Family Files Submitted By
Lenora Hill Watkins
lenorawat@msn.com
HILL FAMILYWilliam P. Hill was either born in Illinois or Tennessee depending on what Census you read. It is not clear when he came to Madison County Arkansas or when and where he and his wife Lucinda Tucker Hill were married. He and Lucinda bought 40 acres in 1849 in Hillburn Township 14, range 27. They sold the land July 13, 1853 and William doubled his money on the property.
William P. Hill joined the Confederate Army and he served in the 1st Battalion (Stirman's) Arkansas Cavalry, Brooks Cavalry. According to military records Pvt. Hill was wounded and captured at Fayetteville, Arkansas on November 4, 1864. Word was sent to his wife and she was allowed to visit him one last time to bring him some clothes. He was taken to Gratiot Street Military Prison in St. Louis, Missouri. From there he was sent to Alton, Illinois Prison on December 7, 1864. He contracted Erysipelas. (Erysipelas is an acute infectious disease of the skin or mucous membranes caused by several kinds of streptococcus and characterized by local inflammation and fever). He was admitted to the hospital January 21, 1865 and died January 30, 1865. His body was never returned to the family. His military records indicate that he was buried in the Confederate Cemetery at the northern end of Alton. There are no individual graves of the prisoners that died at Alton at the Confederate Cemetery but a monument has been erected there that is built from the stones of the prison. There is a plaque on the monument with William's name on it. Last year a memorial was erected on what is left of the remaining wall of the prison and William's photo is there as a Confederate POW that lost his life in that prison.After William's death times were hard for the widowed Lucinda . William was a farmer and after his death Lucinda opened her home to boarders, mainly men that were in town working on the railroad. Lucinda applied for pension on William's military service December 5, 1891 due to Rheumatism. The pension was approved August 15, 1892 Lucinda received $25.00 pension. On June 17, 1893 Lucinda appeared in court and was granted property that she had homesteaded on June 24. 1878. This 80 acres was located on the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter section 4 in Township 13 north Range 27. It is not know what happened to Lucinda between 1893 and 1900. She is not listed in the 1900 Madison County Census. It is assumed she died but could have remarried and moved elsewhere.
Lucinda's parents were William & Anna James. William and Anna were farmers. He and Anna were natives of Tennessee. They left Tennessee about 1884 (via Alabama) by water to Little Rock and then by wagon to Franklin Co finally locating in Madison County,Ark where he took up land, which he improved. William Tucker and Anna James are believed to be buried in Tucker/Patrick Cemetery in fieldstone graves.
William and Lucinda's youngest son Lafayette was my great grandfather. Lafayette married Nancy LeMaster daughter of Henry LeMaster and Angeline Blevins LeMasters. Angeline's father was Rev. Daniel Blevins (my Great Great Great maternal grandfather)
This document was copied as found in Goodspeed Book of Northwestern Ark. Date printed unknown, p. 1081-1082:
Blevins, Rev. Daniel, Primitive Baptist minister, and justice of the peace of Valley Township, was born in Lawrence County, Ky., September 22, 1831, his parents being William and Ava (Collins) Blevins, natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively. They were married in Lee Counts, Va., and immigrated to Lawrence County, Ky., at the early settling of that State, or in about 1822. They resided in this state until about 1866, when they moved to Arkansas, locating in Madison County, and here the father died in 1872 at the age of ninety-four years. The mother died in Missouri in 1875, at the age of eighty-four, and while on a visit to her son in that state. She was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church for many years, and he was a member of the Christian Church for a long time. He was a farmer by occupation, and a lifelong Democrat. They were the parents of nine children, six now living:Lafayette & Nancy LeMaster Hill were the parents of my grandfather William Henry Hill & Annie Prater Hill. Henry was a share cropper and also worked at a saw mill in Patrick, Arkansas. Annie's parents were Hugh Prater & Mary Cooper. Hugh Prater was the son of Elijah (Lige) & Jemima Patrick Prater. Jemima's father was Robert Patrick & Betsy McMullen Patrick. Robert Patrick came to Madison county from Floyd County, KY.
1. Rev. Daniel Blevens is the only child of this family living in Madison County Arkansas.
2. Malinda is the widow of David Pennington, and is now residing in Lawrence County, Ky.
3. Eli is a farmer for Morgan County, Ky.
4. Nancy is now Mrs. James Tackett
5. Malina is the wife of Edmond Osborn, a merchant in Washington County, Arkansas
6. Rosana, wife of Henry Jenkis, a Primitive Baptist minister and farmer
7. Hiram
Those deceased are
8. Wiley
9. Minerva.Daniel Blevins began farming at the age of eighteen, and has since continued this occupation. He left Kentucky in 1866 and moved to Madison County, Arkansas where he has resided ever since. In 1862 he enlisted in Company A, Fifth Kentucky Infantry, Confederate Arms, and served fourteen months. He was then elected orderly sergeant, and after serving a short time was promoted to the rank of captain of Company K, and remained with that company until the regiment was disbanded. He was made a prisoner, and retained as such for six days, when he was retaken. He was in a number of battles, and was a brave and gallant officer. February 12, 1869 he married Miss Nancy Osborn, a daughter of Edmond Osborn, and a native of Johnson County, KY., born September 23, 1832. The fruits of this union are thirteen children,
1. Malinda, wife of W. L. Evans, a farmer of Crawford County, Ark.;
2. Angline wife of Henry Lemaster, a farmer of Washington County, Ark
3. Ellen , wife of James Hight, a farmer of Madison County, Ark
4. Elizabeth, deceased, died at the age of twenty five, and was the wife of James Patrick
5. Ava Jane, wife of Robert Forbush, of Madison County Arkansas
6. Nancy Jane, wife of Solan Hendrickson, farmer of Madison County Ark
7. John. H., farmer
8. Louisa died at the age of two years
9. Niatelda died at the age of one year
10. Thomas H. died in infancy
11. Albert J. also died in infancy and the rest were infants that died unnamed.In 1860 Mr. Blevins joined the Primitive Baptist Church, and in 1862 he began preaching, which he has since continued. Mr. Blevins is a Democrat in politics. In 1878 he was elected justice of the peace of Valley Township, and has served five consecutive terms, or ten years. Mrs. Blevins joined the Primitive Baptist Church in 1858.
William Henry Hill and Annie Prater Hill had my father Jack Cleveland Hill. William and Annie moved to Wheeler in Washington County Arkansas when my dad was a young man. Dad remembers moving in a covered wagon with the older siblings walking beside the wagon and his oldest brother riding a mule to help keep the cows in line.
Jack Cleveland Hill married my mother Loretta Walker Hill. Jack worked at Shipley Baking company in Fayetteville all of his adult life. My mother was a homemaker they are both now deceased.
Lenora Hill Watkins
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