Flipside: Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Houston Hill--Morgantown, West Virginia

My paternal great great great grandparents union was a marriage of two of Monongalia County, (West) Virginia pioneer family's--The Houston Family and the Hill Family.

Joseph Davidson Hill, the son of Robert Hill and Rebecca Caldwell Hill was born on September 4, 1793 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia.

Sarah Houston, daughter of Purnell Houston and Mary Tomlinson Houston was born on January 28, 1791 in Delaware. There has been a question as to Mary's maiden name. There is a will of Cary Tomlinson dated November 18, 1790 in Delaware willing half of his estate to Mary Houston, wife of Purnell Houston. There are documents listing Carey as her maiden name and others listing Tomlinson.

As I mentioned both families were early settlers in Monongalia County, specifically in the Morgantown area. Robert Hill had 400 acres north of the town given to him for his service in the American Revolution. If the birth records for Robert and Rebecca's children are accurate, they were living in Monongalia County by 1784-1785.

Although Purnell also served in the Revolution, he did not receive any land for his service. He was a saddler by trade. Mary Tomlinson Houston, wife of Purnell, was bequeathed money from her brother's will dated 1795 and rather than a monthly sum, the Houston's decided to take a lump sum for land in Monongalia County. The Houston's were living in Monongalia County by 1786.

Joseph and Sarah grew up in a wilderness that was slowly being cleared. Log cabins were built, land was cleared for farms, dirt roads connected farms to the growing town of Morgantown, churches were built. Joseph lived on his father's farm of 400 acres. He and his brothers would have been involved with farming and raising animals. Sarah's father was a saddler. There was probably a garden to supply vegetables and perhaps a few farm animals.

At age nineteen, Joseph mustered in as a private, Captain Samuel G Wilson's Company, Virginia Militia serving in the War of 1812. He served eight months mustering out on April 5, 1913. The record shows he received two 80 acre parcels of land for his service. He petitioned for the first parcel on February 17, 1851 and the second on March 18, 1855. The petitions were granted.

On September 22, 1814, Twenty-one year old Joseph Davidson Hill married twenty-three year old Sarah Houston in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia. The Reverend Joseph A. Shackelford performed the ceremony.

The newly weds probably set up their new life on a piece of Robert Hill's (Joseph's father) land. A log cabin was built, land was cleared and Joseph began to farm. Reference was made to the log cabin house on Stewart Street in my paternal great grandmother's obituary.

On June 20, 1816, Joseph D. Hill was in a dispute with James Tibbs over the exchange of horses. Joseph did call his father, Robert Hill and brother, john Hill to court in his defense. He lost this dispute in court in the May 1817 Term and had to pay Tibbs $80.00. Zinn, Melba Pender. Monongalia County, (West) Virginia, Records of the District, Superior, and County Courts, Volume 10: 1815-1819,Heritage Books, 2000, page 103.

In August 1816 Joseph D. Hill purchased three acres from John and Elizabeth Cooper. Zinn, Melba Pender. Monongalia County, (West) Virginia, Records of the District, Superior, and County Courts, Volume 10: 1815-1819,Heritage Books, 2000, page 75.

1820 Virginia Census
Eastern Division, Monongalia County
August 7, 1820

Joseph Hill

2 males to age 10 Purnell Hill and George Washington Hill

1 male 26-45 Joseph Davidson Hill

1 female to age 10 Elizabeth Hill

1 female 16-26

1 female 26 to 45 Sarah Houston Hill

1 person engaged in agriculture

1830 Virginia Census
Eastern District, Monongalia County

Joseph D. Hill

1 male under age 5 Joseph Liston Hill

1 male age 5 to 10 Alexander Carey Hill

2 males age 10-15 Purnell Hill and George Washington Hill

1 male age 30-40 Joseph Davidson Hill

1 female age 5-10 Sophia Hill

1 female age 10-15 Elizabeth Hill

1 female age 30-40 Sarah Houston Hill

1 slave age 36-54

In early 1830, Purnell Houston, father of Sarah Houston Hill moved into the Hill home. According to a court document dated January 6, 1846, Joseph Davidson Hill described his father-in-law's condition before his death.

