My Genealogy Hound

Joshua Hill, who is one of the most active and progressive business men of Pontiac, Michigan, has attained a wide reputation in banking circles. He is president of the Oakland County Savings Bank and other financial institutions of Pontiac, and is largely interested in banks throughout the West. Although a tireless worker and much of his time is taken up by his extensive interests, he nevertheless devotes a great deal of attention to the development of the city. Beautiful Forest Lake Park was established by him and has proved one of the city’s greatest attractions.

Mr. Hill was born October 18, 1847, at Newton, New Jersey, and is a son of Luther and Abigail (Dildine) Hill, and grandson of Joseph Hill, coming of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Joseph Hill, who was a native of Connecticut, and a sailor by vocation, moved from that State to New Jersey; although he lost two vessels off Cape Hatteras, he was a successful sea-faring man. His wife came of the prominent Price family, being a cousin of former Governor Price of New Jersey. They had two sons, Luther and Joseph Price, the latter, who never married, being a great political stump speaker.

Luther Hill was born in New Jersey, and lived there all his life, becoming a very successful business man and farmer. He was a stanch Democrat and at one time represented Sussex County in the State Legislature. He died in 1873 at the age of 65 years. He was married to Abigail Dildine, who was a native of New Jersey and of French descent, her father, Abram Dildine, a miller and general business man, was a pioneer of Sussex County. She died in 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Hill had one son and six daughters, all of whom grew to maturity. Our subject and one sister survive.

Joshua Hill was reared in his native town and received a liberal education in Newton Collegiate Institute and Chester Institute. He took up the profession of teaching at the age of 17 years and followed it until 1865, since which time he has been engaged in the banking business. He has assisted in organizing several banks, among them being the Oakland County Savings Bank of Pontiac, being its president at the present time, the First Commercial Bank of Parsons, Kansas, a bank at Fredonia, Kansas, and a number of others. He came to Pontiac in 1891 and purchased his present fine home. He is president of the Pontiac Investment & Promotive Company, and is interested in various enterprises here and elsewhere. In 1892 he purchased 300 acres of land surrounding Forest Lake and established a park of which the city and State are justly proud. He stocked the lake with different kinds of fish and the park is stocked with a large herd of Wyoming elk, and American buffalo, and a number of varieties of duck and English pheasants. Mr. Hill was vice-president of the Michigan Game Protective Association, which has for its object the protection of game from the serious inroads made by the inveterate pot-hunters. He is also a member of the Huron Mountain Club, located in Marquette County, Michigan, near Marquette. Mr. Hill was formerly a member of the executive committee of the National Bankers’ Association of the United States. He has traveled extensively and served as general agent of the American Exchange in Europe and also established offices for Thomas Cook & Sons. He has ever been among the foremost to advance the city’s interests in the way of securing new enterprises. He is now interested in the Thomas E. Clark Wireless Telegraph & Telephone Manufacturing Company, whose laboratory and factory are established at Pontiac. It is the only plant in the world manufacturing this class of instruments for use in colleges. Mr. Hill has contributed many articles to the press, among them being a meritorious volume entitled “Thought and Thrift,” which was published in 1889.

In 1882, Joshua Hill was joined in marriage with Helen Prewitt, who was born at Lexington, Kentucky, and is a daughter of Levi Prewitt, who died in 1893. To this union have been born three sons and three daughters, as follows: Abigail, now in Washington, D. C., who was formerly in charge of a department in the Census Bureau; Louise, who is at home; Joseph Price, aged 20 years, a graduate of the Michigan Military Academy at Orchard Lake, who is located at Kansas City, Missouri, where he looks after his father’s Western business interests; and Hunt and Mary (twins) and Henry, who are attending school. In politics, our subject is a Democrat but has steadfastly refused official preferment. After being nominated for the office of State Treasurer, he refused to run as his time was too much taken up with his private affairs and he could not give the attention which he considers essential to the proper fulfillment of the requirements of any office. Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Knights of Pythias; and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith, and his wife is a member of the Christian Church.