Naomi Martin Mills, the Best Grandma in the World

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My Tribute to Naomi Martin Mills

This website is dedicated to the memory of Naomi (Martin) Mills. She was and will always be my hero, my inspiration, my biggest fan. She died in May of 2006 after a very long and courageous battle with leukemia.

I want to get this page up and running, even though it is pretty bare right now. I just want to commit myself to somehow keeping her memory eternal. And I hope that this page will be a catharsis for me in dealing with Grandma's death.

For anyone who has a wonderful grandma, nana, grandmama, grandmother, mammaw, or whatever you call her- this page is dedicated to her, too. Any and all proceeds from this lens will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Summary- Please Read

Please keep checking in as I intend on adding photos, more information about Naomi Martin Mills, more memories, information about the Martin family and Mill Creek, information about leukemia and blood cancers, and tributes to grandmothers in general.

This is an ambitious endeavor, but I intend on fleshing out this page. I can only do small amounts at a time, as it's difficult emotionally. It's a work in progress, so please stay tuned.

Biographical Facts About Grandma

In Case You're Wondering If You Are in My Family Tree

Full Name- Naomi Martin Mills (I actually don't know if she had a middle name. I don't think that she did. If so, I never heard it.)

Born- Manchester, KY
Birthdate- May 29, 1928
Parents- Leonard Martin and Lucy (Turner) Martin

Siblings- Charlie Martin, Doris Martin Cottongim, Evelyn Martin Davidson, Leonard Martin, Mabel Martin Brumley, Marie Martin Whitehead, Olzie Martin Bowling, Paul Martin, Pleas Martin, Tom Martin

Husband- Tolman Mills
Children- Janice Faye Mills Price, Tolman Mills, Jr, Harold Wayne Mills, Larry Mills, John A. Mills, and Dwight David Mills

Clay County, Kentucky Genealogy Website

Look Up Your BlueGrass Roots

Clay County, KY Genealogy: Very basic historical information about Clay County, home of my Grandma Mills.

This could be a great site, but it needs t be fleshed out. It contains links to places to stay, Clay County Bible records, and more. But most of the links have very little information.

If you have information about anything on the website, help fill it in.

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Memories of Mill Creek

Summers in Clay County, Kentucky

My fondest memories of Grandma involve the summers that I spent with her and Grandpa at their farm in Manchester, Kentucky. The farm had been in Grandpa's family for generations. He loved it and when he and Grandma retired from teaching, they both moved there.

I started coming to visit in the summers for a couple of weeks. I soon learned why Grandpa loved the farm. I fell in love with Mill Creek, too.

First of all, it was beautiful. There is no other way to describe it. It was at the top of a mountain and you could stand and make a 360 degree circle and see hills and trees all around.

It was so peaceful. No paved roads, not even electricity or running water. That was fine with Grandpa. I couldn't believe that Grandma went along with it, but she did.

They raised tobacco and cows. I helped and loved it. We got up bright and early and started working in the tobacco fields. Just Grandpa, Grandma, and me all day except for a lunch break. No radio, no distractions.

Situations like that cause people to get to know each other pretty well. There is nothing else to do except talk to each other. And we did, all day, every day.

Grandpa was a very quiet man and didn't say much, but Grandma made up for it. One of the things that I loved the most about Grandma was that she talked to me the same way that she would talk to an adult. She never talked down to me. I was about ten or eleven at the time and she actually listened to me. She asked my opinions on things and then she looked and listened to what I said. It was amazing to a little kid to have an adult treat you that way.

After supper, Grandma made Grandpa and me take a walk. Everyday, regardless of how tired we were or how late it was we would take our evening stroll. Even though Grandpa and I both complained, we always walked. I think that secretly we both enjoyed it. I know I did.

Violent History of Mill Creek

I had no idea that Mill Creek had such a violent history. I knew that a lot of my ancestors were moonshiners and that several feuds and some skirmishes with the law occurred. But this blew my mind. I wonder how many of my relatives were involved?

