Monterey County CA Archives Biographies.....Hill, J. W. 1840 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 28, 2007, 11:14 pm Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893) HON. J. W. HILL, proprietor and editor of the Salinas Index, and well-known throughout the State as an able newspaper man, was born of Scotch parentage on a farm near Prescott, Canada West, in 1840, being the eldest of ten sons and three daughters. He received his education in his native country, where he lived until 1862, when he came to California via water, reaching San Francisco in April. From here he continued his journey to British Columbia on a mining expedition, going also to Alaska, returning to California in the fall of the same year. He then prospected in Nevada, Utah and Idaho. During the bloody Indian wars of the Northwest in 1864-'65 and '66, he kept a ferry crossing the Owyhee river, in Idaho Territory, where he experienced the vicissitudes of a frontiersman. In 1867 he disposed of his business and went to Silver City, the county seat of Owyhee county, Idaho Territory, where he purchased the Weekly Avalanche, an infant weekly newspaper, which he published until 1876. From this date he has been a resident and newspaper publisher of Salinas, California, finally purchasing the Salinas Index. In 1876, he introduced the first cylinder steam printing press and conducted the first daily paper in Idaho Territory, the Idaho Daily Avalanche. This press he now uses in the printing of the Index. Although in a Republican county, with an easy Democratic majority, he was elected to the several offices of County Clerk, Sheriff and Tax Collector of his county. He was a Centennial Commissioner from Idaho, and was tendered the nomination to Congress by the Republican party of his district. Upon locating in California and assuming the publication of the Index, his ability as a forceful newspaper writer was promptly recognized, and he gained the confidence and esteem of the people of a rich and influential community. The new constitution of California was the absorbing theme of interest in political circles in 1871, and he was one of its ardent promoters. Upon this issue, he was nominated by the Republican and New Constitution parties as a candidate for the State Senate, to which office he was elected. He served in this capacity with eminent ability and to the highest satisfaction of all persons and parties interested in the public weal. In 1886, he was elected Mayor of Salinas city and served in that capacity three successive terms or six years. The second and third terms he was the people's unanimous choice, having no competitor, and finally declined to serve longer. He was one of the first to advocate the raising of the American flag over all school buildings of the State, and delivered the address at the first flag-raising upon the public school buildings of Salinas. Mr. Hill was married, June 2, 1873, to Miss Belle Peck, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Peck, and a granddaughter on her mother's side of Colonel Gallant Duncan Dickinson, of whom prominent mention is made elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Hill have a son William C. Hill, now (1892) in his nineteenth year. These are a few of the most prominent events of an eminently active and useful career, which has been justly crowned with financial success and the highest regard of his fellow-men. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California. Illustrated. Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent Citizens of To-day. HENRY D. BARROWS, Editor of the Historical Department. LUTHER A. INGERSOLL, Editor of the Biographical Department. "A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."-Macaulay. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1893. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/monterey/bios/hill864bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb