Mary Elizabeth Mills married Wayne Van Leer October 21, 1846 in Dickson County, TN. 

Mary’s father was Guilford Mills.  He was born in May 1782 in North Carolina–probably in “Guilford” County. 

The North Carolina census includes several Mills families during this period.  Some family researchers believe the father was named “Daniel” Mills, and that his wife was named “Mary.”  They are believed to have come to North Carolina from Pennsylvania and to be part of the Quaker community.  The military records of the three brothers, however, indicates that they were no long of the Quaker faith. 

The Mills family is believe to have moved to Tennessee from North Carolina in the early 1800’s.   North Carolina issued land grants to their Revolutionary veterans in Tennessee, and many of the early settlers in Montgomery and Dickson Counties came from North Carolina.

The family included at least three sons–all of whom fought in the War of 1812.

1)  Guilford Mills was born in 1782 in North Carolina.  He volunteered in Palmyra, Montgomery County, TN for the War of 1812.  He served from October 1, 1813 until January 30, 1814 as a private in Captain Prince’s company of Tennessee militia, engaged against the Creek Indians.

He applied for 80 acres of bounty land on May 1, 1851.  A second application was filed in 1855.  He died in 1856 at the age of 69.

2)  Gideon Mills (born in 1790) was a tailor by occupation.  He enlisted June 24, 1812 for five years as a private in Captain George Gray’s company, 1st Regiment of U.S. Riflemen.  He was seriously wounded in November 1814 at a battle near Buffalo, NY.  The wound was in his elbow joint; when it became infected, the arm was removed.  He was discharged August 1, 1815 at Buffalo, NY.

Gideon received a pension starting August 2, 1815 due to disability.  He was living in Davidson County between 1815-1823.  Gideon Mills died May 29, 1829, and his pension went to his widow, Rebecca.

3)  Griffith Mills was born Oct. 18, 1792 in North Carolina, according to information on Family Tree Maker CDs.  He married Jane Batson; only one child is named–Randolph Mills.  Griffith Mills died in 1862 in Montgomery, TN.