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Transcription of
the letter by William K. Hill
Image
of the letter by William K. Hill
https://www.angelfire.com/tx6/family2/Genealogy/letterWKH.htm
Samuel W Hill and Nancy Kuykendall
FATHER:
Name: Samuel W Hill
Birth Date/Place: 7 Oct 1809
Marriage Date/Place: 26 Jul 1832/
Franklin Co, TN
Death Date/Place: 1849
Occupation: Farmer
Father's Father: James Masanaw Hill
Father's Mother: Elizabeth
MOTHER::
Name: Nancy Kuykendall
Birth Date/Place: 22 Jul 1811/ Franklin
Co, TN
Death Date/Place: 1890/ prob Van Zandt
Co, TX
Mother's Father: William Kuykendall
Mother's Mother: Mary Gotcher
CHILD 1:
Name: Susan Alina Hill (photo is at https://www.angelfire.com/tx6/family2/Genealogy/Hill_archive.htm)
Birth Date/Place: 7 Aug 1833/
Franklin Co, TN
Spouse: Cal Burnett
Death Date/Place: 24 Dec 1912/ White Rose
Cemetery, Wills Point, TX
CHILD 2:
Name: Elizabeth West Hill
Birth Date/Place: 4th Oct 1835/
Franklin Co, TN
Spouse 1: Dave Morgan
Spouse 2: Matt Rayburn
Death Date/Place: Van Zandt Co, TX
CHILD 3:
Name: William Kuykendall Hill (photo is at https://www.angelfire.com/tx6/family2/HillReunionHome.htm)
Birth Date/Place: 31 Jul 1838/ Franklin
Co, TN
Spouse: Amanda "Mandy" Meginty
Death Date/Place: abt 1896/ Llano Co, or
Bell Co, Texas
CHILD 4:
Name: Mary Ann Hill (photo is at https://www.angelfire.com/tx6/family2/Genealogy/Hill_archive.htm)
Birth Date/Place: 26 Nov 1840/ Desoto Co,
MS
Spouse 1: Charles Allison W. Hartgraves/
3 Feb 1861/Van Zandt Co, TX
Spouse 2: LevyCrow/ Jul 1866/ Van Zandt
Co, TX
Death Date/Place:
CHILD 5:
Name: James David Hill
Birth Date/Place: 31 Aug 1849/ Texas
(prob Smith Co)
Spouse: Lorinda Ratliff
Death Date/Place: 10 Nov 1937/ Knoawa,
Seminole Co, OK
Notes:
The family moved with Nancy's and with
Samuel's family from Franklin Co, TN to Desoto Co,
MS to Texas. Samuel died shortly
after they moved to Texas. In the Texas Scholastic Record
of
1854, Nancy is shown to be the guardian
of William and Mary Ann Hill. In 1882 Nancy was
either living with or visiting William K.
in Bluffton, Llano Co, TX.
1840 Census, Desoto Co, MS Machine page
115
Hill, Saml. W. 1000010000000 -
110010000000
1860 Census, Van Zandt Co, TX
436/454 Hill, Nancy 40 F
Tn
W. K. ($169) 22 M Fmr Tn
Mary A 20 F Ms
J. D. 12 M Tx
E. 24 F Tn
Willaim Kuykendall Hill and Amanda Meginty (or Mandy McGinnis)
FATHER:
Name: William Kuykendall Hill
Birth Date/ Place: 21 Jul 1838/ Franklin
Co, TN
Marriage Date/ Place:
Death Date/ Place: abt 1896/ Llano
Co, or Bell Co, Texas
Buried: Unknown
Occupation: Leather-Boot and Saddle maker
Father's Father: Samuel Hill
Father's Mother: Nancy Kuykendall
MOTHER:
Name: Amanda Meginty "Mandy
McGinnis"
Birth Date/ Place: abt 1849
Death Date/ Place: abt 1897
Buried:
Mother's Father:
Mother's Mother:
CHILD:
Name: Clemontine Argain
Birth Date/ Place: 1880 (aft June 18)/
Llano County, TX
Death Date/ Place: Family history gives
no accounting of this child. She may have died young.
