It was cloudy and a cold wind was blowing Saturday, April 7, but a large crowd braved the weather to celebrate the dedication of the State of Texas Historical Cemetery marker at the Mills Cemetery. Located near the present intersection of Highway 66 and Centerville Road, the cemetery was established in 1854 by Edward C. Mills, one of the first settlers in the area that would later be known as Garland.
Edward C. Mills and his family, who were among the first settlers in the east part of Dallas County, arrived in 1847 and claimed a 640-acre 
headright on Rowlett Creek. The Mills Cemetery was established with the burial of Mills’ second wife, Elizabeth Collins Mills.
Edward’s first wife, Sarah Hunter Mills, died in 1841 at the age of 35. She and Edward had three sons, Hope, John and James. He married Elizabeth Collins in 1842 and they had three daughters, Ruth, Lydia and Virginia, along with another son, Robert.
Edward and Elizabeth, along with the seven children, ranging in age from 1-18, moved to Texas in 1847.
During the dedication, Amy Foster, descendant of Elizabeth Collins Mills, acknowledged Elizabeth’s bravery.
“When she left with Edward, she knew that she was leaving behind everything and everyone she knew,” Foster said. “She would never come back. She was leaving her family and friends. She was a tr
ue pioneer.”
Foster also talked about the importance of passing family stories from one generation to the next.
“This is not just my history. This is Texas history. And I am proud to be part of such a proud and resilient family,” she said.
Besides Elizabeth and Edward Mills, two sons, James and John, are buried in Mills Cemetery, as are several Civil War veterans, including another Mills son, Robert. A fourth son, Hope, died at the Battle of Vicksburg.
Chuck Mills expressed gratitude to all who assisted in the research and acquisition
of the marker including Cecil Williams and other members of the Garland Mills Cemetery Foundation, along with Cleo Holden and the other members of Preservation Garland, Inc. He also thanked everyone who attended the dedication including Jim Bookhout of the Dallas County Pioneer Association, additional Mills family descendants and everyone who has shown an interest in the history of the cemetery.
Mills expressed special thanks to Jerry Flook for his assistance and extensive research that led to the acquisition of the marker.
“Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to find all of the information,” Mills said.
Headstone photos by Sharon Atkinson.