HILL, Orin J.

HILL, JOHNSTON, BRITTAIN, COTTLE, STOVER, MOORMAN, ALLEN, JOHNSON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/28/2014 at 11:45:03

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.

Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising Editors

The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Pp. 180-82. Chicago. 1915.

ORIN J. HILL

Among the successful farmers and stock-raisers of Hamilton township is Orin J. Hill, who was born in Washington county, Ohio, near the city of Marietta, on the 12th of September, 1860, a son of McIntosh and Lovina (Johnston) Hill. The father was born in Washington county, Ohio, of Irish and Pennsylvania-Dutch ancestry. His father, Abraham Hill, was a native of Maryland and his grandfather, Isaac Hill, was a farmer of that state. Abraham Hill was by profession a trained nurse. His wife was in her maidenhood Miss Mary Brittain and was born in Pennsylvania. Their son, McIntosh Hill, followed the carpenter's trade in his early manhood but subsequently gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. He served for three years in the Civil war, enlisting at Marietta, Ohio, in Company I, Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The year 1871 witnessed his removal to Fayette county, Ohio, and there he worked at carpentering and farmed for fifteen years. In 1886 he located in Wayne county, Iowa, where he remained for a like period of time, after which he came to this county, settling in Hamilton township, where he purchased land. Three years later he was called to his reward, his demise occurring on the 15th of February, 1905. His wife was a daughter of Peter and Comfort Johnston, natives respectively of West Virginia and of Maine. The mother of Comfort Johnston was before her marriage Miss Lois Cottle and was likewise born in the Pine Tree state. Peter and Comfort Johnston both removed to Indiana in their youth and there their marriage was solemnized. Their daughter Lovina was born in Virginia and was married in Washington county, Ohio. Following the demise of her husband she removed to Pleasanton, where she passed away in 1909. They were the parents of eight children, six of whom survive, namely: Hannah Elizabeth, who resides with her sister, Mrs. J. H. Stover, who is the next in order of birth and further mention of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Orin J.; John M., a resident of Custer, Oklahoma; George C, of Davis City, a sketch of whom is given elsewhere in this volume; and James Henry, a carpenter living in Mercer county, Missouri.

Orin J. Hill received a common-school education in Fayette county Ohio, and since 1886 has resided in this state. He remained with his parents and assisted his father with the work of the farm until he emigrated to Iowa and thus gained agricultural knowledge which enabled him to carry on general farming for himself after his arrival in this county. He located in Hamilton township one mile due east of his present home and for a few years farmed rented land. He then purchased a forty acre brush tract, which he cleared as soon as possible and which he cultivated for a number of years. In March, 1911, he purchased his present home of one hundred and twenty acres of well improved land on sections 15 and 16, Hamilton township, forty acres of which he subsequently sold. He still owns eighty acres and derives a good income from his work as a farmer and stock-raiser. He feeds high grade cattle and hogs, which he sells to the shippers, and, as his animals are always in good condition, they bring a high price.

Mr. Hill was married in 1887 to Miss Chloe A. Moorman, a daughter of James and Susanna (Allen) Moorman. Her father was born in Greene county, Ohio, September 5, 1835, and followed the occupation of farming. In 1885 he located on a farm in Decatur county two and a half miles east of Pleasanton, becoming the owner of eighty acres of land, upon which he resided until his death, which occurred November 25, 1907. He was married to Susanna Allen in 1860 in Greene county, Ohio, and her demise occurred there in 1872. Later he married Miss Hannah Johnson, a daughter of Peter Johnson. She died on the 22d of November, 1906. Mrs. Hill, who was the only child born to her parents, has become the mother of three children: Ora Esther, whose birth occurred June 17, 1889, and who is the wife of Oakland Vaughn, a farmer of Hamilton township, by whom she has two children, Beatrice and Ronald; James Orville, who was born March 7, 1894, and died February 20, 1909; and Alta Lenora, born January 25, 1904, who is attending school in district No. 7, Hamilton township.

Mr. Hill casts his ballot in support of the candidates and principles of the republican party and has served for four years as trustee of Hamilton township, while for one term he was school director in district No. 7, of that township, and for several terms was director of district No. 6. Both he and his wife belong to the Christian Union church at Pleasanton, Iowa, and their religious faith is embodied in their daily lives. He holds the unqualified respect of all who have come in contact with him, as he has at all times conformed to high standards of morality and as he is ready and willing to cooperate in securing the advancement of his community along either material or moral lines.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014