When Jacob Mills was born on 6 February 1822, in Wayne, Tennessee, United States, his father, Seth Mills, was 39 and his mother, Charity Thornburg, was 32. He married Edith Lewis on 18 December 1845, in Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas, United States. They were the parents of at least 8 sons and 3 daughters. He lived in White River Township, Washington, Arkansas, United States for about 10 years. He died in 1865, in Washington, Arkansas, United States, at the age of 43, and was buried in Washington, Arkansas, United States.