Flipside: Sophia Hill--My Paternal Great Great Aunt

Cropped from a carte de visite
In the 1860's
In her 40's
From my Grandmother's estate and in my possession

I am happy to be telling my paternal great great aunt's story. So often single ancestors are lost in time with no descendants with memories or photographs. Truth be told, my story is only threaded together from the few documents and photographs that I have either found or have been shared by other Hill relations.

Sophia was born on June 2, 1821 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia. She was the fourth child born to Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Houston Hill. The Hill and Houston families were Monongalia County pioneers and friends.

The Hill property, a land grant given to Robert Hill, Joseph's father, was located on acreage surrounding a section of the current day Stewart Street. Joseph and Sarah's log cabin was located in the area near present day VanGilder Street. "Mrs. VanGilder was the daughter of Joseph Hill, and was born and reared in the home where she died." (Obituary of Mary Hill VanGilder, The New Dominion Post, Morgantown, West Virginia, Friday, January 25, 1908, Front Page).

By 1825, Morgantown was at the end of Monongalia County's pioneer age. When Sophia was in her childhood and teen years Morgantown was considered an education center. There was access to the National Road using the Northwestern Turnpike, river travel, newspapers, dry goods stores, banks, and a flourishing religious scene,

Sophia grew up on a prosperous farm owned by her father. I have found no information regarding her years before 1850. In photos of her she is often holding a Bible, which leads me to believe that Sophia was active in the church. She would have been schooled in skills expected of women at that time; cooking, sewing and gardening. Sophia was literate and undoubtedly attended school for part of the year.

Sophia's siblings:

Purnell Hill, born July 7, 1815
George Washington Hill, born January 20, 1817
Elizabeth Hill, born November 20, 1818
Sophia Hill, born June 2, 1821
Alexander Carey Hill, born December 27, 1823
Joseph Liston Hill, born March 25, 1826
Mary Louise Hill, born November 27, 1832 (my paternal great great grandmother)

1850 (West) Virginia Census
Eastern District Number 36
Monongalia County, Virginia
September 3, 1850

Sophia, listed as age 27 is single and living with her parents on the family farm. Her youngest sibling, Mary, is still at home. There is a farm hand also enumerated with the family. Joseph lists the value of his real estate at $5,000.

I should mention here that the discussion around the dinner table from 1838 to 1852 undoubtedly involved Joseph's court battle with the government concerning money owed by his father-in-law, Purnell Houston. The government felt pension money paid to Purnell for his service in the Revolutionary War should be repaid. Not finding a Houston relation to sue, they knocked on Joseph Davidson Hill's door, who was married to Purnell Houston's daughter. The suit was eventually dropped in 1852 after fourteen years.

The Hill family lost their patriarch on August 28, 1859. Joseph, in his will, provided for his wife, one third of his estate and the remainder divided among his sons and daughters after his bills were settled.

Sophia was the recipient of a portion of the estate. She was the only one of the Hill siblings who was not married and living at home. She never married and lived with her mother on the family farm, until her mother's death.

1860 Virginia Census
Eastern District, Monongalia County
Stewartstown Post Office
September 17, 1860

Thirty-nine year old Sophia is living with her mother on the family farm. Also enumerated is Sophia's niece, Margaret Robinson, the daughter of Sophia's sister Elizabeth Hill Robinson. The value of the real estate owned is $3,000 and personal property $50.00.

Sophia Hill
1860's
Original in my possession

Reverse side of the carte de visite
J. P. Shaefer
Photographer
Morgantown, West Virginia
P.O. Box 62

The address on the carte is West Virginia. West Virginia became a state in 1863. Sophia would have been in her early to mid forties.

Written in ink at the top--Aunt Sophia Hill Mother's sister. Sophia and Mary VanGilder were sisters.

In pencil on the bottom--Your great great aunt on the V.G. side. VanGilder side because Mary VanGilder's maiden name was Hill.

Close up of Sophia Hill showing the Family Bible

1870 West Virginia Census
Morgan Township, Monongalia County
Post Office Morgantown, West Virginia
June 27, 1870

Forty-nine year old Sophia is living with her seventy-nine year old mother. It is likely that Sophia is tending to the house and taking care of her mother. The value of the real estate is $1250.00 and personal property is valued at $175.00. The real estate value has gone down by over half in the decade. Perhaps the ladies had to sell some of the land since neither of them are employed.

SARAH
Wife of
JOSEPH D. HILL
DIED
March 18, 1872
Aged 81 yrs -----
=======l

Sarah Houston Hill died on March 18, 1872 in Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia at the age of eighty-one. I found and photographed Sarah's tombstone at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Her married daughter, Elizabeth Hill Robinson is also buried there. There seems to be a discrepancy in the Hill burial information. It s very possible that both Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Houston Hill were buried in another cemetery and then the caskets and tombstones were moved. I found both at Pleasant Hill Cemetery not Mount Union Cemetery.

I have, to date, not located a death record for Sarah. She had a son, Alexander Carey Hill, living in Missouri at the time of her death. I have looked at the Missouri death records and she is not listed.

Will of Sarah Houston Hill

Monongalia County West Virginia Births and Wills

Sarah Houston Hill had a will. I have a copy of it; however it is not legible. It was probated in Monongalia County, West Virginia. Her daughter, Sophia Hill was the beneficiary.