CHILD:
Name: John P Hill
Birth Date/Place: 11 Aug 1882/
Llano TX?
Spouse's Name: Ella Rose Lasater
Death Date/Place: 22 Jan 1963/
Terrell, TX
CHILD:
Name: Tinnie Hill
Birth Date/Place: 12 Apr 1884
Spouse #2's Name: William Francis
"Billie" Lasater
Marriage Date/ Place: 22 May 1915/ Wills
Point, Van Zandt Co, TX
Death Date/Place: 24 Oct 1967
CHILD:
Name: William McGinnis Hill
Birth Date/Place: 19 Jun 1888/ Belton,
Bell Co, TX
Spouse #2's Name: Lucy Viola
Lasater
Marriage Date/ Place: 4 Feb 1912/
Wills Point, Van Zandt Co, TX
Death Date/ Place: 3 Oct 1976/
Comanche, Comanche Co, TX
Buried: Pendegrass Cemetery, Sidney, TX
Notes: Family history tells us that
William Kuykendall Hill had a Boot and Saddle Shop
somewhere near Dublin, Texas. Some
of his grandchildren remember seeing a picture of him in
front of the shop. The picture and
the shop are both lost to us today.
1880 Census Llano Co, Texas page 518
Hill Wm W M 43 Saddler
Miss
Mandy W F 33 wife
Keeping house Tex Tex Tex
[note: it seems unlikely that the parents
of Mandy Hill (born abt 1847) were born in Texas.
Unlikely, but possible]
The following is a
transcribed copy of a letter [image]
from W. K. Hill of Bluffton, near Llano, Texas,
written in 1882 to John Wesley Gabbert
Barbee and his brother, James Pleasant Henderson
Barbee (sons of Henry H Barbee and
Elizabeth Kuykendall. JW & JB would be WK's first
cousins) then at Days, DeSoto Co,
Mississippi. Syntax errors remain as they appear in the
letter.
Bluffton
Llano Texas
---------
September 19, 1882
Mr JW + JB Barbee
? your
kind letter is at hand in due time
it found all well we was was
quite glad to hear from you All
the connection is all well at this time
we ar livin Near uncle James
Kuykendalls Boys tha ar gettin
[transcriber's note: James Kuykendall's boys would
along very well the times is very
be the sons of James Kuykendall and Dorcus
good in this part we have fine crops
Reynalds. James was the brother of
you spok of Bein out in Ellis Co
William Kuykendall; he would be
we lived in Vanzandt Co at that time
Nancy Kuykendall's uncle and
at wills Point I have Bin Away 3 years
W.K.'s Great-Uncle.
from that county left All of mi family
He had moved from Mississippi
thar exsept my wife we Buried 7 children
to Rusk Co. Texas]
in that county we have 1 little girl
with us Now she is 2 year old hir
Name is Clemontine Argain
We have had A hard time sens father
died Mother kep us all together
I will tell you of the deths of the famly
Liser Jain died in smith Co
Salley
died in harison Co
Elizabeth
died in vanzandt Co
Now the Mariages susan married
a man By the name of Call Burnett
[The proper spelling would be Call Barnett]
Elizabeth Married dave Morgan he left
her and then she Maried a man By the Name
of Mat Rabun [also,
Rayburn]
Mary An married A man
of Alison Hartgravs he died + she
Maried Levy Crow
James Maried a Ratlif
Susan + Morgan is livin in
Vanzandt Co James is hear
I Maried A Mcginty
we ar Livin on the west side of the
Colorado River Well i have sed
anuff as Mother wants to say
afiew words in Reffirnce to whear
grand Mother is whether livin or Not
in fact she wants to Now all about
Ant salley smith let us now
Who all has died + whar tha
conection is an tell them all
To Rite we want to Now what
has Becom of Lesey Jane Box
Tell all of the conection to rite
at once Just as soon as i can
get mi bisniss so i can leave
it we ar comin to see you
all it is a grate Pleasur to
get your letter give the News
i doo Better Next time mi Bisness
is gettin Better all the time
i have Bilt up a good trade at this
plase i am sellin saddles from $15 to 35