What makes this even stranger for me personally is that my mother is a Mills and my dad is a Harris. The jailer in the story is a Harris.

This incident occurred approximately three years before Grandpa Mills was born. Grandma married Grandpa about 22 years after this happened. These articles were copied from old newspapers.

Visit the link to see some other old newspaper articles about Clay County, Kentucky.

Link to the Original Source: Mill Creek Residents Jailed
Submitted by: Jackie Alto
mookiedog@chartermi.net
CALUMET NEWS
CALUMET, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 25, 1922

FEUDISTS FORGET GRUDGE; JOIN AUTHORITIES IN CHASE FOR LAWLESS MOUNTAINEERS

Possee Carrying Out Edict of Judge To Arrest Clansmen
Attacks on Deputies Precipitate Drive in Kentucky Hills

Manchester, Ky., April 25-----Clay county fuedists, who a few
months ago were ready to shoot opposing clansmen on sight,
have joined with each other and with the civil authorities to
clean up MIll Creek, following the action of
Circuit Judge Johnson who, yesterday, issued warrants
for the arrest of 200 residents of the mountain territory.
All persons Of Mill Creek territory over twelve years old will
be taken into custody, if possible, by a posse in the Judges
drive to stop lawlessness in the Kentucky mountains.
Posses are combing the hills and bringing in prisoners.

DEPUTY IS MURDERED
The trouble began Thursday when John Taylor,
summoned as a witness in a land suit, was shot to death
from ambush. Five deputy sheriffs later that day were sent
into the neighborhood to serve warrants for persons
connected with the shooting and other crimes. They were
attacked by sixteen men in ambush. A deputy was shot from
his horse. Conspiracy among Mill Creek residents to thwart
the law has existed several months, officers say. Those in the
conspiracy have agreed to prevent the arrest of members by
force of arms, if necessary, to kill officers who might attempt to make arrests.

CALUMET NEWS
CALUMET, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 26,1922

LAWLESS BANDS IN KENTUCKY JAILED

Men and Women Are Rounded Up in Mountain Region

Manchester, Kentucky, April 26-----With the county jail filled and the
home of Jailer John Harris sheltering a large number of women prisoners, the
Mill Creek section of Clay county was quiet today. In compliance with
Circuit Judge Johnsons orders for the arrest of every person over twelve
years of age in Mill Creek territory, the jail house 135 men.
Many more are under instruction to appear before a grand jury to testify
regarding the murder of a witness and the wounding of a deputy sheriff.
Officers who visited the territory to make arrests made affidavits that
there is an organized band there to violate laws and if necessary, kill
anyone who attempted to break up lawlessness.

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Online Copy of Tolman Mills and Naomi Martin Marriage Bond

Click on the image to look up a marriage certificate from Clay County, Kentucky

Leukemia and Leukemia-Related Charity Foundations

Visit these sites to get more information on different charities dedicated to annihilating leukemia and other blood-related cancers, and improving the quality of life for cancer patients.

Leukaemia Foundation | Vision to cure. Mission to care.: The Leukaemia Foundation is dedicated to the care and cure of patients and families living with leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: Fighting leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma.
Leukemia Research Foundation, Fighting Leukemia, Lymphoma and ...: The Leukemia Research Foundation is an organization whose mission is to conquer leukemia, lymphoma, and myelodysplastic syndromes by funding research into ...
National Children's Leukemia Foundation: Non-profit organization with a goal to fight against leukemia and cancer for children and adults. Provides educational materials about the disease and ...
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Foundation: Funding research directed to finding a cure for CLL.
The Friends of José Carreras International Leukemia Foundation's ...: The Friends of José Carreras International Leukemia Foundation's goal is to improve treatment and participate in the cure for leukemia and related blood ...
Leukemia Research Foundation :: Ph.D./M.D. Researchers :: Applications: The Leukemia Research Foundation is currently funding New Investigator grants ... The Leukemia Research Foundation does not provide salary support for the ...
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