Mills, David National Historic Person

Chatham, Ontario
Mills, David (The Honourable Mr. Justice) © Library and Archives Canada Collection (PA-25912)
Mills, David (The Honourable Mr. Justice)
© Library and Archives Canada Collection (PA-25912)
Portrait of David Mills © Expired; Credit: Topley Studio / Library and Archives Canada / PA-026513Mills, David (The Honourable Mr. Justice) © Library and Archives Canada Collection (PA-25912)View of HSMBC plaque © Parks Canada / Parcs Canada, 1989
Address : 315 King St., Chatham, Ontario

Recognition Statute: Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date: 1954-06-07
Life Date: 1831 to 1903

Other Name(s):
  • Mills, David  (Designation Name)

Importance: Canadian Minister of the Interior (1876-78) and Minister of Justice (1897-1902)

Plaque(s)


Existing plaque: in main corridor of the Kent County Building 315 King St., Chatham, Ontario

Born in Oxford, Upper Canada, Mills served as Superintendent of Schools for Kent County (1856-65) before entering federal politics. He represented Bothwell in the House of Commons from 1867 until he was appointed to the Senate after his defeat in the general election of 1896. He was Minister of the Interior (1876-8) and Minister of Justice (1897-1902). From 1882 to 1887 he was chief editorial writer for the influential London Advertiser. He held a chair of constitutional law at the University of Toronto from 1888 until 1902 when he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. He died in Ottawa.