The Hill Families of Summit County, Ohio

DAVID E. HILL, President of the Hill Sewer Pipe Co., Akron, was born in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., May 25, 1825, and is the youngest of four children born to David and Avis (Mc- Millan) Hill, natives of Rhode Island, and who removed to New York in an early day. He was a carpenter by trade, and died in Cattaraugus Co. at the age of 77 years; she died at the age of 79 years. David E. (the subject) lived at home eighteen years; his brother was a cabinet-maker, and he learned the same trade with him. His education was received at the district schools. In 1843, he came to Middlebury, Akron, and worked for his uncle, Reuben McMillan, manufacturer of woolen machinery, until 1849, when the firm of Hill, Foster & Co., for the manufacture of stoneware, was formed. They occupied the old " Black Mills," and continued in business until about 1851, when Mr. McMillan sold his interest to Hill & Foster. Mr. Hill was identified with the business until 1855, and retired for one year, at the end of which time he came back, and the firm became Hill & Powers, and later, Hill & Adams, which continued until 1868, when it was merged into a stock company, known as the " Hill & Adams Sewer Pipe Co.," Mr. Hill being President. He retired from the business in 1871. The old firm of Hill, Merrill & Co. made the first machine for the manufacture of sewer pipe in America. About the year 1866, Mr. Hill became one of a company of five men, who bought the present building, and engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods — known as the " Middlebury Woolen Mills." The business finally passed into the hands of Mr. Hill and John Townsend, and in the spring of 1873, the machinery was sold, the building was fitted for the manufacture of sewer pipe, and the Hill Sewer Pipe Co. was formed and incorporated, with Mr. Hill as President; his son, George R., being Secretary and Treasurer, with James Viall as Superintendent. Mr. Hill has always been a public-spirited man, favoring all improvements for the benefit of town or county. He served several years as a member of Middlebury School Board; also as a member of City Council of Akron, and as a County Commissioner for six years. He was an Abolitionist until formation of Republican party; since then he has voted with that party. He was married in June, 1848. to Miss Harriet L. McMillan, a daughter of Reuben McMillan. They have had three children, but one of whom is living — George R.

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

DAVID E. HILL, one of Akron's old and prominent citizens, was born at Gowanda, Cattaraugus County, New York, May 25, 1825. coming of sturdy English-Scotch ancestry, lie was eighteen years old when he came to Middlebury, Ohio. During his early years at Middlebury, Mr. Hill worked in a machine shop and then became a.associated with others in the manufacture of the old-

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS fashioned fire engine, From 1847 until 1849 he represented the firm of McMillan & Irish, on the road, selling woolen machinery, in the spring of the latter year first becoming interested in what is now the Akron Sewer Pipe Company, which was the pioneer of the great industry. Mr. Hill was the organizer and leading spirit of the American Sewer Pipe Company, which has an annual output of 5,000 car loads, or 60,000 tons. His influence on the business life of Middlebury was pronounced and his standing was high in business circles as long as he remained an active factor in the business life of the community.

On June 5, 1848. Mr. Hill was married to Harriet Louise ilcMillan, who is a daughter of the late Reuben McMillan. They have had three children, namely: David W., born March 15, 1850, who married Grace Perkins McCurdy, of Akron, Septembei 6, 1877, and died January 30, 1880. leaving one child, Eva C.; Cora T., born July 10, 1852, who died February 6, 1874; and George R., born April 3. 1855.

All his life, Mr. Hill has been a thoughtful and intelligent watches of public events. He has been identified with the Republican party ever since its organization, and almost since his majority, has been an incumbent of office, sen-ing Summit County in some capacity, long and well. He served either in the Council or on the School Board of the village of Middleburv, until its annexation to Akron, in 1872, and from 1862 to 1868, he was county commissioner, and was elected a member of the Citv Council of Akron, from the Sixth Ward, for the years, 1875-76-77 and

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected.

GEORGE R. HILL, vice-president of the American Sewer Pipe Company, and interested in other commercial enterprises, is one of Akron's leading business citizens. He was born at Akron, Ohio, and is a son of David E. Hill, who was the pioneer manufacturer of sewer pipe in America. The late David E. Hill was born in the State of New York and came to Akron in 1848, when the village was known as Middlebury. Here he established himself in business and after many experiments succeeded in manufacturing a drainage pipe which was the very first article which proved of real utility in handling sewerage. He was the founder of the Akron Sewer Pipe Company and subsequently of the Hill Sewer Pipe Company, and at the time of his death, in August, 1901, was one of the leading manufacturers and capitalists of Akron.

