HILLIS, Oscar Burk 1857 - 1899

HILLIS, SHAFFER, NORTHRUP

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 10/13/2024 at 21:09:45

"The St. Paul Globe"
(St. Paul, MN)
Saturday, June 24, 1899
Page 2, Column 2

OSCAR B. HILLIS DEAD.
For Many Years He Was Clerk of Federal Courts Here.

Oscar B. HILLIS, formerly clerk of the United States circuit court in St. Paul, died early yesterday morning of heart failure, at Omaha, where he was clerk of the federal court. Mr. HILLIS came to St. Paul from Kansas City in 1883, where he was deputy clerk of the United States circuit court for the Western district of Missouri. He was appointed clerk of the circuit court for the district of Minnesota by Judge McCleary in 1883 and served in that capacity until January, 1897, when he was appointed to the Nebraska position. He was succeeded here by Henry A. Lang, the present clerk of the court. Mr. HILLIS leaves a wife and several children.

While in St. Paul he lived with his family at Goodrich avenue and Victoria street.

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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, June 28, 1899
Page 3, Column 2

LOCAL MISCELLANY.

... While in Omaha, Neb., Sunday attending the funeral services of her son-inlaw, Oscar B. HILLIS, Mrs. J. M. SHAFFER received a telegram which announced the death of her sister, Mrs. Josephine NORTHRUP, at Pittsburgh, Penn., the previous evening. Mrs. NORTHRUP was a resident of this city in the '60's. She had been in ill health for some time. ...

(same publication and page, but Column 4 -- )

Stricken Down Without Warning.

A telegram was received in this city Friday morning announcing the death of Oscar B. HILLIS, clerk of the United States district and circuit courts at Omaha, Neb., and soninlaw of Dr. J. M. SHAFFER of Keokuk. Mr. HILLIS was forty-two years of age, a man of strength and vigor, the very picture of health. Death was caused by apoplexy, and he was stricken down absolutely without warning. Arising that morning at the usual hour and in his usual good health, he had spent a few moments outdoors with his son Warren, a lad of seventeen years, during which a slight scuffle occurred between father and son in a romp over the lawn. Mr. HILLIS then retired to the bath room to complete his toilet for the day. Here a few moments later Mrs. HILLIS found him lying on the floor in an unconscious condition. Medical aid was summoned at once, but life had fled, one of the physicians declaring that it was probably extinct before the unfortunate man touched the floor in his fall. Mr. HILLIS was reared in Keokuk, read law with Hon. Geo. W. McCrary and was appointed deputy clerk of the United States circuit court at Kansas City, Mo., by his former instructor. Later he was given the clerkship of the same court at St. Paul, Minn., a position he held for fourteen years. In 1897 he was transferred to Omaha, Neb., as clerk of both the federal courts in that city. Mrs. HILLIS, formerly Miss Susan SHAFFER, a son and three daughters survive the husband and father and will remain in Omaha for the present. Brief funeral services were held at the family residence in that city Sabbath afternoon, and in the evening the remains were taken to St. Paul., Minn., where they were cremated. While Mr. HILLIS had never visited Fairfield, he had many friends among her people, for to know the man was to admire and esteem him. Though retiring in his manner, he possessed rare social qualities, and he made his home life a most ideal one. In public affairs he was honored and trusted, and wherever his lot was cast he won friends and retained them. His death will be sincerely mourned by all who knew him and his splendid manhood.

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"The Fairfield Tribune"
Wednesday, June 28, 1899
Page 6, Column 4

Death of Oscar B. HILLIS.

Word was received in the city last week of the death of Oscar B. HILLIS at his home in Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday morning, June 23rd. This death has a local interest here, as Mr. HILLIS married Miss Susie SHAFFER, formerly of this city. Mr. HILLIS was forty-two years old and at the time of his death he was clerk of the United States court for the district of Nebraska. He was appointed to this position in 1897, having previously been clerk of the same court for the district of Minnesota, when he lived in St. Paul, and before that deputy clerk for the western district of Missouri, residing at that time in Kansas City.

Mr. HILLIS' death was due to apoplexy and he was found dead in the bath room by his wife. The remains wre cremated and buried at St. Paul on Monday of this week. Besides his wife he leaves four children living. His father is a doctor in Keokuk and Dr. SHAFFER also now lives at that place.

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"The Adair County Democrat"
Greenfield, Iowa
Thursday, July 6, 1899
Page 6, Column 3

United States Court Clerk Dies.

O. H. HILLIS, clerk of the United States Circuit Court at Omaha, is dead. He had been in apparently perfect health and entered the bath room, and, not reappearing, an investigation was made. He was found dead in the bath tub, heart failure being the cause.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: One obituary above mentions that his remains were buried at St. Paul, MN. If this is correct, then the gravestone in Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, IA, on Lot Old.P.170 is a cenotaph. On this same lot are also stones for his wife Susan SHAFFER HILLIS, and two of their daughters, Eloise and Madalene.