Henry C. Hill

NORTON, HILL, RIGGS, BUCK

Posted By: Fran Hunt, Volunteer
Date: 10/2/2001 at 15:32:51

From the “Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties Iowa” 1890
HENRY C. HILL
Henry C. Hill, of the firm of Bell, Hill & Kays, dealers in grain, lumber, seeds and livestock, is one of the leading businessmen of Milton. The business in which he is now a partner, was established by J.D. Hollingshead about 1880 who, five years later, was joined by C.E. Bull and the business carried on under the firm name of Hollingshead & Bull. In 1887, Mr. Hollingshead retired, Mr. Hill purchasing his interest and the firm style was changed to Bull & Hill, under which business was conducted until July 1890, when Mr. Bull retired, and the existing partnership between Messrs. Bell, Hill, & Kays was formed. This house does an annual business amounting to upwards of $250,000 and the members of the firm rank among the progressive and enterprising citizens of Milton.
The subject of this sketch, Henry C. Hill, was born in Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio, October 5, 1843, and is the son of Hazen H. and Louisa E. Norton Hill. His father was born near Concord, N.H., July 10, 1813, and was descended from an old New England family. His mother was born in Rutland County, Vt., June 3, 1818, and was of Scotch descent. They were married in Huron County, Ohio, and had a family of seven children, six sons and one daughter. The sons are all yet living. The father died December 19, 1865, but the mother survives and is still a resident of the old home in Ohio.
Henry C. was reared on a farm and received such education advantages as were afforded by the common schools of that day. He was married September 8, 1869, to Miss Phoebe A. Riggs, daughter of Edward and Mary Jane Buck Riggs, and the following April removed with his young bride to Sullivan County Missouri, where he embarked in merchandising. He was engaged in business in Scottsville, of that county for four years, and eight years at Browning, and his efforts were attended with a good degree of success. It was in 1882 that after selling out in Missouri he came to Milton Iowa, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits with John C. Calhoun, they purchasing the trade and stock of John W. Carr. That connection continued four years when the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Hill returned to his native state, but after a year spent in Ohio he again came to Iowa, in 1887, and bought into the lumber and grain business with Mr. Bull. In connection with the mercantile business, during his residence in Missouri, he was extensively engaged as a dealer in livestock, and that branch of the business of the present firm is an important one. Mr. and Mrs. Hill have two children—Hazen Henry, born August 26, 1870, in Scottsville Missouri and Harry Wilford, born in Browning Missouri July 16, 1875. Mr. Hill is a Republican in politics, and socially a member of Jackson Lodge, No, 28, I.O.O.F. His wife holds membership in the Baptist church.
The war record of the subject of this sketch is as follows. On February 18, 1864, he enlisted as a member of Company C, Fifty-fifth Ohio Infantry and served until the cessation of hostilities, being discharged May 29, 1865. He participated in the battles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain and the battles before Atlanta, and was with Gen. Sherman in the celebrated march to the sea. He was also engaged in the Carolina campaigns and at the battle of Aberysborough, North Carolina, on March 16, 1865, receiving a gunshot wound through the left hip, which injured him severely. After remaining a time in the field hospital, he was removed to David’s Island Hospital, from which he was discharged on May 29th, 1865.
Mr. Hill is an active, enterprising and successful businessman and, with his partners, has built up an extensive business in their line as the figures show. They handle annually from fifty thousand to seventy-five thousand bushels of grain, and five hundred thousand feet of lumber and a large amount of livestock, aggregating about a quarter of a million dollars in value.
I am not related, and am posting this biography for those who may find this person in their family history.