John Hill

Among the pioneers of Western Pennsylvania was the Hill family. They came from "east of the mountains," and settled near Salem, Westmoreland county. While residing here the father of the family was captured by a band of Indians, and taken to Hickory Flats, above Oil City, where he was mercilessly slaughtered. He left three children -- John, Jacob and Hannah. John, the eldest, was born in 1772, and became the possessor of the old homestead, where he lived for many years diligently engaged in clearing and improving the farm. He frequently related to his family in after-years the trials and hardships through which they were obliged to pass, notably among them their persecution by the Indians, from whom they used to flee to blockhouses for a place of safety. It was also frequently necessary to corral their stock against the depredations of the savages. Reared as he was amid scenes of danger and toil, he became a fine type of the hardy pioneer to which the present and succeeding generations are and will be deeply indebted. He was well known as an expert with the ax, and for a time followed the business of meeting log houses and barns, in which he was exceptionally successful. In an early day he erected a grist and saw mill on Beaver Run, and settlers for a radius of twenty miles visited his mill with their grists, and sometimes they were so far behind owing to low water, notwithstanding the mill was run Sundays as well as week-days, that settlers would wait two weeks for their grist, camping out near the mill. About 1800 he built a gristmill on the river, to which place he moved his family. The millsite included some seventy acres of land, which was acquired by settler's right. He also erected a mill on the Kiskiminetas. In 1812 he moved to a tract of land in Allegheny, now Gilpin township, Armstrong county, now in possession of one of his sons, and soon became one of the most successful farmers of that section. His sagacity was evidenced by his planting an orchard of 1,000 apple trees, while his farm was visited by neighbors from miles around to pick cherries from the numerous trees he had planted. He became an expert in the manufacture of wooden moldboard plows, then exclusively used. He was one of the commissioners appointed by government to clear out, the Kiskiminetas river. A member of the Lutheran church, he was a man of strong religious sentiments, and church services were frequently held in his barn. His death occurred January 9, 1848, and thus quietly passed away another of that band of noble pioneers who now only live in the memory of a grateful posterity. He was twice married, first to Elizabeth Waltz, who died October 13, 1817, and by whom he had ten children -- Mary, Elizabeth, John, Jacob, Levi, Eli, Daniel, Hiram, Israel and Deborah. His second wife was Susan Ammon, who is still living at the advanced age of ninety-two years. They became the parents of nine children -- Hetty, Leah, John, Ammon, Charlotte, Phillip, Sarah, Noah and Seni. One of his sons, Ely, was born in 1807, and died in Leechburg, October, 1843. Arriving at manhood's estate, Eli, in connection with his brothers, Levi and Jacob, engaged in the manufacture of salt, and drilled he third well in this section for this valuable product. They drilled altogether some eight wells, and became quite extensive salt manufacturers. Eli, Levi, Daniel and Hiram also engaged in the mercantile business in Leechburg, which the carried oh quite extensively for about four years.

Eli Hill married Susan Ashbaugh, who died in March, 1878, aged about sixty-two years. They became the parents of children as follows: John, Eveline, Margaret (Barr), Priscilla (Lytle). Their son, John Hill, was born in Allegheny township, Westmoreland county, December 6 1832, and grew to manhood's estate with no other educational advantages than those accorded the farmers' sons at that time. Having inherited the genius for mechanism so prominent in his grandfather's character, he learned the carpenter's trade, and soon became a successful contractor and builder, which avocation he followed until 1872, when he engaged in the lumber business in Leechburg, which is still carried on, but since 1879 in connection with his son, Charles A., under .the firm name of John Hill & Son. Mr. Hill was one of the original association organized in 1872, that the year following established a bank known as the Leechburg Banking Company, and was one of the first directors, which office he held until the spring of 1878, wen he was elected cashier, which position he still retains. Mr. Hill has been school director, and held this position when the present fine school building was erected in Leechburg. In politics he is a republican, and although always exercising the rights of the elective franchise, is no aspirant for office. Starting in life with his own resources -- energy, perseverance and industry -- as his only capital, he has made a success in life, and is now accounted as among the most energetic, successful, honored and respected citizens of Leechburg. January 8, 1857, he was married to Mary Jane, daughter of Charles and Ann (Mears) McCauley, who was born April 20, 1833. They have been blessed with two children � Charles A., born December 9, 1857, and Edward, born April 19, 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Hill are both members of the General Synod Lutheran church.

Source: Page(s) 613-614, History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania by Robert Walker Smith, Esq. Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883.
Transcribed December 2000 by Jeffrey Bish for the Armstrong County Smith Project.
Contributed by Jeffrey Bish for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)

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