Benton County, Missouri Biographical Sketches - William B. Hill BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM BUEL HILL, written by Rella Gleaton gr,gr,grandaughter WILLIAM BUEL HILL was born November 10,1832 in Tennessee. It is said he first came to Springfield Missoui and from there he moved to Cross Timbers which was in Benton County. A boundary change later made Cross Timbers a part of Hickory County. William Buel Hill became a Methodist(Episcopal South)Minister and a farmer who also taught school. He met and married BRUNETTE C. DICKERSON who was born in Sumner County,Tennessee on May 5,1835. They were wed April 3,1852 in Benton County, he at the age of twenty and she at seventeen. The Benton County 1850 census shows the Hill family as neighbors of the RICHARDSON and MATILDA BLACK DICERSON family,Brunette was 14, William Buel was 17. Close to the William B. Hill family was the WILLIAM DICKERSON family also from Virginia and Tennessee. We believe William Buel Hill's parents are JOHN B. & SUSAN A. HILL. In the 1850 census of Benton County Missouri,Fristoe Township, it shows a J.B.Hill,age 39, born Virginia, cabinet maker; Susan Hill,age 25(?),born Tenn; W.B.Hill,age 17,born Tenn,labourer. According to the will of JOHN B.HILL( b.ca 1811 d.5-9-1853,Benton Co,Mo.) we believe that WILLIAM BUEL HILL is the oldest child followed by MARY A.,ELIZABETH CATHARINE, JOHN P., MARTHA EMELINE and HARRIETT EVELINE. Martha Emeline married DAVID HENDERSON between 1870-1874 and Harriet Eveline married GEORGE W. SOUTHARD, December 5,1872. When his father, who was a cabinet maker, died, Wm B.,aged 21 years, purchased from the estate 1 bead plane $1.50,1 saw $1.50,1 square $1.20,1 large chisel $1.55,1 spoke shaver $1.20,1 gauge .40,1 hasp & file .45, 1 sack of tools .50,1 work bench $2.00 among other items. A number of other items were also sold to a quite a few familiar names of families in the area, JOHN HOLLEY, CALEB BROWN, DICK WEBB, G.W. OWEN, WM BURTON, JOHN LOWERY, JEFF SALSBURY, DAN WALDEN and PETTER OSBORNE. Even before 1862 we know that William Buel was preaching and teaching on Turkey Creek on North Prarie in a school and church made of logs. The Church site was West of Turkey Creek and included 20-40 acres. WM.B. had a log house there thought to be adjoining this land. The school curriculum included Greek and Latin and became known as the North Prarie Academy. With the coming of the Civil War, Wm.B.,then a very young preacher, and another preacher LEVI MORRISON were forbidden to preach by the Federal Government who wished to prevent the congregational gatherings. William Buel and Brunette had twelve children all born at Warsaw,Benton County, eight surviving. They were MARY ELIZABETH(1852-1900),JOHN RICHARD(1855-1922),NANCY(c1856-)MINERVA C(1858-c1943),JAMES RUFUS(1860-),LAURA(c1867-),LORETTA"LOUIE"(1868-),ROBERT MONROE(1873-1948)and NORA M.(1878-) MARY E. had married WILLIAM WAINWRIGHT JR. with children born in Cross Timbers. JOHN RICHARD married ALICE E. THOMPSON at Warsaw with 5 of their 6 children born in Hickory County before they moved to Washington Territory. MINERVA C. married, in Benton County, HODSON CASON DOAK born in Hickory County,son of SAMUEL & MARY SALSBURY DOAK. They later moved to Hereford,Texas. JAMES RUFUS married ANNA"BELLE"MITCHENER in Benton County and later moved to Texas, then Oklahoma. LAURA HILL married JOHN C. BROOKS in Benton County . LORETTA"LOUIE"married WILLIAM H. CHESSER and eventually lived in Hobart,Oklahoma. ROBERT MONROE HILL with his bride MILLIE CLERCY BAILEY would later move to Texas with his father. NORA M. married AMEL HENRY KNOX in Almira,Washington. On July 17,1863 William B. enlisted at Blackoak Point,Hickory Co, in the 6th Regiment Cavalry Missouri State Militia Volunteers Company G. He was described then as age 32 years,5' 11",dark hair,gray eyes,light complexion,married,and occupation-farmer. Part of his regiments campaigns were: Pursuit of Coffee,Aug 9,1863,join Gen Blount's campaign in Indian Nation and Arkansas Aug & Sept,Capture of Fort Smith Sept 1; March to Springfield arriving Sep 18. Operations against Shelby and pursuit to Arkansas River Sep 22-Oct 26;Springfield to Huntsville and skirmish Nov 8-18(detachments);Expediton from Springfield to Howell,Wright and Oregon Counties Nov 28-Dec 13; duty at Springfield and in District of SW Missouri 'til July 1865.... According to copies of the Company Muster Roll he was paid $100 every two months "Due for use & risk of horse and horse equipments from Jun 20,'64-Sept 20,'64" etc. After serving for 3 years he was mustered out as a Private on July 18,1865 at Benton Barracks,Mo. When he returned home he resumed farming and also practiced his chosen vocation as a traveling circuit preacher. Also in Company G with him were JAMES and NORVEL M. DICKERSON who were his wife Brunette's brothers. ROBERT FOSTER DOAK, another brother-in-law was in Co H. It was because of his service in the war that he later applied for a disability pension claiming a crippled back, scurvy which had caused his loss of teeth, diarrhea and stomach trouble. He was described then as 5"6" weighing 122 pounds at 58 years of age. He was granted the pension of $12. He was then living at Mt View, Mo. Interesting to note that his witnesses were JOHN W. HOLLEY and SAMUEL HOLLEY. William B. Hill was issued a land patent in September 1881 at the Booneville Land Office for 119.525 acres in Hickory County. The certificate was issued under James Garfield,President. Many of his in-laws also were doing the same. According to the Wilbur Register, Lincoln County,Washington State, in July 1889, "A Mr W.B.Hill & son James visiting "his people here" returns to Missouri. He was accompanied by Mr C.E. WAINWRIGHT as far as Spokane Falls,Wa." W.B. made a trip out West to visit his oldest son John Richard and several of his daughters who lived in the area. BRUNETTE died July 27,1892 and was buried in Walker Cemetery(now Walker/Wright) just outside of Cross Timbers. Many of the people buried in this cemetery were inter-related. Several years later, in 1896, William Buel sold his farm for $1,500 and moved to Briscoe County,Texas,traveling by team and covered wagon with his youngest daughter Nora,his son Robert Monroe,his wife Millie and their two oldest children Buel and Buelah. William Buel settled 3 miles East and 1 mile South of the town of Silverton,Texas,their first home a half dugout built of adobe brick and part wood. William Buel Hill died on March 21,1900 at the age of 67 years. His son Robert Monroe had purchased his farm from him. Reverend William Buel Hill is buried in the Silverton Cemetery with a special memorial plaque on his headstone in recognition of his circuit riding preaching. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Rella Gleaton ====================================================================