"Houston was much disturbed, being then old, infirm and afflicted with the palsy,"

"that he had been for several years before almost helpless, without any estate real or personal, and at the time of his death, his property was insufficient to defray the expenses of his burial; that your petitioner being the son-in-law of said Houston, was induced by his relationship, to take him home, there to live;"

While Purnell Houston was living in Joseph Davidson's home, a district attorney, W. G. Singleton, came to the house to allege that Purnell had not served in the American Revolution a sufficient amount of time to warrant his receiving a pension. Purnell owed $93.25. Not having the funds to repay his debt, he implored his son-in-law, Joseph Davidson Hill, to sign a surety note. The note was signed on November 1, 1834 and payable on May 1, 1835. Purnell Houston died on March 9, 1835 before the note was due. A law suit was initiated against Joseph on September 11, 1838 for payment of the debt. This began a series of court pleas and appearances for the next fourteen years.

While dealing with this legal intrusion into their lives, the Hill's continued to farm and raise their family. It was during this decade that my paternal great great grandmother, Mary Louise Hill, was born in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia on November 21, 1832.

Although the two newspaper accounts confuse me, Mary's obituary mentions that she, "....was born and reared in the home where her death occurred." Mentioned was that the home was on the Stewart Street. My confusion is that the VanGilder home burned to the ground in 1902. From a newspaper article, "This property was owned years ago by the Hill family, among the pioneer settlers of this section. The house was a primitive log structure until ten or twelve yeas ago when Mr. VanGilder had the front part torn away and replaced by modern frame structure."

Regardless, there must have been some old log cabin homes still in existence outside Morgantown in the early 1900's.

On December 19, 1839, the Hill's oldest daughter twenty-one year old Elizbeth Hill married nineteen year old John Davidson Robinson in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia.

1840 Virginia Census
Eastern Monongalia, Monongalia County

Joseph D. Hill

1 male age 10 through 14 Joseph Liston Hill

1 male age 15 through 19 Alexander Carey Hill

1 male age 20 through 29 Purnell Hill or George Washington Hill

1 male age 40 through 49 Joseph Davidson Hill

1 female age 5 through 9 Mary Louise Hill

1 female age 15 through 19 Sophia Hill

1 female age 40 through 49 Sarah Houston Hill

2 persons employed in agriculture

Of interest, Rebecca Hill, Joseph's mother is enumerated directly underneath her son on the 1840 census. She has 1 male age 20 through 29 enumerated on her census report. Perhaps either Purnell Hill or George Washington Hill, grandsons, were living with Grandmother and working her farm.

In 1843 Purnell Hill married Mary Bush. I have not located a marriage certificate to get the actual date and place; however, their first child was born in Virginia.

On September 22, 1845 twenty-one year old Alexander Carey Hill married eighteen year old Mary Lavina Cartwright.

On January 5, 1846 Joseph Davidson Hill petitioned the United States Congress asking to have the surety he signed in 1834 for the $93. 23 debt of Purnell Houston. Joseph outlines why he signed the surety bond and that Purnell died before the note was due. That Joseph has had numerous indictments filed against him and has been in attendance at court; however, the attorney for the United States asked for a continuance. This has all been at a personal cost of more than the original note and has kept him in suspense as to a resolution for over a decade.

During the 1840's decade, the Joseph and Sarah became grandparents to six Robinson grandchildren and four Hill grandchildren.

On February 14, 1850 twenty-three year old Joseph Liston Hill married twenty-four year old Sarah Dorcus Ridgeway in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia.

1850 Virginia Census
The Eastern District # 36
Monongalia County
September 3, 1850

Joseph D. Hill, age 56, male, occupation is farming, value of real estate owned $5000, born in Virginia.

Sarah Hill, age 58, female, born in Delaware, she cannot read or write.

Sophia Hill, age 24, female, born in Virginia.

