California Biographies 

Source:
History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California
by: C M Gidney - Santa Barbara. Benjamin Brooks - San Luis Obispo. 
Edwin M Sheridan - Ventura
Volumes II - Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, ILL., 1917

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


LAUREN E. MILLS.  Coming to California in 1903, with the average young American's and college 
graduate's ambition to make something of himself in the world, Lauren E. Mills took up ranching near 
Santa Paula. In the past fifteen years his interests have steadily grown and widened, and besides the 
business under his explicit control he is closely associated with several of the large companies and 
organizations which are bringing system and mutual profit into the leading industries of Southern 
California.  
 
After some years of ranching experience as a tenant, Mr. Mills in 1911 bought 210 acres near Santa 
Paula. Of that tract he now has twelve acres in apricots, forty acres in lemons and the balance in beans 
and hay. He also owns a quarter interest in the Mountain View Citrus Company. Mr. Mills is now a 
director in the following organizations. Santa Paul Citrus Association, Santa Paula Lima Beans Growers 
Association, Santa Paula Walnut Growers Association, Mountain View Citrus Company, Foothill Water 
Company, Ventura County Fair Association, Farm Bureau of Ventura County.  
 
He was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, September 1, 1880, a son of F. E. and I. M. Mills. He grew up in 
that university town which was his birthplace, attended the grammar and high schools, graduating 
from the latter in 1897 and then took the full literary course in the University of Michigan, where he 
was graduated A. B. in 1902. During the first year out of college Mr. Mills was a traveling representative 
of the Olds Motor Company, being employed in the establishment of branches all over the United 
States.

 He is a member of the Masonic Order at Santa Paula and of the Royal Arch Chapter at Oxnard. He is a 
republican. In Santa Paula in August, 1906, he married Miss Georgia O'Hara, a native of Santa Paula and 
a daughter of William and Mary Ellen O'Hara, pioneers of Ventura County, both now deceased. Their 
three children are William Elmer, Ruth Elizabeth and Laura Allen, aged respectively seven, live and four 
years, William E. being now a student in the public schools.