dollars so i close for this time
Excuse the arkerd leter i try to do
Better Next time Rite at once
As ever Yours W.K. Hill
Willaim McGinnis Hill and Lucy Viola Lasater
FATHER:
Name: William McGinnis Hill
Birth Date/ Place: 19 June 1888/ Belton, Bell Co, TX
First Spouse: Hattie Hooper
Marriage Date/ Place:
Second Spouse: Lucy Viola Lasater
Marriage Date/ Place: 4 Feb 1912/ Wills Point, Van Zandt Co, TX
Death Date/ Place: 3 Oct 1976/ Comanche, Comanche Co, TX
Buried: Pendegrass Cemetery, Sidney, TX
Occupation: Timberman
Father's Father: William Kuykendall Hill
Father's Mother: Mary Amanda Meginty "Mandy"
MOTHER:
Name: Lucy Viola Lasater
Birth Date/ Place: 3 Feb 1895/ Wills Point, Van Zandt Co, TX
Death Date/ Place: 23 Jun 1961/ Comanche, Comanche Co, TX
Buried: Pendegrass Cemetery, Sidney, TX
Occupation: Housewife
Father's Father: Francis Marion Lasater
Father's Mother: Louisa Bridges
CHILD 1:
Name: Grace Clementine Hill
Birth Date/Place: 20 Nov 1912/ Wills Point, Van Zandt Co, TX
Spouse's Name: Marvin Nathaniel Wilkinson
Marriage Date/ Place: 14 Feb 1931
Death Date/Place: n/a
CHILD 2:
Name: Ola Mae Hill
Birth Date/Place: 3 Oct 1914/ Wills Point, Van Zandt Co, TX
First Spouse's Name: ? Clay
Second Spouse's Name: ? Henry
Death Date/Place:11 Aug 1999/ Pendegrass Cemetery, Sidney, TX
CHILD 3:
Name: Lorene Elizibeth Hill
Birth Date/Place: 2 Feb 1916/ Eldorado, Jackson Co, Oklahoma
Spouse's Name: F.P. Douge Blanton
Death Date/Place: n/a
CHILD 4:
Name: Willie Louisa
Birth Date/Place: 24 Mar 1918/ Quinton, Haskell Co, OK
Spouse's Name: W. F. Tiny Blanton
Death Date/Place: n/a
CHILD 5:
Name: Perry Dean Hill
Birth Date/Place: 11 Apr 1920/ Myrtle Spr, Van Zandt Co, TX
Spouse's Name: Lenora
Death Date/Place: n/a
CHILD 6:
Name: Jackson Marion Hill
Birth Date/Place: 31 Mar 1922 /Wills Point, Van Zandt Co, TX
Spouse's Name: Francis Stone
Death Date/Place: 11 May 1994/ Emerald Hills Memorial Park, Kenedale, TX,
CHILD 7:
Name: Dorothy Francis Hill
Birth Date/Place: 24 Jun 1923/ Wills Point, Van Zandt Co, TX
Spouses' Names: Martin, Williams, Cryan
Death Date/Place: n/a
CHILD 8:
Name: Arthur Lewis
Birth Date/Place: 18 Jun 1925/ Hollis, Harmon Co, OK
Spouse's Name: Dorothy Cathey
Marriage Date/Place: Jul 1950
Death Date/Place: n/a
CHILD 9:
Name: Lucy Pearl Hill
Birth Date/Place: 24 Sept 1927/ Woden, Nacogdoches Co, TX
Death Date/Place: n/a
CHILD 10:
Name: William Lynn Hill
Birth Date/Place: 25 Nov 1928/ Woden, Nacogdoches Co, TX
Spouse's Name: Catholene E. Coats
Marriage Date/Place: 2 Sept 1950
Death Date/Place: n/a
CHILD 11:
Name: Charles Stanley Hill
Birth Date/Place: 7 Jun 1931/ Woden, Nacogdoches Co, TX
Death Date/Place: 21 Aug 1946/ Houston, TX
Buried: Woden, Nacogdoches Co, TX
CHILD 12:
Name: Bobby Deryl Hill
Birth Date/Place: 31 Aug 1933/ Woden, Nacogdoches Co, TX
Death Date/Place: 1 Jun 1934, Woden, Nacogdoches Co, TX
Buried: Simpson Campground Cemetery
CHILD 13:
Name: Mary Lou Hill
Birth Date/Place: 8 Aug 1935/ Chireno, Nacogdoches Co, TX
Death Date/Place: 29 May 1963/ Pendegrass Cemetery, Sidney, TX
Biography of William McGinnis Hill and Lucy Viola Lasater
Written by Catholene Coats Hill (daughter-in-law)
Transcribed by, and notes in brackets added by Kendrick Harmon
William McGinnis Hill's father died when he was eight years of age [abt 1896]. His Mother, Amanda, died when he was nine years old [abt 1897]. He was taken to Oklahoma to live with his Uncle Jim [James David] Hill's family. Things did not work out well there. For many reasons he felt unwelcome. His Uncle Jim's wife already had a big family to take care of, and wasn't too pleased to have Will added to the load that she already carried. There were times that Will felt her animosity. At the age of twelve or thirteen [abt 1900-1901] , Will ran away. He made his way to his sister, Tinnie, and her first husband's home in Wills Point. Tinnie's husband (Hayres) took young Will under his wing and helped him find work. He taught Will the timber business and how to get along and deal with the world.
