James Henry Mills was born in December 1838 in Hobart, Tasmania in the Cascades Female Factory, the son of Scottish convict Susannah Mill (Susan Mills) 1815-1849.

Susanna Mill was convicted at the Perth Court of Justiciary in Scotland for a term of 7 years on 04 October 1836. She was transported to Van Diemens Land on the Atwick departing Britain on 28 September 1837.

James was admitted to the Queens Orphanage at New Town on 8 March 1841, aged 2 years and 3 months (originally placed with the girls), before being transferred to the boys section at the Kings Orphan School.

In January 1844 James was discharged from the orphanage and the records state he was ‘delivered to his mother’.  Sadly a few years later when he was 10 years old his mother Susan died in Hobart on 30 August 1849 at the age of just 34 years old (inflammation of the lungs). They were residing at Murray Street in Hobart at the time of her death.

James Henry Mills