My Genealogy Hound

Joseph M. Hill, a prosperous farmer and enterprising citizen of Frenchman’s Bayou, was born at Nashville, Tenn., in 1857. He was the youngest child born to John H. and Lina Ann (Cottles) Hill, who moved to Mississippi County, Ark., from Nashville, in 1858, and settled on Frenchman’s Bayou, where he purchased 600 acres of land. The father cleared up about 100 acres of this land, and was engaged extensively in stock raising until his death, in 1869, his wife dying the same year. Joseph M. Hill attended the schools at home for some time, and then entered an academy at Covington, Tenn., and later one at Canton, receiving in his youth as good an education as could be obtained. Upon reaching the age of eighteen he began farming for himself on rented land, and being a young man of perseverance and a determination to succeed in whatever he under took, he soon placed himself in an independent position. In February, 1884, he was married to Miss Mollie Woodward, of Tennessee, a daughter of Lewis Woodward, a well-known and prominent citizen of Tipton County, in both political and church matters, who died in 1886. This union gave Mr. and Mrs. Hill three children: Nellie, Mary and Joseph Nelson, comprising one of the happiest families in Mississippi County. Mr. Hill is a member of the K. of O. at Louise, Ark., and is spoken of by his friends as certain to be one of the leading men in this county at some future day. His brother, Bethel L., attended the same schools, and afterward farmed for a while. He was married to Miss Ralph, of Tennessee, and as he grew to mature age became a very prominent man in local circles. He served two years as justice of the peace, and in 1886 was elected assessor of Mississippi County, remaining in that capacity until his death, in 1889, at the age of thirty-four years. The father of these boys entered the pulpit after moving to this county, and attained a wide-spread celebrity for his forcible sermons and versatility as an expounder of the Gospel.