Michael Hileman Memoirs, part 25

	transcribed by Harold D. Hileman, hhileman@ix.netcom.com
	November, 1999

	Copyright (c)1999 by Harold D. Hileman

	Permission to reprint the "The Memoirs of Michael Hileman Jr." is granted unless 
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	The table of contents for the entire Hileman biography is at
	
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EPILOGUE
By Thomas Pirnie Sr.

It is to be regretted that some friend of the family did not narrate the life of 
father Hileman other than myself. For I feel discouraged in the attempt I have 
made to give others an account of his life's experiences. His life has been 
truly remarkable in the lapse of time it has covered, and the varied experiences 
he has had. 

His ancestors fought for the establishment of our republic with fervent zeal, 
though they were born and reared in the land of royalty. So did he offer his 
life that the nation should live? It was not love of excitement, or occupation 
for livelihood, that took him into our south land to fight against our own flesh 
and blood. He was a man supposed to be past the prime of life when that sad 
struggle took place. And after his return from the terrible experience he had 
been through, especially in the prisons of war, after being allowed time to meet 
his friends and regain some of his former strength and vigor, he was eager to go 
to battle again for the nation's life - and again he offered his life upon the 
battlefield. Could anyone question that this was patriotism that deserved reward 
of those who were to reap the blessing of such service? 

As a boy we find him enduring all the hardships of pioneering in the rocky hills 
and forest covered regions of his father. In all of his troubles here we find 
that life was full of enjoyment for him. Then we see him striving to get an 
education; here he works constantly, but also finds time to have fun, to enjoy 
life besides success in his studies. 

When he arrives at mature years we find him intensely entwisted in the common 
things of life, though he does not succeed in getting wealthy, is a real part of 
the life that surrounds him. He appears to never have been lost in dreams of  
the future, nor reflections of the past. The present moment, and the existing 
things, all received his closest attention. 

As a pioneer upon the prairies of Illinois he does his best to immediately adapt 
himself to the change of conditions. He liked his new home and at once prepares 
to like his new friends. Not forgetting his old friends way back in 
Pennsylvania, but to become but here, as he was there - really alive in the 
community. 

Though not accomplishing as much financially, and in a business way, yet taking 
a real interest in everything that related to the development of the community. 
He had misfortune, but he was always ambitious, in a fair way, to get some of 
the world's goods. After failing in his quest of gold at Pikes Peak, we find him 
taking employment upon a riverboat for means of the support of his family, since 
he lost his season's opportunity on the farm. Then when the war came, he left 
his family and all, to give the very best that was in him for his country. His 
whole energies were in this as they had been in everything throughout his life. 
Here his optimism was a real service to those in the awful wretchedness of 
Anderson's prison life, especially. After the war, his health was so wrecked, 
that the best doctors told him that he had less than two years to live. Here his 
grit came to his rescue as also his faith that Dakota could do something for him 
to regain his health. Here we find him enjoying life again amongst new friends, 
though he was past sixty years of age. 

At seventy years of age, I have seen him enjoying himself as few of the young 
men did upon the dance floor, upon the floor of debate or beside the baseball 
field. He was always intensely interested in the life about him, and he was not 
dreaming of the coming century, nor of the days of Julius Caesar. Those real 
things about him were the vital things in his life. And when he came to Iowa, he 
became interested in Iowa affairs, but not forgetting his liking of Dakota less. 
He became warmly attached to his new made friends in Waterloo. The city was the 
chief center of interest to him. There was none more loyal to it than he and his 
sentiment. 

He has made his home in Cedar Rapids for several years, and today he knows more 
about the city, and its affairs, than some who have lived here twice as long, 
for he takes an interest in the things about him. He has had many good friends 
among his neighbors here. The children for many blocks about us know and love 
"Grandpa", for he always knows and loves the little children. 

Father never succeeded in becoming rich in the sense of the word as it is 
usually used. But he is rich! He has plenty to keep him from worry. He has done 
more for his friends than perhaps some who have had a hundred times his worldly 
goods. His life has been full of friends who never forgot him. He enjoys the 
life the Lord gave him and rejoices in seeing others happy. May his life be 
spared for many years to come. 

The nearer the lives of father and mother Hileman mingle with my own, the better 
I understood them, the deeper has been my love for them. I am very, very, sorry 
that our little darling son cannot have the memory of his Grandmother Hileman, 
who loved him so tenderly and patiently. It was a blessing to live with one who 
was so filled with loving kindness.

Finished this thirtieth day of November, nineteen fourteen. 921 South Twelfth 
Street, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.