Mary Hill, age 18, female, born in Virginia

Joseph Caldwell, age 17, male, employed in farming, born in Pennsylvania.

Copied from the War of 1812 Pension File
Joseph Davidson Hill

On October 19, 1850, Joseph D. Hill personally appeared before the Justice of the Peace in Monongalia County to make a declaration to obtain the land warranty due him from his service in the War of 1812. The Act of Congress granted by the United States was passed on September 28, 1850. Joseph did not let any grass grow under his feet in applying for this land warranty.

There is no date on this document. I'm ballparking it late 1840's to 1850 0r 1851. It is from District Attorney George E. Lee to the Honorable Solicitor of the Treasury and regards the court discontinuing the suit against Joseph D. Hill. He goes into detail regarding Purnell Houston's living situation before he died. He questions the actions of former district attorney Singleton who was the original actor in 1834 who told Purnell Houston that he owed pension money back and was present when the surety bond was signed.

On July 13, 1853, twenty year old Mary Louise Hill married twenty-four year old John Oliphant VanGilder. The wedding was performed by Reverend Benjamin Ison in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia. (my paternal great grandparents)

Copied from the War of 1812 Pension File
Joseph Davidson Hill
Volume 45 Page 158

Land warrant 435 for 80 acres was issued to Joseph D. Hill on February 17, 1851. There is some confusing pencil notations on the paper mentioning Deckers Creek and on Jan 11, 1851 12.33 A. The acreage on 435 is listed on his pension record.

Joseph's persistence finally paid off. On Saturday, April 3, 1852 in the District Court of the United States, the law suit regarding the debt of Purnell Houston against Joseph D. Hill was dismissed. Fourteen years of legal wrangling, numerous times in court with no conclusion, numerous witnesses and letters generated and expenses incurred, to finally have the court dismiss the suit.

Petition for additional land
for service in the War of 1812

A second Act of Congress was passed on March 3, 1855 regarding land warrants for military service. Once again, Joseph did not let any grass grow under his feet. On March 7, 1855 he appeared before the Justice of the Peace in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia to apply for any additional bounty land that might be due him for his service in the War of 1812. The petition does list the eighty acres he received from his original petition in 1850. It appears that Joseph sold and transferred that eighty acres.

Signature signed on the above petition

On April 25, 1855, Joseph Davidson Hill received 80 acres from his March 7, 1855 petition. It is listed as Warrant #54.

On August 28, 1859, Joseph Davidson Hill died at age sixty-six in the Eastern District of Monongalia County, (West) Virginia. Cause of death is listed as apoplexy. Today that would translate to a stroke. His parents are listed as Robert and R Hill and his birth as in Monongalia County. His occupation, farmer and his wife, Sarah Hill.

My photograph of the burial marker

DIED
August 29 1859
Aged 65 yrs
11? mos 23 ds

Joseph Davidson Hill is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia. He has two different listings on Find A Grave. Back in 1928 the graves of those buried in the Old Hill Family Cemetery, located on the property of Robert Hill were removed to other cemeteries. It was assumed that Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Houston Hill were also placed there since both of their parents were reinterred there. Not so. Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Houston Hill are buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Whether they were originally buried there or reinterred in 1928 is unknown.

I made a second trip to that cemetery looking for Joseph's marker. There it was beside hers. His name was weathered off; however, that date of death and his age was not. Joseph and Sarah's married daughter Elizabeth Hill Robinson and many of her family members are buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

Monongalia County Will Book
Volume 2
1856-1872

Joseph Davidson Hill signed his Last Will and Testament on August 3, 1859, several weeks before his death. The will was produced in the Monongalia County Court in the September Term 1859. In the October Term 1859, my paternal great great grandfather and one of the executors, John Oliphant VanGilder was given a grant to obtain letters of testamentary on the will. At that time he took the oath prescribed by law and entered into a bond with a penalty of one thousand dollars conditioned as the bond directs.

The Will a somewhat abbreviated version.

