Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railway Co. Issued to and Signed by D.O. Mills - Stock Certificate

Darius Ogden Mills (1825-1910) was a distinguished American banker and philanthropist. Born in North Salem, New York, he began his career as a bank clerk and retailer. In December 1848, he took part in the California Gold Rush and subsequently established a bank in Sacramento. His investments spanned gold and silver mining in Nevada, forest land near Lake Tahoe, and the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. In 1864, Mills founded the Bank of California, which experienced significant growth during the 1860s and 1870s. However, the bank faced a crisis due to financial misconduct by its chief cashier, William L. Ralston. To restore the institution, Mills utilized his personal wealth to revitalize the bank and attract new investors, successfully reestablishing its strength within three years.

Mills constructed an estate known as Millbrae, which lent its name to the town that developed around it. His grandson, Ogden L. Mills, leased 150 acres of the original estate, which bordered San Francisco Bay, for the establishment of Mills Field, now recognized as San Francisco International Airport. Several local institutions bear his name, including Mills Hospital, the Mills Estate housing subdivision, and Mills High School. In his later years, Mills retired from banking and returned to New York, where he engaged in the development of various buildings in Manhattan, dedicated himself to philanthropy, and served on the boards of numerous charitable and cultural organizations. He passed away from a heart attack in 1910 at his Millbrae estate.

On February 4, 1909, the Pine Creek was integrated with various components of the former Fall Brook system, resulting in the establishment of the Geneva, Corning and Southern Railroad, which subsequently merged into the New York Central on December 22, 1914. The Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railway was founded in 1875 and commenced operations on December 10, 1877. For a period of 20 years starting in 1881, the company was leased to and managed by the Fall Brook Coal Company. On October 1, 1885, it consolidated with the Penn Yan and New York Railroad Company without changing its name; this company was leased to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company in 1899. In 1909, the company merged with the Geneva, Corning and Southern Railroad, and again in 1914, it became part of the New York Central Railroad (NYCRR).