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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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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 Malaka 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, 1881, 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 0. 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. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 619. |
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