Samuel John Mills

"Samuel John Mills" (April 12 1783-June 16 1818) was born at Torringford, Connecticut. His father was a Congregational minister. He attended Williams College in Massachusetts and there organized the prayer group that held the Haystack prayer meeting. He entered Andover Theological Seminary in 1810, and was licensed to preach in 1812. While he was one of the group that led to the formation of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions his missionary service was confined to the Mississippi valley. He suggested the formation of a National Bible Society. In May, 1816, thirty-five different bible societies met at New York and organized the American Bible Society. He also played a leading role in the formation of the American Colonization Society in 1817.

In 1818, following a brief stay in England, he sailed to the west coast of Africa to purchase land for the American Colonization Society, then embarked for the United States on May 22, and died at sea. His associate, Dr. Robert Finley, the founder of the "National Colonization Society" had died in 1817.

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