Family of Peter + MILLS and Dorcas + MESSENGER

Husband:	Peter + MILLS (1622-1710)
Wife:	Dorcas + MESSENGER (1650-1688)
Children:	Esther + MILLS (1666-1757)
	Samuel MILLS (1670- )
	Return MILLS (1670- )
	Mary MILLS (1676- )
	Sarah MILLS (1677- )
	Martha MILLS (1682- )
	Samuel MILLS (1684- )
Marriage	9 Jun 1666	Windsor, Hartford, CT, US1,2

Husband: Peter + MILLS

Wife: Dorcas + MESSENGER

Name:	Dorcas + MESSENGER
Sex:	Female
Father:	Edward + MESSENGER (1617-1688)
Mother:	Dorcas + BOSWORTH (1620-1702)
Birth	23 Sep 1650	Windsor, Hartford, CT, US
Death	18 May 1688 (age 37)	Windsor, Hartford, CT, US
Burial		Elm Grove Cemetary3
	Windsor, Hartford, Ct, US

Child 1: Esther + MILLS

Name:	Esther + MILLS
Sex:	Female
Spouse:	John B + EGGLESTON (1659-1730)
Birth	1666	Windsor, Hartford, CT, US
Death	25 Jan 1757 (age 90-91)	Windsor, Hartford, CT, US

Child 2: Samuel MILLS

Name:	Samuel MILLS
Sex:	Male
Birth	1670

Child 3: Return MILLS

Name:	Return MILLS
Sex:	Male
Birth	1670

Child 4: Mary MILLS

Name:	Mary MILLS
Sex:	Female
Birth	1676

Child 5: Sarah MILLS

Name:	Sarah MILLS
Sex:	Female
Birth	1677

Child 6: Martha MILLS

Name:	Martha MILLS
Sex:	Female
Birth	1682

Child 7: Samuel MILLS

Name:	Samuel MILLS
Sex:	Male
Birth	1684

Note on Husband: Peter + MILLS

Pieter Wouterse Vander Meulen was born approximately 1622 in Amsterdam, Holland. He resided in Leyden for a period of time, where he had been preparing for the ministry. There being some conflict in beliefs and challenges in conscience which caused Pieter to align with refugees coming to the colonies, it is said that Pieter fell out of grace with his father and was disinherited.

 

Not a lot is known of Pieter's early years in the colonies, but it is thought that Pieter spent much time in the early years of the colonies, traveling and involved in trade and commerce. Given evidence in later years of Pieter's success, influence, and concern for doctrines in the Connecticutt colony, one can correctly assume that Pieter was a well educated, and articulate businessman, devoted to his faith in God.

 

Known to many of his fellow colonists as Peter Mills, or simply "The Dutchman", there are several references to Pieter's connection with the "Dutch West India Company" and indeed he was referred to as "a tailor", a "merchant", and a "shopkeeper". Known as an honorable businessman, the logical conclusion would be that Pieter was also involved in "trade", given the circumstances in the colonies at that time.

 

Pieter is found in various places as a "squire", or a land owner. Pieter's first "roots" in Windsor, Ct. was after his marriage to Dorcas Messenger(1650-1688) in the spring of 1666. Dorcas' father Edward Messenger, on June 9, 1666, gave 20 acres of land to Pieter. Though there is no mention of it, this could very well have been dowry related.

 

By 1673 a conflict arose in the church at Windsor and eventually, Pieter, along with 29 other men in the church, signed a complaint protesting the interpretation of doctrine. One of the conflicts was apparently over the issue of who would be baptised in the church. Pieter and wife Dorcas had very strong, unbending beliefs.

 

Pieter's wife Dorcas was not entered into the church until 1685 and baptismal records for their children are not available. These facts, in my opinion, were most likely directly related to the earlier conflict and rebellion in 1673. Pieter died an honorable and respected member of the Windsor community, April 17, 1710. Dorcas and Pieter had 10 surviving children.

 

Over generations, Pieter's descendants helped build a nation. Pieter had a son, Peter Jr. who was a tailor and merchant. Peter Mills Jr's son Gideon Mills became a devout minister and fathered Lt. Gideon Mills who fought bravely in the revolutionary war with the Connecticutt company and became the father of Ruth Mills who became the mother of John Brown, the abolistionist. Her brother and the Lt's son, Dr. Oliver Mills, was a respected physician. His sons Edmund and Dr. Lucius moved west and settled in Illinois, Lucius being recommended for the position of "Superintendant of Freed men" and noted as a "man of excellent christian and moral character----loving the whole human family-----". As the number of Pieter's descendants grew, the principles brought from Amsterdam remained.

Sources

1	Henry Fitz-Gilbert Waters, "The New England Historical and Genealogical Register" (NEHGS).

2	"US New England Marriages prior to 1700".

3	"Find a Grave".