JOSIAH MILLS, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania.
The approach of life's evening has no terrors to a man who has lived a well spent life and not abused the faculties that nature gave to him. So it is that at the age of 67 Josiah Mills is reckoned as one of the best engineers on the Jefferson Division. At an age when many men retire from business Mr. Mills is as keen of eye and as active as a man of 35, and barring some unfortunate accident his health will permit him to remain in the service for many years.

The son of E. W. Mills, a wagon maker, he was born in Sullivan County, New York, December 28, 1832. After studying in the district school until he was 13 years of age, he became a teamster, which occupation he worked at for five years. He then learned the blacksmith trade and worked at it in Wayne County, Pennsylvania for four years. In 1854 he secured a position as brakeman on the Erie, and for two years broke between Susquehanna and Port Jervis. He was advanced to fireman and after three years he was appointed assistant engine dispatcher, and a year later was made engine dispatcher. In 1861 he resigned to accept a position as stationary engineer for Rowley & Norton at Lanesboro, Pennsylvania. He was not satisfied with this position and soon returned to the employ of the Erie, for five years working as roundhouse fireman and general utility man. In 1873 he was promoted to engineer and for fifteen years ran freight between Susquehanna and Carbondale. He was then promoted to passenger and for five years ran the train called the flyer between Binghamton and Carbondale. For the past six years he has had a freight run on the Jefferson Division. Mr. Mills' record is of the highest type of efficiency, and he is esteemed by his superiors as a capable, reliable man, being popular with his many brother engineers.

Mr. Mills was united in marriage May 25, 1861, to Miss Amanda Messinger, daughter of Ebenezer Messinger, a pioneer farmer of Susquehanna County. They have one child, Mary, who is married to Arthur Barnes of Herrick Center. Mr. Mills is a member of Division 137, B. of L. E., and Knights of Honor of Carbondale. He owns several valuable pieces of property in the city, and his family belongs to the best of society of Susquehanna.

Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.

From the February, 1920 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
JOSIAH MILLS�From the Susquehanna Evening Transcript information is received of the death of Josiah Mills, an old-time Erie engineer, which occurred at his home in Highland Park, IL. He had been in failing health for a long time. He was 86 years of age. In his earlier days Engineer Mills was among the best known runners on the road. For forty-four years he had been a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and had been active in the affairs of the organization. He is survived by his widow and one daughter.