Sometime later on, Will was more secure financially as well as emotionally; he returned to visit Uncle Jim and his family. Will rode on his own horse, and had on a new set of clothes and felt good showing them that he was alright, and could make it on his own. Will felt some lingering bitterness about his childhood experiences and did not visit or seek out his father and mother's people. His brother John Hill and sister Tinnie and their families and his wife's families became his family.
Will's first wife was Hattie Hooper. She was the sister of Cliff Hooper, a life long friend of Will Hill. She died in childbirth. The baby lived a few days and died also. Tinnie said many years later that she was with Will in Oklahoma when the baby was born. A doctor was in attendance, but was unable to save the mother or child. Tinnie said the baby was a beautiful little girl, and that it just tore Will up to lose both his wife and baby.
Hattie's brother Cliff Hooper and Will Hill's family were life long friends. Will's children called Ciff and his wife "Uncle and Aunt." They remained close friends and sometimes neighbors until they died. Will remained friends and kept in touch with one sister, Pearl Hooper, and a brother of Cliff's.
Will married his second wife, Lucy Viola Lasater, in Willis Point, Texas in Van Zandt County, on Feb. 4, 1912. They were married for 49 years when Lucy passed away on June 23, 1961.
They had 13 children, and apparently had
a happy marriage together. There were 11 children living
when Lucy passed away. One child, Stanley, died at 15, and
another one, Bobby Deyrl, died as a baby. They moved around
a lot, with Will following a job or looking for work. Lucy
would just get settled in and get enough beds for everyone
to sleep in, when Will would have to move the family again.
Many times Lucy would have to leave some of her furniture behind.
She told me once, that in the first 20 years of her married life,
she was carrying a baby in her arms, or inside her, sometimes
both. Life was not always kind to her, but she loved and
took care of her family the best that she could.
Lucy told me (her daughter in law)
[Catholene Coats Hill] that the first time she saw Will Hill, she
was 12 years old, at her parents home near Wills Point. There
were people visiting the family, with the women inside the house
talking or cooking, and with the men on the front porch or front
yard talking. The young children were scattered around
outside, playing. Lucy said that she and her sister looked
around the corner of the house to see what was going on at the
front of the house. There was William McGinnis Hill, a tall
red-headed young man. Lucy told her sister, "That is
the man I'll marry someday." Her sister scoffed and
made fun of her and said, "You can't marry him, because he
is already married." Lucy said, "I'm going to
marry him someday," and she did. She somehow knew that
Will was to be her life mate the first time she saw him. I
felt much the same way when I met her son, William Lynn Hill,
many years later. She did not see Will again until after
his first wife died and he came back to Wills Point. The
dates of their marriage and her birth date make her 17
years old when she married.