George R. Hill was reared and educated at Akron and from boyhood has been connected with the manufacture of sewer pipe. He was an early assistant of his father and succeeded to many of his interests. The American Sewer Pipe Company has thirty-seven plants, three of these being in the Akron district; the one located at Barberton is the largest plant of its kind in the world. From small beginning the business has grown to enormous proportions. In 1884, Mr. Hill was married to Alice A. Hinman. He is a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and also of its vestry. He is a Thirty-second Degree Mason.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

BRACE P. HILL, residing on the old Hill homestead in Norton Township, a valuable tract of 199 acres, which is situated about two and one-half miles from Wadsworth. and lies on the county line between Medina and Summit Counties, has carried on general farming here with much success for the pat twenty-one years. Mr. Hill was born on this farm and is a son of Dr. John and Catherine (Pardee) Hill.

The late Dr. John Hill was born in Sussex, England, October 26, 1828, and was a son of.John and a grandson of.John, the name being a particularly favored one in the Hill family, appearing in every generation. The mother of Dr. Hill was Harriet Wickham. and she was born in County Kent, England. In 1828 the Hills sailed for America, from the now.sunken port of Rye, on the English Channel, and after a voyage of six weeks they landed in New York. The father of Dr. Hill engaged in farming in the vicinity of Utica, New York, until the spring of 1832, when he removed to Orange Township, Cuyahoga, County, Ohio, where he invested in farming land on which he lived until 1843.

After disposing of his interests there, John Hill moved to Tazewell County, Illinois, where he passed the rest of his life.

The son, John Hill, left his home to seek work with strangers when he was about fifteen years of age, but for five years thereafter he gave all his wages to his father. He was very anxious to obtain an education and was only a boy when he had determined to become a physician. Through rigid economy and persevering study he attained his ambition. In 1847 he began to read medicine with Dr. Alexander Fisher, at Western, Star, Summit County, and in the fall of 1848 he attended his first course of lectures at the Cleveland Medical College, returning for his second course in the following year. In 1850 he went to California, where he was taken sick and lay for six months in a hospital in Sacramento, but subsequently recovered and remained in that State until May, 1853, when he took ship for Australia. After a voyage of seventy days he reached the island continent, where he remained until the following May, when he went to London, England, on his way back to America. He left England in September, reached New York late in October, and Cleveland early in December, and during the winter of 1854 and 1855, he attended medical lectures in the latter city.

In the fall of 1855 Dr. Hill entered Jeff"person Medical College, at Philadelphia, where he was graduated in March, 185G, receiving his long sought diploma. For a short time Dr. Hill practiced at Western Star, from which place he removed to Sharon Township, in Medina County, where he practiced for a year, and then settled in Norton Township, Summit County. He was a man of such wide experience and much learning outside his profession that he soon became a leader among his fellow-citizens, and in 1870 he was elected county commissioner, in which office he served for almost nine years. In 1879 he was elected to the State Legislature and served one term, after which he retired from public life. His death took place December 13, 1890.

In March, 1857, Dr. Hill was married io Catherine Pardee, who is a daughter of Pbenezer and Almira (Brace) Pardee, and they had six children, as follows: Harriet Almira, who was born June 22, 1858, died October 30, 1878; John E., who was born August 7, 1859, resides at Barberton; Martha B., who married D. H. Taft, resides at Columbus, Ohio; Brace B., who was born August 12, 1865; Josephine Elizabeth, who married Richard Was.son, resides at Barberton, and Edward B., who was born January 4, 1881, lives in Illinois. The mother of this family still survives.

