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SHERMAN WASHINGTON HILL
Vol. 3, p. 1143-1144

A man whose business acumen and broad intelligence are meaning much to
the making of Cherokee is Sherman Washington hill, who is secretary
and treasurer of the Oklahoma Abstract Company, in which organization
he is a dominant factor. He combines with the abstract work a large
amount of loan and insurance operations. He may indeed be included
among Oklahoma's business pioneers.

A family of pioneers and patriots is responsible for Mr. Hill's
origin. The names of Washington and Sherman in his patronymic
represent no idle whims of christening decisions. Daniel Hill, his
great-grandfather, was a veteran of the War of the Revolution in which
great and momentous conflict he served as an orderly sergeant under
the immortal George Washington. He named his son for his beloved
commander-in-chief. Born at Perrysville, New York, on August 11, 1826.
John Washington Hill, father of the subject, remained in that native
state of his parents for some years but removed to Ohio while yet
young. He married Emmeline CANFIELD and engaged in mercantile
business, which he continued until the outbreak of the Civil war, when
he enlisted as a private in an Ohio regiment. He served for the three
years under General Sherman and participated in numerous important
engagements, including the Battle of Chickamauga. After the close of
the war between the states, John Washington Hill established a foundry
at Ashtabula, Ohio, remaining in that vocation and locality until
1871, when he determined to try a newer country.

Going to Kansas, he located in Government land in McPherson County.
His was an important part in the settling of that community.
Organizing the McPherson Town-site Company he served as its secretary
and treasurer, and his was the historic honor of laying out that town
in 1872. He became more and more important as a public citizen as time
passed and for fifteen years served the young municipality in the
capacity of justice of the peace. His useful life closed in the town
for which he had done so much, the date of his demise being April 22,
1896. He is still vividly remembered, as a popular Mason, a loyal
republican and a faithful member of the Congregational Church.

During his long life John Washington Hill has been three times
married. Before his union with the Miss CANFIELD about mentioned, he
had lost his first wife, nee Nancy HUMPHREY, who had left him one
child - John A. Hill, who grew to maturity, became a citizen of the
commonwealth of Arkansas and closed his earthly career in 1913. Mr.
Hill's first marriage had been of but two years' duration-from 1847 to
1849. In 1852 his home was blessed by the coming of Emmeline Canfield
Hill, a native of the Buckeye State. To this marriage nine children
were born, but none reached or passed the age of seven, except one,
Sherman Washington, Hill, the special subject of this article. The
mother passed from earthly life in 1865, at the age of thirty-four.
She is remembered as a woman of saintly spirit and religious devotion.
In 1868 John Washington Hill took a third mate, Sarah PROSSER and of
this marriage two children were born, Fred P. Hill and Jessie L. Hill.

The natal day of our subject, Sherman Washington Hill, was October 3,
1864, and his birthplace was Ashtabula County, Ohio. While still a
child at the time of the family's removal to McPherson, Kansas, he was
educated in the public schools of that place and later became a
student at the University of Kansas. Mr. Hill is said to have been a
good student, with some literary gift. His ambitions were educational
and journalistic and he was but nineteen years of age when he
purchased a newspaper. This was The Record, of Windom, Kansas. For a
short time he conducted the paper and then accepted a pedagogical
position, the quality of his teaching being not a little enriched by
his editorial experience. But the call of journalism again came to him
with such insistence that he bought The Smoky Valley News of
Lindsborg, Kansas. For Three years he edited this paper and during
that time exerted a very considerable influence in republican
politics. Turning again to the co-profession of teaching, Mr. Hill
continued in its useful activities until he became interested in
abstracting, which he continued for a few years in Kansas. In time he
became interested in Oklahoma's future and determined to unite his own
with it. In 1893 he participated in the opening of the Cherokee Strip
and followed his father's wife example in the matter of taking up
Government land. Mr. Hill's homestead was six miles southeast of Enid
and on this new and promising farm he remained for three years.
Trained by experience to adapt himself to opportunities and to combine
them worthily, he served his newly chosen state in educational affairs
by spending a few years here also as a teacher.

Being well fitted for public service, Mr. Hill acted as deputy
register of deeds of Garfield County for two years and as deputy
treasurer he served for three years in the same place. In 1903 a
financial opportunity came to him with the recognition of the need of
a bank at Lucine, Oklahoma. Mr. Hill opened a bank at his place and
acted as its cashier for three years.

It was in 1908 that he began his present resident in Cherokee. At that
time he organized the Oklahoma Abstract Company, which has ever since
owed so much to his capable management. No citizen of Cherokee and of
Oklahoma has its best interest more at heart. Mr. Hill is deservedly
prosperous and holds an enviable position in the esteem of those who
know him; and they are legion, for he has participated in important
interests in various parts of this vigorous young state. His opinion
in vital matters is highly respected and it logically follows that he
has been chosen by his townsmen to represent them on the school board
and the city council.

Mr. Hill has been twice married. On August 1, 1888, at McPherson,
Kansas, Miss Amy E. HUNT became Mrs. Hill. She was a native of
Illinois, 1867 being the year of her birth. She died in Garfield
County, Oklahoma, July 23, 1896, leaving two sons: Virgil W. Hill,
born in McPherson county, January 18, 1890; and Joseph W. Hill, born
June 3, 1892, in Kansas. This son is now a student in the University
of Kansas, a member of the class of 1916.

The present Mrs. Sherman Washington Hill is a native of the Bluegrass
State and was born in the City of Newport, on November 2, 1877. She is
a daughter of Isaac N. HORNER and wife, of Enid, Oklahoma. Her
marriage to Mr. Hill occurred on January 20, 1907. Their home is now
brightened by the sunny charm of a little daughter, Mary Frances, born
January 17, 1913.

Typed for OKGenWeb by: Earline Sparks Barger, December 21, 1999.