The Mills Family and the 2nd Battalion New Jersey Volunteers

My Grandmother Nancy Edna Mills (1891 -1960)  wife of William LEONARD Jukes, died when I was just 10 years old. Her father was William Alfred Mills, (Israel, James)  I have very little direct information about the Mills Family history and how they came to New Brunswick.  It is likely that the first of our line was a soldier in the 2^nd Battalion of the New Jersey Volunteers who for now will have to go unidentified.  The family was raised in the French Lake, Sunbury County area and property records confirm this.  An early grant map shows one of the roads leading into French Lake was named Mills Road.  William Mills, Nancy’s father is buried in the Geary, NB cemetery.   Most of what I have gleaned has come from Sunbury County Census and Land Registry Records in New Brunswick and earlier in Nova Scotia.

The Unknown Mills Descendent

This soldier may have served in the, 2^nd Battalion of the New Jersey Volunteers a battalion that was raised in Monmouth County, New Jersey in 1777 who after the war received grants along the St John River when the regiment was disbanded for their service of the King. ^[i]  the  following records suggest that the Mills family did receive grants in this area:

The 2^nd Battalion New Jersey Volunteers had petitioned for grants of land during the period following the end of the war.   In 1784, William Mills and Isaac Mills were part of  a group of grantees described as:

New Jersey Volunteers – 2nd Battalion. For the Warrant to Survey, Surveyor’s Report and List see: Manuscript Documents, vol. 409, Doc. 146 and 146b. Surveyor’s certificate. Draft Grant: 38,450 acres. Township of Sunbury. On the southern side of the River St. John. Bounded in part by land granted Major Lockeman, County of Sunbury[ii]

By 1790 additional grants were recorded to the Mills families.

Grant No. 221 records John Mills Sr, John Mills Jr, and William Mills as grantees in property in Burton and Lincoln Parish on June 14, 1790.

In the 1851 Census,  James Mills b. 1796 and Samuel Mills b. 1808 appear  living one house apart.

By working backwards from the 1851 Census, using Loyalist Grant Records and mapping the census locations subsequent to 1851 I believe that James and Samuel are likely  brothers and descendants of  Loyalist William Mills.

The Historical Index at the New Brunswick Land Registry Data base from 1776-1876 indicates a deed in Burton where James Mills Sr. granted 50 acres of land in Burton  to Samuel Mills[iii]. There is a second deed where James Mills granted 50 acres of land in Burton to James Mills Jr[iv].  This suggests they have a common father from whom they received  their property which is on record in the 1851 census.