The two executors were Joseph Liston Hill, son and John Oliphant VanGilder, son-in-law.

1. That all debts, funeral expenses and administrative expenses of my estate be paid.

2. Following the payment of all debts that my estate be divided as follows. One third of the estate to my wife, Sarah Hill and the remainder to be divided among my sons and daughters.

3. Executors were to sell whatever pieces of real estate necessary to pay off debts after first selling off personal estate. The executors were to use their best will and judgement in these matters and if any sales of his lands were made that the executors would deliver all deeds to those who purchased them.

Thirteen grandchildren were born in the 1850 decade. Eight to Hill Families, two to the Robinson Family and three to the VanGilder Family.

1860 Virginia Census
District 3, Monongalia County
Stewartstown Post Office
September 17, 1860

Sarah Hill, age 69, female, value of real estate $3,000, value of personal estate $50, born in Delaware.

Sophia Hill, age 39, female, born in Virginia.

Margaret Robinson, age 14, female, born in Virginia, attended school within the year.

Margaret Robinson is Sarah's grand daughter, daughter of Elizabeth Hill Robinson.

During the 1860 decade 17 grandchildren were added to the Hill Family tree. Ten in the Hill line, two in the Robinson line and five in the VanGilder line.

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

Sarah Hill, age 79, female, white, keeping house, value of real estate $1250, value of personal estate $175, born in Delaware.

Sophia Hill, age 49, female, white, at home, born in West Virginia.

Petition for Pension
filed by Sarah Houston Hill

Under the Act 1871 passed by the United States Congress on February 14, 1871, widows could apply for half her husband's pay for seven years after his death. Sarah began her petition on March 17, 1871.

SARAH
Wife of
Joseph D Hill
Died
March 18 1872
Age 81 yrs -----
--------

Sarah Houston Hill died on March 18, 1872 at age eighty one. I have not, to date, found her death record. It is assumed that she died in Monongalia County, West Virginia. She did have family in Missouri. I have checked for a death record there and came up empty handed.

Sarah is buried beside her husband, Joseph Davidson Hill in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia.

I have a copy of Sarah's will. The copy is illegible. Her will was written, signed and witnessed on July 19, 1867. It was filed on August 3, 1872. The entire estate, after bill were paid, went to her daughter, Sophia Hill. Since the will was written in 1867, I would guess Sarah had become incapacitated and her death seemed imminent. One of the witnesses was her brother, Robert Houston.

During the decade of 1870 three VanGilder grandchildren were born, two after Sarah's death. If my numbers are correct, forty-three grandchildren were added to the Hill Family tree.

The Children of Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Houston Hill:

Purnell Hill 1815-1893
George Washington Hill 1817- ?
Elizabeth Hill 1818-1892
Sophia Hill 1821-1900
Alexander Carey Hill 1823-1895
Joseph Liston Hill 1826-1896
Mary Louise Hill 1832-1908 (my paternal great great grandmother)

Additional Information from the notes and letters of Carrie Belle Hackney

Carrie was a descendent of Purnell and Mary Tomlinson Houston. She was born in 1863 and lived in Morgantown. She would have been nine when Sarah Houston Hill died. She would have known my paternal great grandparents (John Oliphant and Mary Hill VanGilder) and my paternal grandparents (George Ethelbert and Jessie Pool VanGilder).

In a letter she referred to Sarah Houston Hill as Aunt Sally.

"Sarah (Houston) Hill wove and spun alter linens for the First Presbyterian Church of Morgantown, W.Va. and napkins made of it are still in the family--1935"

"Joseph D. Hill and Sarah (Houston) Hill are buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Monongalia County, W.Va."

"The Robert Hill Records burned, also heirlooms, in the home of Mary Hill VanGilder, but records partly restored by Joseph D. Hill Bible Records."

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I hope I have done justice to this accounting of my paternal great great grandparents life. Pouring through the legal documents, pension files and numerous emails sent by other researchers has been tedious. I have numerous distant cousins who have also done research on this line and shared. I thank them all.

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