My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Pulaski 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.

* * * *

Wilbur Fisk Hill, county judge of Pulaski County, was born March 15, 1844, on a farm near Clarksville, Red River County, Tex. He spent his early life on the farm, and at stock-raising in Western Texas, and when eighteen years of age, entered the Confederate army, under that eminent soldier and statesman, Gen. Albert Pike, participating in the battles of Prairie Grove, Mansfield, La., and a number of others. In the latter battle he was severely wounded. After his four years’ service in the war, Mr. Hill matriculated at McKenzie College, Texas, where he made preparation to enter the Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., in 1870, and from which he graduated in 1872, in the literary department, with the highest honors. In June, 1873, he opened his law office in Little Rock, and immediately rose to success. He found time, however, to edit and compile the Arkansas Justice, a work that has been so useful and of such great worth, that a second edition has been issued. Perhaps his services with the Arkansas Justice and his future success, while dreaming of the flights of oratory of Demosthenes and Cicero, was due to the charms of Cupid, for it was in these years that he was captured in matrimonial bliss, marrying a charming, sensible wife, to whom seven children have been born, only two surviving. In 1884 he was nominated by the Democratic party as a candidate for county judge, was elected by a large majority, and during his first term of office, built the Pulaski County jail. He was re-elected in 1886, and during his second term commenced the erection of the fine county court house, now just completed, having purchased the ground for the same during his first term at $5,500, which is now valued at $15,000. Judge Hill gave such satisfaction, that in 1888 his name was placed on the Union Labor ticket, as well as on the Democratic, and his election was unanimous. The finances of the county have under gone a radical change since Judge Hill’s introduction to his office. When he was first elected, county scrip was worth 85 cents on $1. The June following his taking office, he published a notice, calling in all of the county scrip, and paid it at par, and has been rated at par value ever since. Again, when he entered office, the county had a total debt of $450,000. Judge Hill paid it off and reduced it to $360,000 out of the taxes of 1886. He issued 360 $1,000 bonds, and went north to sell them, so that he might fund the debt. At Chicago he was laughed at, and at New York he met with success hardly better. He was plucky, however, and bound to succeed, and finally sold them to the Boatmen’s Savings Bank of St. Louis at par. He then paid off the judgments against the county, and has since paid two installments of interest on the bonds. The bonds were quoted, after the first installment of interest was paid, at 10 per cent above par, and are now worth 15 per cent above par. Judge Hill certainly deserves a great deal of credit for this master stroke in the direction of county finances. In the five years of his administration, he has built about fifteen miles of turnpike, and about 100 bridges, the county being almost destitute of them when he went into office. His expenditures for public improvements have aggregated almost $250, 000, which amount has been saved out of the ordinary county revenues, with no increase of taxes. In the city, property has doubled in value, and is greatly increased in the surrounding country in the county. In February, 1888, the county court established a convict camp for the making of county roads, by criminals convicted of other than penitentiary-offences, and this has become a permanent institution. In the spring of 1889, Judge Hill was an independent candidate for supreme judge of Arkansas, and received a vote of 40,962.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 156 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Pulaski County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Pulaski County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Pulaski County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.