Brace P. Hill has always resided on the present farm, which has been under his direct management for many years. He attended the district schools of Norton Township and also the Norton High School. He married Anna Wiser, and they have five children: Margaret K., Karl W., Lawrence B., Walter and an infant son born September 23, 1907. Mr. Hill belongs to the fraternal orders of Modern Woodmen and Pathfinders. He is one of Norton Township's substantial and reliable citizens, and has served as a member of the School Board and as clerk of the incorporated village of Western Star. Mr. Hill at present holds both of these offices.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOSEPH HILL, one of the older residents of Portage Township, yet one of her most active and capable men, owns a large body of land aggregating 250 acres, the larger amount being in Portage and fifty acres in Northampton Township. He was born in Vermont, November 30, 1824, and is a son of Tyler and SaUie (Fish) Hill.

In 1836, the parents of Mr. Hill came out to Ohio, crossing the Green mountains and following the road to Albany, taking the canal from there to Buffalo and then the old ship, 'Portage," to Cleveland. What a world of adventure came into the lives of these quiet, farming people in this long journey by land and water. At that time there was yet a chance to select excellent land and the father bought 140 acres in Twinsburg and later his children bought 200 acres of the old Stoyers tract. Both parents of Mr. Hill died on their farm, advanced in years.

Joseph Hill learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade in his youth and worked at it in Solon, while tilling a farm of Go 1-2 acres, which he had purchased. This land he sold in 1855 and came to Portage Township, where he bought 200 acres, to which he later added fifty acres lying in Northampton Township. A part of his land has been sold to the old Valley Railroad which runs through his farm. "When he first came to the place he cut timber and made up rafts and floated them on the canal to the state-mill at Akron, but for many years he has devoted himself to general farming and to stock-raising. His first house stood far back on the farm, and it served the purpose of a pleasant minnie until he built the fine modern brick house in which he now lives. Mr. Hill's good judgment was shown when he purchased this land with its standing timber. He has sold over 15,000,000 feet of lumber off this place.

Mr. Hill wa;= married, first, to Mehitable Drake, who died September 17, 1888. To this marriage twelve children were born, as follows: Lilly Louise-who died at Solon, aged six years; Leander, who died at Solon, aged four years; a daughter, Lisa, born at Solon, who died in Portage Township, at the age of five years; Charles, who resides at home; Jesse, who was accidentally killed by a falling tree, at the age of thirty five years; Isa May, wife of Frank Morris of Akron; Joita Juba, residing with his family on his 'father's farm, assists in operating it; Schuyler, who resides with his family at Akron; Aquilla and George, both of whom live at home; Viva and Francis both died when about thirteen months old.

On March 1, 1889, Mr. Hill married for his second wife Mrs. Rosalie A. Spang, who was born on the old Drake farm in Boston Township, Summit County, but was reared in Hudson Township. She is a daughter of Augustine Warriner and Emily (Drake) Warriner, and the widow of Frederick Spang. Augustine Warriner, father of Mrs. Hill, was born at Chardon, Ohio, and was married to Emily Drake, January 22, 1846. They had four children but Mrs. Hill is the only survivor, and she was born March 6, 1855. She had three sisters, as follows: Delia A., born April 9, 1847, married William M. Russell and died in Missouri, August 29, 1904; Amelia Marana, born March 7, 1849, married Lester Squires and died January 18, 1876; and Cecelia Lizzie, born December 8, 1850, married Charles E. Turner, and died in April, 1876. Augustine Warriner died October 4, 1854, in Northampton Township. He was survived many years by his widow, who died May 19, 1890. By her first marriage, Mrs. Hill had five children, namely: Hendricks Peter, who died in infancy: Emilv Henrietta, who married Joita Juba Hill, son of Joseph Hill; Melveda Christian; who died in infancy; Delia May, who married Myron G. Pettit; and Stella Augusta, who died aged ten years, eight months and 26 days. Mrs. Hill has six grandchildren.

