Joseph Hill

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 Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.