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OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
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CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO
BIOGRAPHIES
SOURCE: HISTORY OF
CLERMONT AND BROWN COUNTIES, OHIO
— VOLUME II —
1913 |
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GEORGE
HAND HILL. Comparatively few men are spared,
with unimpaired faculties, to the advanced age of four
score and two years. George H. Hill was one of
these and in reviewing his activities as an educator,
civil engineer and inventor, considering also his
estimable Christian citizenship, it is more than evident
that the community in which he lived is most fortunate.
That his influence was always for the best is testified to
by scores now in middle life, and whom he taught in their
younger days.
Mr. Hill was born in Stone Lick township,
Clermont county, Ohio, March S, 1830, and died at Milford,
Ohio, May 8, 1912. He was the eldest of the twelve
children of Charles and Rebecca (Hand) Hill,
and was reared on his father's farm, attending school in
the winter months. At the age of seventeen years he
attended a private school in Milford, but owing to an
outbreak of cholera, this and other schools were closed.
Determined to secure an education, he taught for a few
terms and ultimately purchased a scholarship in Ohio
Wesleyan University, at Delaware, and after two years
graduated in the scientific course. Mr. Hill
then decided to make teaching his life work and very
acceptably conducted various schools in the county.
In 1871 he became principal of Milford public school
and satisfactorily held the position for six years
consecutively. He was the first to prepare a grade for
this school and this he did at the request of the board of
education. After teaching for twenty-nine years, he was
elected to the office of county surveyor. He made
surveying and civil engineering his occupation until the
time of his death. Mr. Hill was an active member of
the Ohio society of civil engineers, and prepared several
papers, which were published in full in the society's
annual reports.
He was twice married, first on April 10, 1855, to
Miss Sarah Thomas, of Radnor, Ohio. To this union were
born three children, viz.: Emma Florence, formerly
a teacher at Moore's Hill College, Indiana, and at
Morristown Normal Academy, being an exceptionally fine
pianist, and is the wife of Theodore F. Brown, who
is with the Pere Marquette railroad, and resides at
Detroit.
Miss Anna Gertrude, an artist, and the producer of
several beautiful oil paintings, residing at home.
George Lewis, who died in infancy.
The mother was called to her heavenly home, March 7,
1873. On Christmas Day, 1876, Mr. Hill was
united in marriage to Mrs. Sarah Eleanor Nichols, nee
Applegate, born near Goshen, Clermont county, Ohio,
June 24, 1826, and who still resides
at the Milford home.
Mrs. Hill is a daughter of Elijah and Nancy
(Champion) Applegate, who settled in Goshen township
when Cincinnati was but a village. Elijah was a
farmer and millwright, owning and operating a mill for
many years; also owned a finely improved farm. He died in
1840, aged forty-seven years, while his wife passed away
in 1839. Both were born in the month of February, in 1793
and 1795, respectively. Their ten children are as follows:
Perrine, Thomas Fletcher, John (the father of
Mayor A. B. Applegate, of Milford, mentioned elsewhere
in these volumes), Lydia Ann, married Rev. Mr.
Barnes, and had two daughters who died in infancy,
Eliza Jane, Sarah Eleanor (widow of our subject),
Elijah, and Mrs. Nancy Elizabeth Anshutz. Mrs.
Hill, who is a remarkably well preserved lady, taught
for some twenty-two years, in Goshen township, and at
Knightstown, Ind., Seminary, and formerly was principal of
a girls school at Versailles, Ind. In the former
institution she taught the grammar department, being also
first assistant, but her most pronounced success as an
instructor was in the primary department.
Mrs. Hill's first husband was Robert H.
Nichols, who died in 1872, he being an uncle of the
later Judge Perry Nichols, a sketch of whom appears
elsewhere in these volumes. He was a prominent nurseryman,
his home being in Laurel, in Monroe township, this county.
He was born December 28, 1803, and his first wife, whom he
married May 26, 1825, was Miss Mary Simmons, born
December 22, 1802, and died March 16, 1863, daughter of
James Simmons and an aunt of W. D. Simmons, now
living retired at Laurel, and mentioned elsewhere in this
work. Robert H. was a son of Nathan and
Hannah (Hodgson) Nichols, whose children were:
Phillip, born in 1785.
William, born in 1787.
John, born in 1789.
Elijah, born in 1792.
Abner, born in 1795.
Esther, born in 1796.
David, born in 1799.
Nathan, born in 1802.
Robert Hodgson and Elizabeth, twins,
born in 1803.
Thomas Jefferson, born in 1806.
Jonathan B., born in 1809.
The married life of Mr. and Mrs. Hill was
pleasant and happy, and she and the daughter who reside at
the beautiful home in East Milford look forward to a
reunion in heaven. Mr. Hill was converted in his
youth, and in 1847 united with the Methodist Episcopal
church, Mount Zion charge, Milford circuit. He was a
useful and faithful member to the day of his death, being
at that time steward and trustee and having occupied the
positions of chorister and recording steward. He was a
most exemplary Christian and a lifelong abstainer from the
use of tobacco and intoxicating liquors. During the last
eight months of his life he was confined to the house, his
suffering at all times being severe, but he was patient
with all. After having exceeded by over ten years the
psalmist's allotted time of life, his fertile brain had
perfected an automobile having a dozen or more advantages
presented in a model which he constructed and in working
drawings which he forwarded to the United States Patent
Office. Truly his beautiful, active and useful life is
worthy of emulation by all youthful aspirants for success
and his memory will ever be held dear by all whose
pleasure it was to enjoy association with this noble
character. |
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