1880 Missouri Census
Cream Ridge Township, Livingston County
June 11, 1880

Two Hill brothers relocated to Cream Ridge Township, Livingston County, Missouri, Alexander Carey Hill and George Washington Hill. Sophia, their sister, is enumerated with her brothers on the 1880 Missouri census. It is unknown whether she moved to Missouri for a period of time or is simply visiting.

Hill, A. C., white, male, age 56, married, farmer, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia.

-----, Mary M., white, female, age 56?, wife, married, keeping house, born in Virginia, father born in Delaware and mother born in Virginia.

-----, Benj U. white, male, age 21, son, single, farmer, born in Missouri, both parents born in Virginia.

-----, Isadore A., white, female, age 17, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born in Missouri, both parents born in Virginia.

-----, Mary E., white, female, age 15, daughter, single, attended school with the year, born in Missouri, both parents born in Virginia.

Price, A. F., white, male, age 23, hired hand, single, farm hand, born in Indiana, both parents born in Indiana.

Hill, Geo W., white, male, age 62, brother, single, farmer, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia.

-----, Sophia, white, female, age 60, sister, single, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia.

One of the oldest pieces of family memorabilia is my paternal great grandfather's autograph album. There is a partial blog on the George Ethelbert VanGilder Autograph Album on Flipside and there is an article on my Genealogy Home Page.

Sophia signed the autograph album on March 25, 1888 as Aunt Sophia. She was back in the Morgantown area by then and either living with her married sister, Mary Hill VanGilder, or living in the old Hill cabin.

To George

May you walk the path of duty

Whether strewn with thorn or flowers

Till you reach the land of beauty

Wheare no storms of sorrow lowers.

From your Aunt

Sophia

March 25, 1888

Hill Sisters
Sophia Hill (left) Elizabeth Hill Robinson (right)

Note Sophia and Elizabeth are holding their Bibles

Back Row Mary Hill VanGilder and Sophia Hill
Front Row: Elizabeth Hill Robinson and Unidentified

These family photographs are probably from the 1890's. They have all been shared by various distant cousins. I wish I knew who the fourth lady is in the photograph directly above. Joseph and Sarah Hill had three daughters. Perhaps she is a sister-in-law to the Hill sisters.

1900 West Virginia Census
That Part of the Morgan District North of Deckers Creek
Monongalia County
June 11, 1900

This is a very special census enumeration to me. My paternal great grandfather, George Ethelbert VanGilder was the enumerator. Here he is enumerating his parents and family still living at home.

VanGilder, John O., Head, white, male, Birth Feb 1830, age 70, married 52 years, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, farmer, working full time, can read, write and speak English, owns his farm free of mortgage.

------------, Mary, Wife, white, female, Birth Nov, 1832, age 67, married 52 years, mother of 6 children, 6 children still living, born in West Virginia, Father born in West Virginia, Mother born in Delaware, can read, write and speak English.

------------, Jacob Y., Son, white, male, Birth July 1856, age 43, widowed, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, dairyman, works full time, can read, write and speak English, rents a farm.

------------, Mary F., Daughter, white, female, birth Sept 1866, age 33, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, can read, write and speak English.

------------, Bettie L., Daughter, white, female, birth July 1868, age 31, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, grocery store clerk, works full time, can read, write and speak English.

------------, Emma L., Daughter, white, female, birth Nov. 1870, age 29, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, teacher, works full time, can read, write and speak English.

------------, Lida E. , Daughter, white, female, birth Mar 1872, age 27, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, teacher, works full time, can read, write and speak English.

------------, Lena G., Daughter, white, female, birth Oct. 1874, age 25, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, works as a clerk in a grocery store, works full time, can read, write and speak English.

------------, William E., G-Son, white, male, birth Dec. 1882, age 17, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, farm laborer, works full time, can read, write and speak English.

------------, J. O. Ray, G-Son, white, male, birth Feb. 1890, age 10, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, at school 5 months.

------------, Dwight, G-Son, white, male, birth April, 1895, age 5, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia.

Hill, Sophia, Sister-in-Law, white, female, birth June 1820, age 79, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia. can read, write and speak English

Some of the information is not correct. The VanGilder's had eleven children. Six were still living at home in 1900. Lida's birthdate is April, 1873.

Monongalia County West Virginia
Register of Deaths

Sophia Hill died at the age of seventy-nine on September 24, 1900 of paralysis. Her brother-in-law, John Oliphant VanGilder gave the information. He listed June 2, 1821 as her birth date and that is the date I have used. I wish I had a copy of her obituary. Unfortunately, when I was last in Morgantown, I was scrolling through microfilm looking for my primary ancestors. Sophia is on my list if I ever get back.

Sophia is buried at Mount Union Cemetery, Morgantown West Virginia. Her grandparents, Robert Hill and Rebecca Caldwell Houston are nearby. Also her sister, Mary Louise Hill VanGilder and brother-in-law, John Oliphant VanGilder. Unfortunately, my photograph does not clearly show her name on the tombstone. Again, I need to go back to take a better picture.

-HILL FAMILY BIBLE TRANSCRIPTION

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published. PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.