Harlow S. (Harlow Spencer) Mills

Born in 1846, Harlow Spencer Mills was an American clergyman and author remembered for The Making of a Country Parish (1914). Project Gutenberg and the Internet Archive both identify him as Harlow S. (Harlow Spencer) Mills, and contemporary material presents him as the Rev. Harlow S. Mills.

His best-known book grows out of years of pastoral work in northwestern Michigan. The text itself describes the value of his "twenty years of first-hand knowledge," and local historical material says he led the Benzonia Congregational church from 1896 to 1916. That same local history also notes that the Mills Cottage at the Mills Community House was named for him, reflecting his importance in the life of the community.

Genealogy and memorial records located during this search give his lifespan as 1846–1931. Clear biographical coverage appears to be limited, so the surviving picture is mostly of a minister whose writing came directly from lived experience and a deep commitment to rural community life.