▁Gen . ▁William ▁A . ▁M ills ▁House . ▁ ▁M ills ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 ▁where ▁he ▁reached ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁general . ▁He ▁served ▁during ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁Ni ag ara ▁front ier ▁and ▁commanded ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁milit ia ▁from ▁six ▁count ies . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁well ▁respect ed ▁by ▁the ▁Native ▁Americans ▁of ▁the ▁Living ston ▁County ▁area ▁who ▁gave ▁him ▁the ▁nick name ▁" Big ▁K ett le ." ▁ ▁The ▁General ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁medi ator ▁between ▁the ▁Native ▁Americans ▁and ▁white ▁men ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁gener os ity . ▁ ▁General ▁M ills ▁founded ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Mount ▁Morris ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 8 ▁and ▁the ▁county ▁of ▁Living ston ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 1 . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁justice ▁of ▁the ▁peace , ▁then ▁as ▁town ▁super visor ▁for ▁ 2 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁He ▁gradually ▁expanded ▁his ▁land ▁hold ings ▁in ▁the ▁Gen ese e ▁Valley ▁to ▁. ▁ ▁He ▁helped ▁fin ance ▁the ▁first ▁dam ▁along ▁the ▁Gen ese e ▁River ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 3 ▁and ▁built ▁the ▁race way ▁from ▁the ▁river ▁to ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Mount ▁Morris ▁for ▁water ▁power . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁organized ▁the ▁first ▁milit ia ▁in ▁the ▁county , ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Living ston ▁County ▁Bank , ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁organiz ers ▁and ▁first ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Living ston