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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Izard County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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W. E. Hill is a successful merchant and farmer of Franklin, Ark., and is one of the oldest native residents of the county, having been born here in 1841. His parents, Thomas R. and Rachel (Burlisson) Hill, were born in Kentucky and Indiana, respectively, and the former came to the State of Arkansas in 1836, settling in Izard County. Here he entered and purchased about 2,000 acres of land, which he owned and operated until his death. This country at first was very thinly populated, and Mr. Hill was compelled to go from ten to twenty miles to mill. He was married twice, and of his first family only four children are living: Mary A., widow of Lewis Williams; J. B., of Fulton County, La.; Elizabeth F., wife of Samuel Vannatta, and W. E. Two children died in infancy and three after reaching mature years: James W., Thomas J., Erasmus, Benjamin and Eliza. Mrs. Hill, who was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, died in 1849, and in 1851 Mr. Hill married Mrs. Eliza (Colwell) Orr, widow of Dr. Orr. This wife was a Baptist, but he, like his first wife, was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Hill died in 1876, at the age of sixty-eight years, his wife’s death occurring in 1874, at the age of sixty-four years; W. E. Hill has been familiar with farming from his earliest youth and secured a good education in the common schools of his native county. At the age of twenty-one years he began farming for himself, but continued to make his home with his father until twenty-six. When the Civil War began he espoused the Confederate cause and joined C. A. Shaler’s battalion, but only served a short time when he was discharged on account of sickness. After remaining at home one year he again joined the army and served under Capt. Wolf until the close of the war, being a participant in all the fights with Gen. Price in Missouri. He surrendered at Jacksonport, Ark., June 5, 1865, and returned home and began farming on his father’s land. In connection with him he built a mill, which he operated six years, and during this time his father gave him his present home farm, which consists of 274 acres. There were ten acres cleared, but it was in a worse condition than if it had not been touched. He now has 175 acres improved, and on it is erected one of the finest farm houses in Northern Arkansas. His barns are also very commodious and will accommodate forty or fifty head of horses. He has forty acres of improved land in Jefferson Township, besides his home place and 155 acres of unimproved land. His wife owns fifty-five acres of her father’s old homestead, a portion of which is improved. In 1867 Mr. Hill married Miss Margaret J. Billingsley, a daughter of Samuel Billingsley, one of the old settlers of Izard County, and the following are their family: Elizabeth A., W. E., Jr., Thomas R., Samuel B., James M., John W. Joseph E. and Stella W. Mr. Hill and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he belongs to the A. F. & A. M., and is a Democrat politically. He is associated with Mr. Billingsley in the mercantile business at Franklin, and they do an annual business of about $13,000.

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This family biography is one of 98 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Izard County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Izard County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Izard County, Arkansas family biographies here: Izard County, Arkansas Biographies

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