Gilbert "Gux Shaan eesh" Mills and Child

Gilbert Mills, born September 10, 1911 was the son of Albert Mills (born 1872 in Village Point) and Emma May Williams (born 1880 in Angoon).  In 1936 he married Katherine Brown. 

Gilbert Mills was one of fourteen children.  He lived most of his life at Excursion Inlet, Hoonah and Dundas Bay.  He was involved in all kinds of fisheries, was a trapper and a harbormaster.  He was an avid fan of Gold Medal basketball.

He was well known for his trapping, hunting and fishing skills.  Stuart Mills tells the story of how a powerful friend of Gilbert’s carried two trap weights at once, on in each hand.  Not to be outdone, Gilbert picked up another two trap weights and carried them with just his fingers.  

Gilbert was a great provider.  He smoked and salted his food and his family never went without something to eat: salted fish, seal, cured moose.  He taught his sons not to waste any food.  One time when he was young, Stuart Mills and his brother Pat, who was home from Viet Nam, shot a bunch of fish with .22s at the lake at Excursion Inlet.  When Gilbert found out, he made them clean all the fish- a couple hundred- and bring them back to town.  They didn’t finish until it was pitch black and they could hear bears.  He taught them to think about the way their uncles speak, and that they had to strengthen their tribe through their behaviors.

Stuart Mills said that since he (Stuart) was the youngest child, he was “spoiled” and his father was not as hard on him as he was on his brothers.  He said his father was very proud of him when he brought back a basketball trophy. 

Gilbert Mills died December 14, 1996 in Hoonah, and was buried in Excursion Inlet.