Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 324 - 325

JOHN E. HILL, an agriculturist of energy and ability, who is residing on section 34, Valley Center Township, is a native of Cooper County, Mo., born July 9, 1833, and is the son of Pleasant and Eda (Gordon) Hill. His parents were natives of Kentucky, and both have passed the dark river, the boundary of the mystic land beyond the grave, the father about 1880, and the mother in 1857. They were the parents of nine children, whose names were as follows: Bird, Howard, Alexander S., Harrison, Newton, Maca, Amanda, Margaret and John E.

     The subject of this narration was reared in the county of his birth, and there drew the elements of his education from the common district schools. In the days of his youth and younger manhood, while remaining under the parental roof, he assisted his father in the labors of the farm, and grew up surrounded by all the holy influences of a mother's care. Having attained maturity, he looked about him in search of a life companion, and on the 1st of May, 1859, was united in marriage with Miss Junette Fray, a native of Howard County, Mo., who was born July 1, 1837, and was the daughter of Charles and Melinda Fray, who were farmers in that State, and were respected and honored citizens of the community in which they lived. Mrs. Hill was the seventh in a family of eleven children born to her parents, who bore the following names: Benjamin, Solomon, Thomas, Leonard, Nelson, Robert, Junette, Paulina, Maud, Mary and Melvina. But three of this family are now living, the balance having passed away.

     After his marriage Mr. Hill assumed the duties and responsibilities of farm life on his own account, and remained in the county of his birth until 1887, when he started for Kansas. He was in search of a place less confined than Missouri, where his efforts to secure a competency could be carried out on a more extensive scale, and accomplished with less expenditure of physical and mental force. On the 26th of February, that year, he came to Sedgwick County, and located on the farm on section 34 where he at present resides. He now owns a place which embraces 160 acres of excellent land, which, with his experience, and industrious and energetic toil, he has brought to a condition of excellent culture, and which he has handsomely and substantially improved. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and has met with excellent success in his chosen calling, and is to-day one of the prosperous and well-to-do agriculturists of the township.

     Mr. and Mrs. Hill are the parents of seven children, three girls and four boys - John, James, Robert, Benjamin Franklin, Arzelia, Ella Belle and Ida Victoria. John is married, and lives in Saline County, Mo.; James and his wife are residents of Kansas City; Arzelia was a student of the higher branches of study at the Lincoln University at Jefferson City. William, a promising young man, a graduate of Lincoln University, died on the 6th of June, 1887, shortly after coming home. Melinda, their little daughter, died in childhood.

     Mr. Hill is a stanch adherent to the principles of the Republican party in his politics, and supports the candidate offered by that organization upon all occasions. He is a great believer in the purity of the ballot box, and uses his influence, which is not small, for the purification of politics. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are respected and esteemed Christian people of the community.

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