Izard Co., AR - Biographies - W. E. Hill

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W. E. Hill is a successful merchant and farmer of Franklin, Ark., and is one of
the oldest native residents of the county, having been born here in 1841. His
parents, Thomas R. and Rachel (Burlisson) Hill, were born in Kentucky and
Indiana, respectively, and the former came to the State of Arkansas in 1886,
settling in Izard County. Here he entered and purchased about 2,000 acres of
land, which he owned and operated until his death. This country at first was
very thinly populated, and Mr. Hill was compelled to go from ten to twenty miles
to mill. He was married twice, and of his first family only four children are
living: Mary A., widow of Lewis Williams; J. B., of Fulton County, La.;
Elizabeth F., wife of Samuel Vannatta, and W. E. Two children died in infancy
and three after reaching mature years: James W., Thomas J., Erasmus, Benjamin
and Eliza. Mrs. Hill, who was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
died in 1849, and in 1851 Mr. Hill married Mrs. Eliza (Colwell) Orr, widow of
Dr. Orr. This wife was a Baptist, but he, like his first wife, was a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Hill died in 1876, at the age of sixty-eight
years, his wife's death occurring in 1874, at the age of sixty four years. W. E.
Hill has been familiar with farming from his earliest youth and secured a good
education in the common schools of his native county. At the age of twenty-one
years he began farming for himself, but continued to make his home with his
father until twenty six. When the Civil War began he espoused the Confederate
cause and joined C. A. Shaler's battalion, but only served a short time when he
was discharged on account of sickness. After remaining at home one year he again
joined the army and served under Capt. Wolf until the close of the war, being a
participant in all the fights with Gen. Price in Missouri. He surrendered at
Jacksonport. Ark., June 5, 1865, and returned home and began farming on his
father's land. In connection with him he built a mill, which he operated six
years, and during this time his father gave him his present home farm, which
consists of 274 acres. There were ten acres cleared, but it was in a worse
condition than if it had not been touched. He now has 175 acres improved, and on
it is erected one of the finest farm houses in Northern Arkansas. His barns are
also very commodious and will accommodate forty or fifty head of horses. He has
forty acres of improved land in Jefferson Township, besides his home place and
155 acres of unimproved land. His wife owns fifty-five acres of her father's old
homestead, a portion of which is improved. In 1867 Mr. Hill married Miss
Margaret J. Billingsley, a daughter of Samuel Billingsley, one of [p.949] the
old settlers of Izard County, and the following are their family: Elizabeth A.,
W. E., Jr., Thomas R., Samuel B., James M., John W. Joseph E. and Stella W. Mr.
Hill and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he
belongs to the A. F. & A. M., and is a Democrat politically. He is associated
with Mr. Billingsley in the mercantile business at Franklin, and they do an
annual business of about $13,000.