Many of our stanch and leading citizens have come to us from the homes of England, and thence came our subject, being born in Surrey county on March 18, 1839; his parents, William and Sarah (Bernaghan) Hill, were natives of that country also. In the native place John was educated and remained until he had attained his majority, and then in June, 1861, he landed on American soil in company with his parents. They immediately took up the journey across the plains toward the Mecca of the west, California, but landing in Salt Lake City the father was stricken with sickness and soon departed this scene, and his remains rest there to this day. Being late in the fall and bowed with this deep affliction, the bereaved members of the family remained in Salt Lake City. Our subject assisted to build the telegraph line that was stretched across the plains in 1861, and the following year they rented a farm and did gardening and farming. Afterward he went to Nevada and mined for four years, then went to Bear lake country and farmed for one year, then bought land in the Cache valley and farmed there for two years. The mother died on July 4, 1869, and was buried in Millville, Utah. Our subject sold his possessions in the Cache valley in 1876 and journeyed to Union county, landing here on July 4th and remained near Summerville for one year. The following season he purchased a squatter's right to the land where he now lives, five miles northeast from Elgin, which he homesteaded later. In the purchase he gave his only team as part payment of the price, and he began life here with no means except a good brave heart and strong hands, willing to do whatsoever they found to accomplish. In addition to opening a farm on the frontier in this then wild country, Mr. Hill had the great misfortune to have his wife seriously afflicted with disease that rendered her an invalid. Also her daughter was an invalid and continued so until the time that death released her bonds. Although the odds were heavy against him, his determination and patience continued steadfast and he plodded on as one of the stanch pioneers who opened and builded this county. Step by step he continued, and success, slowly at first, but better as the days went by, began to crown his worthy efforts, and he has become one of the most substantial men of Union county today, and is known throughout the length and breadth of the county by all and admired wherever he is known and his friends are only limited by the number of the inhabitants. He now has a fine estate of one section of good farming land all in one body, with one-half interest in another half-section of land in Union county, which his son Walter is handling, being also associated with his father in the latter's labors.

On October 14, 1869, Mr. Hill married Mrs. Sarah 9Kimbler) Wiggins in Salt Lake City, Utah, and three children were born to this union, Sarah, Walter and Alfred, the last one dying on October 15, 1875, and being buried in Cache valley. On February 18, 1887, Mrs. Hill died, having been an invalid for many years. She had two daughters by her first husband, Rosa, an invalid, who was called hence by death on January 5, 1882, being eighteen years of age, and Flora, who died September 6, 1900, aged thirty-six years, one month and twelve days. These two are buried beside their mother in Hyland cemetery.

On February 25, 1894, Mr. Hill married a second time, the lady then becoming his wife was Mrs. Mary (Sume) Frautzche, daughter of John and Hester Sume, natives of Germany. She had two sons by her first husband, Alfred and John. Mr. Hill is a member of the Masons, Elgin Lodge, No. 98; of the Red Men, Yellow Hawk Tribe, No. 23, of Lagrande. Mr. Hill is one of the well known and highly respected men of our county and has demeaned himself with great sagacity, integrity, kindness and enterprise since he has resided here, and he is a true type of the worthy pioneer, a noble and upright man, a capable citizen, a genial and affable neighbor and kind friend, and he is beloved by all.