William J. Mills

William Joseph Mills (January 11, 1849 – December 24, 1915) was an American jurist who served three terms as the chief justice of the New Mexico Territorial Supreme Court and as the 18th and final governor of New Mexico Territory.

Background Mills was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, on January 11, 1849, to William and Harriet (Beale) Mills. His father died when he was young and his mother relocated the family to Connecticut where she married William Henry Law. Mills was educated at the Norwich Free Academy. He worked briefly in New York City before enrolling at Yale University and graduating from the law school in 1877. Mills was admitted to the bar the same year he graduated and set up a private practice in New Haven, Connecticut. He was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1878 and Connecticut Senate in 1881 and 1882. The marriage produced three children: Wilson W., Alice L. and Madeline. From August 1888 till April 1890 he was partnered with Thomas B. Catron, an influential member of the territory's Republican Party.

President William McKinley nominated Mills to become chief justice of the New Mexico Territorial Supreme Court with the commissioning occurring on January 31, 1898. At the time of his nomination, Mills was a Gold Democrat but soon after switched his party affiliation and became a Republican.

Governorship After Governor George Curry submitted his resignation, President William H. Taft nominated Mills to become Governor of New Mexico Territory. The new governor was sworn in on March 1, 1910, as per the terms of his predecessor's resignation.

Upon taking office, Mills began lobbying efforts aimed at achieving statehood for New Mexico. An election of representatives for a constitutional convention was called for September 6, with the convention to draw up a state constitution running from October 3 until November 21, 1910. The resulting document lacked many progressive reforms of the days, such as women's suffrage, and Mills was left to defend the document until it was approved by President Taft in August 1911.

Later life After leaving office, Mills made an unsuccessful run for a U.S. Senate seat in 1912. He died in East Las Vegas, New Mexico on December 24, 1915.