To Joseph Hill's second marriage three children were born, as follows: Adilda, who married Percy J. Horn; Zorada Minerva; and Lettie Wlola. Mr. Hill has three grandchildren named Morris and three with the name of Hill. This is a large, happy and intelligent family, one that is widely known and that occupies a prominent place in the pleasant social life in their neighborhood.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOSEPH HILL, farmer, Akron; was born Nov. 30, 1825, in Guilford, Windham Co., Vt. His parents were T3'Ier and Sallie (Fish) Hill. Tyler was born in New Hampshire in 1793, son of Fisher Hill, whose wife's maiden name was Chase. T3'ler Hill emigrated West with his family in 1836, coming by canal from Troy to Buffalo, thence b3' water to Cleveland. At Brookl3'n, he secured an ox team, convey'ing his family to this county', making his settlement in the northeast part of Twinsburg, where he purchased 144 acres of land. Having at the time of his arrival $1,300 in money, which was expended for land and such necessaries as circumstances required; here he remained until his death; he was a good citizen and a Christian, who adhered to the tenets of the Baptist Church. Six children were born them, whose names were Delight, Hannah, Ambrose, Jane, Joseph and Sarah. Joseph was married March 14, 1854, to Mehitable Drake, born Feb. 29, 1836, in Boston Township, daughter of Nathan and Lizzie (Bowker) Drake. He was born in New Hampshire, Dec. 1, 1786; she, in same State, May' 30, 1792. To this couple were born the numerous family of fifteen, whose names were, David, Silas,

Mary, Amy, A, Jasper B., James N.,

Emily, John D., Elizabeth, Joseph, Benjamin, Nathan, Mehitable and Mariamne. After Mr. Hill was married he moved to Solon Township, where he lived five years, then moved to Twinsburg and stayed two 3'ears, returning to Solon and lived three 3'ears. Located on the farm he now owns, in 1864; since remained. Has now over 300 acres of land situated in the extreme north part of the township. Of eleven children born him, Charles G., Jessie, Ira M., Joit-

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected.

JOSEPH C. HILL, formerly county commissioner of Summit County, and a leading citizen of Akron, carries On a large contracting business here, and has been a resident of the city since 1882. He is a prominent member of Buckley Post, Grand Army of the Republic, having served as a soldier in the Union army during the entire period of the Civil War. He was born in Pennsylvania, March 9, 1844. When a youth of but seventeen years, in June, 1861, he voluntarily assigned the dangers and hardships that fell to the lot of those who took active part as soldiers in the great Civil War, which he faced with courage and endurance that would have been creditable in one much older and more seasoned.

As a member of Company E, Seventy-.seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel F. H. Stambaugh, and under command of General Negley, he left Pittsburg on October 26, 1861, going directly to Kentucky. He served under some of the greatest commanders of the war — Generals Grant, Sherman, Rosecrans and Buell — and participated in some of the most memorable engagements, including those of Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Perryville, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta., Jonesboro, Sherman's March to the Sea, through the Carolina. and in the last struggle at Bentonville. He was honorably discharged and was mustered out of the service at Louisville, Kentucky, in September, 1865. During all this period of almost constant exposure to danger, Mr. Hill was wounded but once, and then slightly. He was captured once, at Chickamauga, but fortunately made his escape on the same day.

After the close of his very creditable military serve, Mr. Hill returned to-Pennsylvania, and in 1867 went West., There he soon found profitable employment in building, and his work was so approved that he became concerned in the building of all the bridges for the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad, from Chetopn, Kansas, to Fort Gibson. He subsequently built the Plaza hotel at Santa Fe, New Mexico; the Palace hotel at Las Vegas, New Mexico; the Adelia Silver Mill, for the Adelia Mining Company, at Silver Cliff, Colorado. After completing the last mentioned contract, in January, 1882, he returned east to "Ohio and located permanently at Akron. Here Mr. Hill has had a good share of the general building and contracting work of the city, and has erected some of the finest residences here, including those of M. 11. Crumrine, Charles Berry, on Portage Path; H. H. Bender, on Batch Street, and that of Dr. Rose, on Rhodes Avenue. He is a stockholder in the Dos-De-Atril Mining Company, of Chico, New Mexico.

In 1870 Mr. Hill was married at Clinton, Summit County, Ohio, to Belle Whittlesey, of that place. He and his wife have four sons and two daughters, namely: Clarence M., who is a conductor on the A. B. & C. Railroad; Charles R., who is connected with the firm of Yeager Company, as window dresser; William W., residing at home with his parents; Kathryn, who married Charles Ellet, residing at Akron; and Mabel, who is a graduate nurse, connected with the Akron City Hospital; and Frank, who is a stenographer in the offices of the Goodrich Rubber Com-

Formerly Mr. Hill was quite active in politics, and served very efficient'tly as a commissioner of Summit County, but latterly has given the larger part of his attention to business affairs.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.