Nicholas Mills Sr. (23 November 1781 – 13 September 1862) was a prominent businessman in Richmond, Virginia.
He was at one time the owner of the Chesterfield Coal Pits and president of the Tredegar Iron Works.
When he died in 1862 he is reported to have had $800,000 in gold (roughly US$19,955,000 in 2017[1]) stored in his vault, probably making him the wealthiest man in Virginia.
[8][9] In 1815, Miles Bott had to sell his share in the firm to Mills as a result of some financial difficulties.
[10] Thereafter a staunch Unionist, over his house flew the last Union flag in Richmond, in April 1861.