NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

As civil engineer, the career of Clarke MILLEN of Dover, has largely been identified with public work, and he is at the present time city engineer of Dover. He enjoys a good practice as an engineer, and among other professional interests has been secretary-treasurer of the Era Company. All Mr. MILLEN’s record since entering upon his professional career, insures faithful and intelligent service in the public interests. Besides his professional relations with Dover, he is also a member of an old honored family of New Jersey.

Clark MILLEN was born at Mt. Retirement, in Sussex, formerly Deckertown, Sussex county, New Jersey, July 4, 1879, a son of Elias Newton and Eugenia A. (STILES) MILLEN. The ancestral line on the paternal side, so far as it can be ascertained, begins with Charles MILLEN, who was an American soldier during the War of the Revolution, and died in a British prison in New York City. His wife was Abigal DAVIS. A son of Charles was Robert MILLEN, who married Sarah WYCKOFF. She came from Holland to America. A son of Robert and Sarah (WYCKOFF) MILLEN was Elias MILLEN, grandfather of the Dover engineer. Elias MILLEN married Mary Blackford CLARK, who was born at Mendham, New Jersey. Elias MILLEN was a farmer, and died at the MILLEN home at Mine Hill, near Dover. Mary Blackford CLARK was a daughter of Ebenezer and Phoebe (BLACKFORD) CLARK. Ebenezer CLARK was a son of Nathaniel CLARK and Johanna (NEWTON) CLARK, and the CLARK ancestry is further traced back to Henry CLARK, Jr., who married Sibella Newton LOREE, or LORRAIN. Phoebe (BLACKFORD) CLARK, wife of Ebenezer, was a daughter of Nathaniel BLACKFORD, a Baptist minister.

Elias Newton MILLEN, father of Clarke MILLEN, was born at Mine Hill, on the MILLEN farm. He became a druggist, but later took up surveying, and now resides at Butler, New Jersey. Eugenia A. (STILES) MILLEN, mother of Clarke MILLEN, died January 19, 1911. She was born at Mt. Retirement, in Sussex, and her father was Edward Augustus STILES, of the original Deckertown, now known as Sussex, who conducted the old Mt. Retirement school in the Clove, near Sussex, which was largely attended by people now prominent in Morris county history. Edward A. STILES was a son of John STILES. The wife of Edward A. STILES was Evelina HOWELL, and the wife of John STILES was Elsa SAYRE, a daughter of Jonathan SAYRE and Mary (MONNELL) SAYRE. Evelina HOWELL, the wife of Edward STILES, was the daughter of Jared HOWELL, who died at the age of ninety-nine years, and the maiden name of her mother was Mary BAKER.

The children of Elias Newton and Eugenia A. (STILES) MILLEN were six in number:

• Herbert, who died in childhood;
• Clark;
• Stiles, a resident of New York State, and superintendent of a creamery;
• Evelyn, the wife of Stacy L. ROBERTS, of Philadelphia, who with his wife is serving as a missionary in Korea;
• Sayre, who is in the office of the treasurer of the Pennsylvania Railroad System, in Pittsburgh;
• Roger, who married Ella FLOCK, lives in Hackettstown, where he is in the mercantile business with his father-in-law;
• Fred, who is a student at Cornell University.

Clark MILLEN received his preliminary education in the grammar and high schools of Sussex, and after leaving school took a correspondence course in engineering, and completed his preparatory work while employed in Sussex county as assistant to a Sussex county engineer. In 1905, through the influence of Congressman William S. BENNET, of New York State, a cousin, he received appointment to a position with the engineering force at the Isthmus of Panama, and remained two and a half years as a member of the great constructive army engaged in building the canal. On returning to the States, he was employed in engineering work on Long Island, in Connecticut, and in New York State, until May, 1909. At that date he established his office in Dover, and has since successfully practiced his profession in that town. In January, 1913, he took up his duties as city engineer of Dover. Mr. MILLEN is a Progressive in politics, and a member of the County Progressive League. His fraternal affiliations are with the B. P. O. E.

On November 14, 1906, he married Helen BABBITT, of East Orange, daughter of Robert Oscar BABBITT and Mary Elizabeth (McCREA) BABBITT. Her father was a great-grandson of the Sarah Wyckoff MILLEN before mentioned. He was a prominent corporation lawyer of Jersey City, and was connected with large business interests in Mexico. He was born in Mendham, Morris county, and died December 31, 1903, at Laredo, Texas. Her mother is a member of an old family of Orange county, New York.

• Thomson, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. MILLEN, died in infancy.

They are Presbyterians in religion, and well known in the social circles of Dover.

This biography was transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003).

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