WATAUGA COUNTY, NC - BIOGRAPHIES - James Stadler Hill, 1832-1919 ----¤¤¤¤---- PROFESSOR JAMES STADLER HILL OF NORTH CAROLINA James Stadler Hill was born June 18, 1832, near Germanton, North Carolina. He was the son of Joel Hill, born July 4, 1780, and Mildred Golding, his wife, born December 29, 1794. Joel Hill was the son of Major Robert Hill and Martha Halbert. James Stadler graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1858. The University Archives show that he was accorded Second Honors among the graduates and delivered “Josephine: A Poem” during commencement exercises. He received an M.A. degree from Trinity College in 1862. James Stadler married Mary Lettitia Banner on May 29, 1860, at Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Mary Lettitia was born November 29, 1844. She was the daughter of Edwin H. Banner and Sarah P. Moore. The couple made their home at Mt. Airy for several years. The North Carolina “Report Of Public Superintendents” shows that James Stadler served as a Principal of the Surry County Collegiate Institute in 1870. The institute was located in Mt. Airy. He has been referred to as a Professor of Latin and Greek. His obituary states that he taught in North Carolina, Tennessee, California and Georgia. James Stadler could play every musical instrumemt. He became a member of the Baptist faith while teaching in California. James Stadler’s obituary states that as a young man he volunteered on the side of the Confederacy. Family tradition has it that he served as a drummer. After serving a few months, he was obliged to return home on account of ill health. He was a member of the Home Guard for the remainder of the war. “The Last Tarheel Militia 1861—1865” lists James Stadler as a Major in the 73rd Regiment, 18th Brigade of Surry County. One of his brothers was Lauriston Hardin Hill from Germanton, North Carolina. Lauriston served as a Field Surgeon for the 53rd North Carolina Regiment at the Battle of Gettysburg. The 1880 Census shows that James Stadler and Mary Lettitia were living in Boone, North Carolina. He is listed as a teacher in that census. James Stadler and Mary Lettitia moved to Elk Park, North Carolina, prior to 1900; and, that is where they lived out their lives. James Stadler died November 22, 1919, and Mary Lettitja died October 25, 1921. They are both buried in Elk Park, North Carolina. James Stadler and Mary Lettitia had ten children, as listed below. This information is taken from the Bible of James Stadler Hill, with current updates: Sarah Lettitia Hill was born April 26, 1861, at Mt. Airy, North Carolina, and died in an automobile accident in Caen, France, on August 4, 1925. She was married to Merrill D. Arnold at Canton, Georgia, on December 30, 1885. She had one son, Merrill D. Arnold, born June 29, 1887, and departed this life on May 22, 1972. Merrill D. Arnold had two daughters: Frances Hill and Helen Whitney; and, one son: James Ellis. Edwin Halbert Hill was born December 24, 1863, at Mt. Airy, North Carolina, and departed this life at Limon, Costa Rica, on January 10, 1898. James Herbert Hill was born September 13, 1866, at Germanton, North Carolina, and departed this life at San Francisco, California, on July 2, 1888. Mary Caroline Hill was born at Mt. Airy, North Carolina, on March 19, 1869, and departed this life on July 4, 1870. Nannie Moore Hill was born at Mt. Airy, North Carolina, on December 26, 1870, and departed this life at Charleston, Tennessee, on July 15, 1952. She married Charles Palmer on June 30, 1896, at Butler, Tennessee. She had one child that died shortly after birth. Thomas Lauriston Hill was born at Boone, North Carolina, on August 4, 1874, and departed this life on February 22, 1951, at Knoxville, Tennessee, with interment in Gray Cemetery. Elizabeth Florence Hill was born at Johnson City, Tennessee, on February 16, 1877, and departed this life on May 10, 1956, with interment in the Elk Park, North Carolina, cemetery. Mildred Cornelia Hill was born at Taylorsville, Tennessee, on January 25, 1879, and departed this life at Elk Park, North Carolina, on June 8, 1903, with interment in the Elk Park, North Carolina, cemetery. She married Laughlin F. McLaurin on December 27, 1899, and had one child: James Leroy McLaurin, born on December 8, 1901. William Richard Hill was born at Boone, North Carolina, on April 10, 1881, and departed this life at Knoxville, Tennessee, on May 20, 1960, with interment at Greenwood Cemetery, Arnold Plot. He married Jennie Mae Korns on August 9, 1906, and had two children: Mildred Ines born at Grand Junction, Colorado, on May 8, 1908, and departed this life on May 9, 1977; and, James Monroe Hill born at Johnson City, Tennessee, on January 13, 1911, and departed this life on April 6, 1982. Mildred Ines had two children: JoAnn Elizabeth and Gloria Rae. James Monroe had three children: Rita Marie, Betty Jean and Thomas James. William Richard Hill was married a second time to Pearl Frances Buchanan in 1921, and had one daughter: Lettitia Elizabeth Nancy born at Paschall, North Carolina, on May 4, 1923. Lettitia Elizabeth has one son, Kenneth Julius. Joel Frederick was born at Banner Elk, North Carolina, on July 21, 1883, and departed this life on March 15, 1930, at Birmingham, Alabama. Joel Frederick married Julia Gertrude Murphree in Birmingham, Alabama, on April 4, 1915. They had one son: Thomas Frederick Hill born July 3, 1916, and departed this life on June 29, 1981. Thomas Frederick had three children: Holly Anne, Julia Carol and Ellen Susanne. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Tom Hill tomhill@kdsi.net ___________________________________________________________________ Submitted by Thomas James Hill, Grand Island, Nebraska.