San
Joaquin County
Biographies
LEROY A. MILLS
Prominent among the professional men
of San Joaquin County is L. A. Mills, popular attorney at 710 Commercial Bank
Building, Stockton, and widely known on account of his activity on behalf of
the principles and aims of the Progressive Business Club, now recognized as one
of the most effective organizations making for higher commercial and civic
standards in the United States. He was
born at Mt. Palatine, Putnam County, Illinois, on March 8, 1878, and attended
the public schools of his native city.
He pursued courses for a couple of years at the State Normal School, and
after that took a course for three years in engineering at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology at Boston. He
followed electrical engineering for a couple of years in Boston, and from 1904
to 1913 was in the wholesale electrical supply trade at Peoria, Illinois. In 1913, he came west to San Francisco, and
the following year removed to Stockton, where he had charge of the electrical
department of the Sperry Flour Company.
In 1915 he started the Mills Mercantile Agency, commencing in a small
way by sending out cards from his home, and building up a large business, which
now requires a suite of offices in the Commercial and Savings Bank
Building. During this time he also
studied law, and on April 1, 1919, he was admitted to the California Bar. He enjoys a lucrative law practice, the
result of ability and dependability.
Mr. Mills is a director and past
president of the Progressive Business Club of Stockton. This is one of the leading luncheon clubs,
and is active in furthering the best interests of Stockton and vicinity. It is affiliated with the national
organization. Two members from each line
of business or profession are eligible to membership, and every Thursday there
is a luncheon, when public speakers of repute are entertained and live topics
of the day are discussed. The club aims
to spread the doctrine of true Americanism, to disseminate the high principles
and patriotic ideals of the United States Government, to promote interest among
different local clubs in proposed legislation, to foster the spirit of
fraternalism among members and between local clubs, to encourage each local
Progressive Business Club to pledge its active support to all meritorious civic
movements and co-operate in every way for the benefit of local conditions, and
to promote and encourage the living of the Golden Rule in private, civic,
social and business life.
Mr. Mills’ faith in Stockton is such
that he invests every dollar he can spare in Stockton real estate. He rendered valuable service on the committee
appointed to secure a suitable camp-site for recreational purposes for the
people of Stockton, which resulted in the selection of a beautiful site of
thirty-one acres at Silver Lake, in Amador County. He also rendered valuable services to his
municipality, as chairman of the City Council’s Committee of Thirty, in
drafting the new building law pertaining to building restrictions and zoning. He is a member of the mayor’s unemployment
committee under Secretary Hoover, and is giving much time and attention to
securing employment for those in need of it.
He is very active in encouraging “Stockton First” investments. Through smart salesmanship, thousands of
dollars have each year been taken out of Stockton and San Joaquin County. In order to keep the money at home for
building up the home city, Mr. Mills interested himself in the organization of
the Mort Investment Company, which has for its purpose the erection of business
buildings in Stockton. The company was
recently incorporated with a capital stock of $350,000. Mr. Mills is serving on its directorate and
also as its general counsel. Its first
building will be known as The Mort, which will be a two-story-and-basement
reinforced concrete building, 101 by 303 feet, extending clear through the
block from Stanislaus to Weber Street, between Webster and Main. Mr. Mills is the chairman of the new charter
general committee composed of thirty-six members chosen from twelve local
organizations; it has for its object the adoption of a new charter for the city
of Stockton, embodying the managerial plan of city government. He is vice-chairman of the forum committee of
the Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Merchants’ Association and Advertising
Club, and also a member of the executive board of the South Stockton
Improvement Club. He is an able promoter
of Stockton’s material interests.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
923. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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