The Hill Families of Jasper County, Iowa

WILLIAM ENSIGN HILL.

As long as history endures will the American nation acknowledge its indebtedness to the heroes who, between 1861 and 1865, fought for the preservation of the Union and the honor of that starry banner which has never been trailed in the dust of defeat in a single polemic struggle in which the country has been involved. Among those whose military records as valiant soldiers of the war of the Rebellion reflect lasting honor upon them and their descendants is William Ensign Hill, well known citizen of Jasper county, where he has long maintained his home and won an honored name by virtue of his consistency to truth, honesty and right living. Therefore he is eminently qualified for a place in the present volume.

Mr. Hill was born in Lyons county, New York, September 15. 1843. and he is the son of Joshua and Eliza (Teller) Hill. His father was a carpenter and died when the subject was nine years old, consequently the latter knows but little of his father. After his death, the mother continued to reside in Knox county, Illinois, whither the family had moved when the son William E. was five years old. Later they moved to Henry county, Illinois, where the mother remarried, her second husband being John Ladu. They subsequently moved to Jasper county, Iowa, and located near Newton.

William E. Hill is one of a family of eight children, of whom but four are now living: two died in infancy; Aaron is conducting a hotel in St. Joseph, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Smith lives in Albany, Oregon; Mrs. Richard Barnes is deceased; William E., of this sketch, is next in order of birth; Sarah Andrews, who later became Mrs. Burris, is deceased; Charles Hill is living retired in Newton.

Upon the death of his father, William E. Hill began helping his mother support the family, and he remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age. On May 14, 1864, not being able to longer suppress his patriotism, he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. L. B. Hunt, and was sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on garrison duty. Later he was among the troops sent down the river after General Price. Returning to Fort Leavenworth he was mustered out and discharged from the service on October 15, 1864, when his term of enlistment had expired. Seven weeks before his discharge he fell ill with fever which had been brought on as the result of exposure, and although he had been fairly robust, he weighed but ninety-five pounds when he reached home. For three months after he returned to his fireside he could not work, but when spring came on he went to the fields as a farm hand. In the following autumn, he and his brother Aaron, who had also been a soldier, serving three years in the Federal army, purchased a threshing outfit, which they operated all over the county. After selling the machine they each rented farms and began farming. As renter and then owner, the subject continued farming successfully until fourteen years ago, when he retired and came to Newton, where he owns a splendid home and valuable town property, and his farm in IMalaka township is one of the best.

On December 8. 1867, Mr. Hill was united in marriage with Rebecca Emmert, daughter of Philip Emmert. a native of Pennsylvania. To this union two children were born, one of whom, Floreno Adelpha, died when seven months old; Philip S.. born May 11, 1869. is living on a farm in Malaka township, this county. The wife and mother passed to her rest on October 28, 1880. at Morristown, Illinois. Subsequently, on October 13, 1 88 1, Mr. Hill was united in marriage with Phebe A. Anderson, of Orion, Henry county, Illinois. She was the daughter of Thomas Anderson, of Pennsylvania. Her parents were farmers and are now both deceased. Mrs. Hill is one of a family of three children, all daughters, two of whom are living; Margaret, who married Richard O. Richardson, resides in Newton; Addie Elizabeth, who married John Robbins. is deceased.

Thomas Anderson, mentioned in the preceding paragraph, and Aaron Hill, brother of the subject of this sketch, were together when they enlisted for service in the Union army at Peoria, Illinois, September 20, 1862, in the One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and they had a rather remarkable record, seeing much hard and dangerous service, and were in the following engagements: Monticello, Kentucky; Blue Springs. Philadelphia, Campbell's Station, Knoxville, all in Tennessee; Fort Sanders, Mossy Creek, Strawberry Plains, Dandridge, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Carrsville, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochie river, siege of Atlanta. Decatur, Stony creek, Lovejoy Station, Duck river. Spring Hill, Franklin, Nashville, Port Anderson, Town creek, Wilmington, Kingston and Goldsborough and others, making forty-one engagements. They were discharged June 20, 1865.

Although reared a Democrat, Mr. Hill is at present a supporter of the Republican ticket. He has always been a public-spirited man and willing to do his part in all public matters. He served seven years in succession as supervisor of roads in Malaka township, this county. He and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Newton, and he belongs to Garrett Post No. 16. Grand Army of the Republic, and Mrs. Hill is a member of the Woman's Relief Corps and has served as junior vice-president and has also been color-bearer of the post.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

PHILIP S. HILL.

The name of Philip S. Hill is too well known to the farming community of Malaka township to be formally introduced here, since he has long made his residence in Jasper county, in fact has spent nearly all his life here, having been born in Henry county, Illinois, May 11, 1869, and in 1872 he came to Jasper county, Iowa, where he has since resided. He is the son of W. E. and Rebecca (Emmert) Hill, the father born in New York, September 15, 1843. They lived for some time in Henry county, Illinois, emigrating from there to Jasper county, Iowa, in 1872, and here they established their home. The father is now Hving in Newton, the mother having died in Illinois. Philip S. Hill, of this sketch, is the only living member of the family; a sister, born in Malaka township, died in infancy.

