Biography - William Hill
WILLIAM HILL, is a general farmer residing on a finely improved tract pf
land located on sections 19 and 20, of Pickaway Township, Shelby County. His
farm comprises eighty acres of highly cultivated land which has been his
home since 1850. At the time of his purchase, the place was perfectly new
and unbroken. He first secured forty acres from the Government and it was
then virgin soil. Besides this tract, our subject owns forty acres of good
land in Flat Branch Township. He has lived in the county all his life,
having first opened his eyes upon the mysteries of the world in Ridge
Township, April 9, 1827. He is therefore one of the oldest settlers living
in the county.
The original of our sketch comes from Southern parentage. His father,
William Hill, Sr., was a native of Kentucky, and a son of Henry Hill, who
was a native of Maryland or South Carolina. He was married to Elizabeth
(Bruntz) Hill, probably a native of the same State with himself. After
marriage they settled in Kentucky, near Louisville and some time later they
came with their family to Montgomery County, Ill., arriving there at a very
early day. There Henry Hill died, being eighty years old at the time of his
decease, his wife having died previous in Shelby County, at the home of a
daughter. She, also, was eighty years of age when she died. Henry Hill and
wife were members of the regular Baptist Church. They had a large family.
William Hill, Sr., was one of the elder children and arrived at manhood and
married in Montgomery County Miss Cynthia Scribner, a native of Tennessee.
She was quite young when her father, William Scribner, removed to Montgomery
County, during pioneer days. Her father and mother in their last years,
moved west of the Missouri River, where they passed away at a very advanced
age. They were pioneer farmers wherever they located.
After the marriage of William Hill, Sr., they made their first permanent
settlement in what is now Ridge Township, Shelby County, there procuring
Government land, which they improved until it was in a fine state of
cultivation. Later they purchased land in Flat Branch Township, this county,
and there Mrs. Hill died while in middle life. Later, Mr. Hill came to make
his home with his son, our subject, and died here at at the age of
sixty-four years. He had for many years been a member in good standing, of
the Baptist Church. Politically he affiliated with the Democratic party, his
sympathies having been with that party all his life.
Our subject is one of a large family, five only of whom are yet living, all
of these being married. He of whom we write remained under his father's roof
until he had attained years of manhood, reaching his majority while in Flat
Branch Township. He there married Susanna Tolly, who was a native of the
place where her marriage was celebrated, her natal day being October 27,
1832. She was reared and educated in her native township and was one with
her husband after their marriage, until her death, which occurred April 17,
1889, in making a comfortable and pleasant home. She was an amiable woman
and a conscientious, true Christian, having been a member of the Baptist
Church for many years. Her father, Robert Tolly, was a native of Kentucky,
and later, a very early settler in Flat Branch Township, where he pre-empted
a homestead in which he lived and died. He was, at the time of his death,
but a little past middle age. His wife, Jemima Dents, came here with her
parents at an early day. She passed the last years of her life in Flat
Branch Township, passing away at an advanced age. Both she and Mr. Tolly
were members of the old school Baptist Church.
Mrs. Hill, the wife of our subject, was one of ten children, three of whom
are yet living. She was also the mother of ten children, all excepting
three, now living. Those deceased are Robert, Mary E. and Charles H. The
living children are John M.; Levi P.; Jemima; Lovisa; Cynthia M.: Lydia and
Isaac. Of these John took to wife Sarah J. Drake and is proprietor of a farm
in this township. Levi P. was married to Julia Thomas, and is a farmer in
Flat Branch Township. Jemima is the wife of Alvin T. Janes, they also reside
in Flat Branch Township. Lovisa is the wife of Freedom Brinker, a farmer
living in Greenwood County, Kan. Lydia remains at home and is her father's
housekeeper, being a woman of most pleasing address and kindly genial
manners. Isaac also is at home and assists his father. Mr. Hill is a member
of the old school Baptist Church and the Democratic party has in him one of
its most true and loyal followers.
Extracted 12 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 423-424.
