Charles E. Hill Biography


	This biography appears on pages 708-709 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

      This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
      a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

      http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm


	CHARLES E. HILL, editor and proprietor of the Vidette, one of the 
leading local journals of eastern Dakota, is a native of Greene county, 
Ohio, and dates his birth from December 8,1857, being the son of Samuel 
J. and Sarah J. Hill. These parents moved to Cleveland when Charles E. 
was quite young, and he spent his childhood and youth in that city, 
receiving, the meanwhile, a fair education in the public schools. From 
his boyhood he manifested a decided taste for the printer's trade and 
when old enough he yielded to this desire of long standing by entering 
the office of the Cleveland Daily Herald, where he served an 
apprenticeship, during which he became personally acquainted with a 
number of the leading Republican politicians and strong men of Ohio, 
among whom were E. V. Smalley, Marcus A. Hanna and others equally as 
distinguished in public affairs. After serving his time and becoming a 
skillful typo, young Hill became animated by a laudable ambition to see 
something of the world; accordingly, in the winter of 1876, he severed 
his connection with the Herald and went to St. Louis, Missouri, where 
he worked for awhile on the old Times-Journal, later holding a case in- 
the office of the Globe-Democrat and in the spring of 1876 he left that 
city for New York. thence in May of the same year crossed the ocean to 
England. After working at his trade for several months in that country, 
he went to Ireland and Wales, where he found employment on different 
papers. Satisfied with his experience in the old country, Mr. Hill in 
1876 returned to his native land and for several years thereafter 
worked at his trade in nearly all the large cities in the United States 
and Canada, finally, in 1891, making his way to Sioux Falls, South 
Dakota, and accepting a position in the office of the Daily Press of 
that city. Resigning his place the following year, he came to Valley 
Springs and took charge of the leading hotel in the town, but after a 
brief experience in the capacity of "mine host" he gave up the house 
and resumed the vocation for which he was better fitted, and to which 
he had devoted so much of his life. Sometime after coming to Valley 
Springs a stock company composed of several prominent business men of 
the town established the Vidette, a weekly paper. which Mr. Hill 
purchased shortly after the enterprise went into effect. He has since 
been sole owner of the plant, which the meanwhile has grown into quite 
a valuable property, and under his business and editorial management 
the Vidette has become one of the most influential local sheets, not 
only in Minnehaha county, but in the eastern part of the state. The 
paper is ably edited and has a large circulation, also a liberal 
advertising patronage and in its every department is a creditable 
sheet, being highly prized as a family paper and recognized as one of 
the strong Republican organs of eastern Dakota.  

	Mr. Hill has always stood for Republican principles and since 
becoming a citizen of Dakota his labors and influence in behalf of the 
party have contributed greatly to its success in a number of local and 
state campaigns. He has attended every county and state convention 
since locating at Valley Springs, being universally chosen a delegate 
to these assemblages, and his presence has been felt not only in their 
deliberations, but in formulating platforms, directing party policies 
and planning for the more active work of the canvass. He has also been 
quite prominent in municipal affairs, having served for a number of 
years on the town board, in which and other capacities he has labored 
earnestly to promote the growth and development of Valley Springs, and 
advance its various industrial and business interests. Fraternally he 
belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows 
and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, in all of which 
organizations he is a leading spirit and an active worker, also an 
honored official. Mr. Hill's influence has been used to build up his 
town and few enjoy as great prestige as he in public, political and 
social circles. He was married on March 14, 1892, to Mrs. Emma A. 
Pixley, of Valley Springs, his home circle consisting of himself and 
wife only.