History of Paris, (Oneida County) New York United States of America

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Cyrus Taggart Mills, educator, was born in Paris, N,Y., May 14, 1819; son of William and Mary Mills, and grandson of Henry Mills. He was graduated from Williams college in 1844; attended the Union Theological seminary, 1844-47, and was ordained a Presbyterian minister, Feb. 2, 1848. He was married, Sept. 11, 1848, to Susan Tolman of Ware, Mass. He went as a missionary of the A.B.C.F.M. to Ceylon in 1849, having studied the Tamul language in college, and met with remarkable success, but his health failed, and he returned to America in 1855. He supplied a pulpit at Berkshire, N.Y., 1856-58, and in 1860 he went under the auspices of the A.B.C. F.M. to the Hawaiian islands as president of Oahu college, near Honolulu, a college for the education of the children of missionaries and foreign residents, and during his administration he greatly improved its financial and educational standing. In 1864 he returned to California, and in 1865 purchased a school known as Mary Atkins Seminary, and conducted it as the Benicia Seminary for Young Ladies, 1865-71, when he removed to Seminary Park, Alameda county, and erected new buildings, the institution becoming known as Mills Seminary. He eventually deeded the entire property to a self-perpetuating board of trustees to he held by them as a permanent institution for the higher education of women. In 1885 it was chartered as a college and became known as Mills College and Seminary. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on President Mills by Williams college in 1870. He died at Mills college, Cal., April 20, 1884.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Paris, (Oneida County) New York

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