My Genealogy Hound

Hon. H. L. W. Hill, one of the most prominent and enterprising citizens of Warren County, now living in the Sixth District, was born March 1, 1810; son of Henry J. A. and Susannah (Swales) Hill. The father was of English-Irish descent, born in Edgecomb County, N. C., February 7, 1774, and died in Warren County, Tenn., August 1, 1825, from the result of an amputation of a limb that was injured in childhood. He moved to Georgia in 1800, and two years later came to what was then White County. A few years later he was a member of the Legislature and voted for the act separating Warren County from White County. While living in Georgia he was a member of the Baptist Church, but after moving to Tennessee he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. The mother of our subject was born in St. Mary County, Md., December 31, 1767. She was also a member of the Baptist Church while in Georgia, but joined the Methodist Episcopal Church after coming to Tennessee. Her marriage resulted in the birth of seven children, of whom our subject is the youngest. He was born and has lived ever since where he now resides. After his father’s death he continued to still live with his widowed mother till her death in 1846. He received his rudimentary education in the schools of the neighborhood, afterward taking a thorough course under Dr. F. H. Gordon and James B. Moores, at Porter’s Hill, Tenn. After that he studied under Dr. Lawrence, at Carroll Academy, McMinnville, and then at Cumberland College, Nashville, of which Dr. Phillip Lindsley was president. After leaving Nashville he returned to McMinnville and taught school at Carroll Academy five months; then returned home and began farming and cultivating fine fruits, and distilling fine fruit brandies for medicinal purposes, which pursuits he continues to the present time. He began life with very little, but now owns considerable property. He has some very good farm lands in the valleys of Collins River and Hills Creek, some of which and some rich north mountain sides are in orchards, mainly apple. He also owns a considerable tract of mountain land, valuable for its deposits of iron ore, stone coal, timber and wild meadow and grazing grasses. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1837, and re-elected in 1839 and 1841. He was elected to the Lower House of the XXX Congress in 1847, and represented the people in the State Constitutional Convention, in 1870. May 14, 1840, he married Miss Virginia A. Dearing, who was born July 3, 1823, and who is the daughter of Col. W. L. S. and Mary T. Dearing. This union resulted in the birth of ten children. Those living are Bertha born June 13, 1842; Virgil, born March 2, 1851; Susan, born April 19, 1853; Franklin, born July 20, 1855; Eliza, born January 23, 1858; Athelia, born December 29, 1859; Octa, born March 7, 1862; Mary D., born September 28, 1866. Two children, Dearing and Livingston, are dead. Col. Hill is a Democrat; has constantly maintained a first-rate character as a moral and most excellent citizen. He has never professed religion, been a member of any church or secret society. He firmly believes in the existence of an omnipotent, eternal living God, and he hopes for immortality.