Will told me many years later, after Lucy
had died, that the first time he went calling on Lucy, he had
rented a horse and buggy in Wills Point, and drove out to her
parents' home, to take her for a "buggy ride." Her
parents were not home when Will got there, and Lucy refused to go
without permission from her parents. She soon relented
after her sisters urged her to "go on, that it would be
alright." They went on a buggy ride, and when they
returned, Lucy's parents were there. They both were a
little uneasy, not knowing how her parents would feel about
Lucy going out with Will, without asking them first. The
parents didn't make a fuss about it, and after that, Will came
"calling" and "courting" many times. They
eventually were married.
Will talked often of his days working in
timber, and of when he was a young man before he married. He
talked of visiting his Uncle Jim's family, and about the
time that he went to a dance there in Oklahoma. He was
dressed in his new Kakie shirt and pants, and he had on a
new western type hat. He stood with his cousins and talked
with them. During the course of the evening he noticed that
some people were watching him, and they seemed to move away from
him as he moved about the room. Will asked one of his
cousins, "What's going on?" It was obvious to him
that something was going on. He was a stranger, but he
didn't think that he done anything to offend or make these people
shy away from him. His cousin laughed, and said, "The
way you look and are dressed makes people wonder of you are a law
man, or 'The Law'." Will was a tall man and quiet, but
authoritatively spoken, and could very easily have been taken for
a law man. Will laughed and told this story many times.
Will said that there was usually
some drinking going on outside the building during these dances.
Arguments and fights would break out, and sometimes gunplay.
Will talked of wanting to go back to that area, and look for
bullets lodged in the trees. He had seen the bullet holes
in the trees, and would like to see if he could find any of them.
They planned to go when [William] Lynn [Hill] got some vacation
time that year. Lynn wanted to see the places that his dad
had been and lived, and I wanted to go, too. Will's health
deteriorated and he died before we could make that trip.
Will's one big failing was that he loved
to drink alcohol. He believed that it was due him to have a
little fun in life. The only thing was, that money was
scarce, and bills had to be paid and food had to be bought.
It just never occurred to Will to pay for the necessities first.
He went every Friday or Saturday night on a round of the local
bars, having fun. Sometimes he took his wife or one of
their children. His children came to resent very much, and
to be ashamed that his fun came before any of their needs. I
only saw Mrs. Hill (Lucy) mad a couple of times, and both times
it was at Mr. Hill and his drinking. Her little black eyes
could be fierce. But when it came time to say something to
Mr. Hill about him spending so much of his money on booze, she
would be over her mad spell by then and she wouldn't say
anything.
Their children, today, still laugh at the
time their Daddy came home paluted to the gills on whiskey.
Their mother, Lucy, took her husband's bottle of whiskey and
poured it into the hog trough. The hogs drank that whiskey,
and they ran around in circles, squeeling. They said it was
a sight to see. The hogs finally settled down, and slept
off their introduction to whiskey.
Will Hill was mostly a likeable man as
long as he got his way, and none of the family dared to cross
him. He loved his wife and children and took pride in the
fact that none of them ever had to go hungry. That was more
to Lucy Hill's managing than on his caring for the needs of his
family. He was basically a good father to his children.
Most of the discipline fell to Lucy, but Will on occasion would
ply a sharp swat to the one needing discipline. Lynn
remembers a time that his father was trying to give his daughter,
Dorothy, a whipping for back talking ho him. Lynn said his
dad would hit Dorothy, and Dorothy would hit him back. It
was hard to tell who won.
Will and Lucy still moved around to
different places, trying to make a living. They spent their
last years in Sidney, Texas where they bought their first home.