Philip S. "Hill grew to manhood here and received his education in the local schools. He was married on October 21, 1896, to Ida Ogg, who was born in Jasper county, Iowa, September 2, 1875, and here she grew to womanhood and received her educational training. She is the daughter of John W.

and Klnora ( Miller) Og, both natives of Ohio: there they grew up and were married, emigrating to Jasper county, Iowa, among the early settlers, establishing their permanent home; the father is now living in Kellogg township and the mother died in this county on March 22, 1909. They were the parents of four children, all living as follows: Dottie. born January 3, 1871, lives on the old home farm near Kellogg; Charles W., born May 24, 1873, lives at Newton, Iowa; Ida, wife of Mr. Hill, of this sketch; Frank E., born August 24, 1879. lives on the home farm near Kellogg. These children were born and reared in Kellogg township.

To Mr. and Mrs. Hill have been born five children, all living, named as follows: Ethel Mazoe, born December 22, 1897; William Wesley, born July 10, 1899; Bessie Elnora. born October 12, 1901; Roy Edward, born February 29. 1904; Dorothv Aileen, born June 7, 191 1. These children were all born on the Hill farm in Malaka township, which consists of two hundred thirty and forty-eight hundredths acres, on which are two sets of improvements and on which stands a modern home.

Politically, Mr. Hill is a Republican. He has been township trustee for a number of years, and he has been a member of the board of education of Malaka township, and is now president of the same. His father was a township])' trustee for a number of years. Fraternally, Mr. Hill belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Baxter, being a charter member of the same, as well as its first noble grand. He is also a member of Baxter Lodge Xo. 168, Knights of Pythias, of Baxter, and the Yeoman Lodge No. 432.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES EDGAR HILL.

The representative farmer and enterprising citizen of whom the biographer now writes in this connection belongs to one of the old and well-known families of Jasper county, and it is a compliment honorably earned to ascribe to him a prominent place among the most up-to-date farmers of the community where he has spent his life and is now successfully engaged in his chosen vocation, for he saw from the outset, it seems, the necessity of performing every task that presented itself quickly and as nearly accurate in every detail as possible and thus he has been guided in all his undertakings.

Charles Edgar Hill was born four miles southwest of Kellogg, February 20, 1877, and he is the son of Joshua B. and Elizabeth (Stanley) Hill, who were Ijorn in Indiana. There they grew to maturity, were educated and married, later coming to Iowa, and here became well fixed, owning a good farm.

Charles E. Hill grew up on the home farm in this county and there he worked during the crop seasons. He received a good education at Pleasant View school, in this county, after which he turned his attention to farming, which he has continued to the present time, having located on the farm which he now owns in 1902. He has a well located and productive farm of one hundred and ten acres in sections 23 and 24. He keeps a good grade of live stock and has excellent buildings on his place.

Mr. Hill was married December 25, 1892, to Buella Gibbs, whose birth occurred in Kellogg. Iowa, December 13, 1878.

Politically, Mr. Hill is a Republican and, fraternally, he belongs to the Modern Woodmen, and Mrs. Hill is a member of the Christian church. They are highly respected by all who know them.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

"Bert" Hill, the name by which he is familiarly known by everyone, whose initials are M. G., is a son of J. B. and Elizabeth (Stanley) Hill, than which no better nor fine family ever lived in Jasper county,. Iowa. Natives of the Hoosier state, they early came to Iowa and settled in Buena Vista township. Mr. Hill was a successful farmer and a good business man, owning at one time in the neighborhood of six hundred acres of land in parts of sections 2, 3, 10 and 11 in Buena Vista township, and at the time of his death, which occurred in February, 1900, at the age of sixty-two, he possessed four hundred and eighty acres. He was a man of great public spirit and one of the substantial men of his community. He left to mourn his loss a wife and eight children, as follows: W. E. married Emma Alum, and now lives in Idaho; Charles E. married Beulah Gibbs, and resides on a farm in Kellogg township; Mary, wife of E. M. Eubank, resides in Maxwell, Iowa; Dora, wife of James Balmer, lives in Kellogg township; Bert, the subject of this review; Howard married Clara Bobzin, and lives in Buena Vista township; Anna, the wife of Scott Smith, resides in Buena Vista township; Leslie is living in Kellogg, Iowa, with his mother.

Mrs. Elizabeth Hill, the mother, still retains possession of the old Hill homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, although residing in Kellogg. Most of the land owned by Mr. Hill, Sr., which descended to the children, has been sold and the family have invested in other ventures or lands in other places.

At this time "Bert" Hill is the owner of but twenty acres of land in Buena Vista township, but he owns a quarter section of good land in Faulk county. South Dakota; he is also a part owner with his brother-in-law, Scott Smith, of a threshing machine outfit, and now owns two automobiles. He is a genial, good natured fellow — a "prince of good fellows." In 1898 he was united in marriage with Nellie Vance, and to this union has been born one child, a son, who answers to the name of Carroll, now in his eleventh year.

Living with Mr. Hill, and also farming, is his brother, Howard, born December 15, 1882, who, in 1904, married Clara Bobzin, daughter of Fred and Caroline (Bootmeyer) Bobzin, who reside in Kellogg, Iowa. Mrs. Howard Hill has two brothers, Henry and William, who live at home with their parents. Howard Hill began working for himself as a farmer, but afterward learned the barber trade, and in 1901 he sold his farm and moved to the city of Kellogg, where he worked at his trade until the spring of 1910, when he moved back to the farm, where he now lives with his brother, Bert. They have no children.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.