Hon. Eugene Cris, farmer, stock-raiser, and proprietor of the City Mills, was born in Preston county, West Virginia, in 1822; removed to Davis County, Illinois, in 1840; thence to Sac County, Iowa, in 1854, locating on Coon river, where the present town of Sac City was shortly afterwards platted by Wagner Bros., Evans and himself. Mr. Criss built the first dwelling house in the town, which at that early day was considered a fine structure. The lumber for frames and the doors and windows was hauled from Dubuque, with ox teams, and this was for several years a tavern and stopping place for freighters and travelers. He began the erection of the City Saw Mil1s in 1866, which were not completed until eight years after, and during that time cut a race twenty-eight feet deep and two hundred feet in length, which gave a fall of nine feet. In 1872 he built the flouring mill, which is a three-story building and fitted with the best machinery. He owns one thousand acres of land adjoining town, and feeds about six car-loads of cattle every winter. He owns an elevator and deals in grain in partnership with Mr. Hanger, who has charge of the business. Mr. Criss was county judge for several years and representative in the State legislature.
