Elijah Hunt MILLS, Congress, MA (1776-1829)

MILLS, Elijah Hunt, (great-great grandfather of Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. and John Davis Lodge), a Representative and a Senator from Massachusetts; born in Chesterfield, Mass., December 1, 1776; educated by private tutors and graduated from Williams College, Williamstown, Mass., in 1797; studied law; admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Northampton; district attorney for Hampshire County; opened a law school in Northampton in 1823; member, State house of representatives 1811-1814; elected as a Federalist to the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Congresses (March 4, 1815-March 3, 1819); elected to the State house of representatives in 1819 and became speaker in 1820; elected to the United States Senate in 1820 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Prentiss Mellen; reelected and served from June 12, 1820, to March 3, 1827; unsuccessful candidate for reelection; retired from public life due to ill health; died in Northampton, Hampshire County, Mass., on May 5, 1829; interment in Bridge Street Cemetery.

Bibliography

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present